The Ultimate Logistics Startup List
How much do we love freight innovation?
Enough to go through every single article published in the top tech blogs – Techcrunch, Verge, Mashable and Recode – since 2007 to count how often articles about logistics startups, freight or cargo were published.
And we found that freight innovation is hot. Really hot.
It’s no coincidence that Transport Intelligence just emailed me an invitation to The Future of Logistics conference. The email subject? “Is disruption ahead for the future of logistics?”
So I spoke to everyone I knew in the field and looked through some other sources (Crunchbase, Jonathan Wichmann’s great list of logistics startups site, CB Insights and more) to come up with the ULTIMATE LIST of disruptive logistics startups.
We LOVE how they’re embracing technology to change logistics and improve the end-user’s life.
Logistics is the prime example of a changing industry – colossal, ripe for disruption and utterly opaque. And it’s about to get hit by a freight train of innovation.
Marketplace
| Logo | Company | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellhops | Movers marketplace matching shipping requirement with freelance student drivers. | @bellhopnation | |
| Buddytruk | Marketplace matching movers with freelance truck drivers. L.A., Austin. | @buddytruk | |
| Cargomatic | App platform matching last mile requirements with nearby carriers who have spare space. | @CargomaticHQ | |
| Dropship | Supply chain platform matching drop-ship retailers, manufacturers, distributors and freight forwarders. | @dropshipcom | |
| Fleet (was Shipstr) | Freight Forwarder comparator for shippers, with upcoming online freight sales platform. | @TryFleet | |
| Freightos | Freight cloud-based marketplace matching shippers and freight forwarders. Provides forwarders and enterprise shippers with rate management, automated quoting, tender automation and business intelligence. | @freightos | |
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Ghostruck | Movers marketplace matching local couriers, including movers uploading item photos into an app. L.A. only. | @ghostrucks |
| Haven | Freight marketplace where shippers bid for container slots. | @havenmx | |
| Keychain Logistics | Freight marketplace software matching shippers and trucking carriers, thereby eliminating freight forwarders. | @keychain | |
| Roost | Crowdsourcing marketplace matching storage requirements with consumers who have spare storage or a spare parking space. | @Roost | |
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Schlep | Marketplace matching movers with freelance truck drivers. Chicago only. | @schlepit |
| ShareMyStorage | Crowdsourcing platform matching storage requirements with consumers who have extra space. U.K. only. | @ShareMyStorage | |
| Shipster | Marketplace matching small load delivery requirements with freelance, local couriers and long-distance forwarders. Now Closed. | @Shipster | |
| Transfix | Freight marketplace matching truckers with shippers. | @transfixio | |
| Transporteca | Freight marketplace matching LCL shippers and ocean freight forwarders on limited routes (Cloud). | @Transporteca | |
| uShip | Freight marketplace where carriers, primarily U.S Truckers, bid on B2B and consumer shipments, often filling space in trucks. | @uShip | |
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Youtruckme | Social network for truckers, that has a minor marketplace freight function. | @youtruckme |
Fleet Management
| Logo | Company | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| KeepTruckin | Log-book and tracking system for trucking companies, with app for drivers. | @KeepTruckinInc | |
| Local Motion | Improved vehicle sharing efficiency and monitoring based on an in-car device. | @getlocalmotion | |
| MuniRent | Platform enabling public agencies more efficiently share heavy duty equipment, including with other agencies. | @munirent | |
| TruckTrack | Logistics platform for trucking companies, including HR and Finance modules. | @trucktrackco |
Logistics
| Logo | Company | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boxbee | Personal storer service – Pick up, storage and retrieval. | @boxbee | |
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Holland Container Innovations | Improved cargo capacity by innovative 40 foot container design (fold). | @4foldcontainers |
| MakeSpace | Similar to a personal shopper, but this is a personal storer, including pick-up, storage and retrieval. | @makespace | |
| Staxxon | Improved cargo capacity by innovative container design (fold and nest). | @Staxxon |
Freight Forwarding
| Logo | Company | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deposco | Cloud-based full supply chain management, including freight forwarding. | @deposco | |
| Flexport | Online (cloud-based) freight forwarder for enterprise shippers. | @flexportinc | |
| Freight Filter | Online freight forwarder, with instant carrier quoting. U.K. only. | @freightfilter | |
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iContainers | Online freight forwarder, with instant carrier quoting. | @iContainers |
| Pivot Freight | End to end supply chain solution, for the mid-market which includes a freight rate comparator. | @PivotFreight | |
| Xeneta | An information Service providing ocean freight rates and transit times, useful for benchmarking by shippers and freight forwarders. | @Xeneta_AS | |
| Kontainers | Online freight forwarder (U.K.-China) primarily for SME shippers. | @KontainersUK |
Package Delivery
| Logo | Company | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barnacle | Crowdsourcing platform that matches shipments with freelance drivers, using Facebook for verification. The company has closed. | @GoBarnacle | |
| deliv | App for on-demand service that utilises freelance passenger delivery drivers. Select U.S. cities. Recently acquired similar operation – We Deliver. | @deliv | |
| DoorDash | Takeout Order and Delivery Service optimising small restaurant deliveries for freelance couriers. | @DoorDash | |
| Doorman | Service based on delivering at a time that suits the receiver. | @Doorman | |
| FriendShippr | Crowdsourcing platform that matches shipments with Facebook friends who are traveling. | @friendshippr | |
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Kanga Technology | Both a delivery service software platform (utilising freelance drivers and courier companies) that can be white labeled, and an app service (Kanga Delivery) utilising freelance drivers. | @getkanga |
| Matternet | Drone transportation for short deliveries, including last mile. | @matternet | |
| Nimber | Crowdsourcing platform that matches shipments with space in passenger vehicles heading in that direction. North Europe only. | @nimber | |
| PiggyBee | Crowdsourcing platform that matches shipments with travelers. | @piggybeetw | |
| Postmates | On-Demand app service utilising freelance drivers/riders. Select U.S. cities. | @postmates | |
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Rickshaw | Same-day service, with advanced route optimisation, utilising freelance couriers. API and app access. San Francisco only. | @GoRickshaw |
| Roadie | Crowdsourcing platform, accessed by app, utilising spare space in passenger vehicles heading in that direction. | @Roadie | |
| Shutl | App for on-demand service for online retailers that utilises freelance passenger delivery drivers. | @shutl | |
| TrunkBird | Crowdsourcing platform that matches shipments with travelers, who then travel for free. Europe only. | @TrunkBird | |
| UberCARGO | Not so much parcel delivery, on-demand moving and small load delivery service that utilises freelance van drivers. Hong Kong only. | #ubercargo @Uber | |
| UberRUSH | App for on-demand service that utilises freelance passenger delivery drivers. San Francisco only. | @uber | |
| zipments | Same-day service, with advanced route optimisation, using freelance couriers and connects with E-Commerce, but also web and app. New York only. | @zipments |
Security
| Logo | Company | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parcel Pending | Secure package pick-up at on-site (apartment complexes, business parks, student dorms, etc) electronic lockers. | @ParcelPending | |
| Bufferbox | Secure package pick-up at company-site electronic lockers. Google acquired in 2012 and recently shut business down. | @BufferBox | |
| Lockitron | A deadlock remote controlled by a smart-phone, as an alternative to both key exchange for short-term home-rent (e.g. airbnb), and to warehouse storage for absent small business owners. | @lockitron | |
| Swapbox | Secure package pick-up at company-site electronic lockers. San Francisco only. | @swapbox | |
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Weft | Software that provides end to end tracking of containers. | @weftio |
| Windward | Information and predictive analytics on vessel activity. | @WindwardOceans |
Specialized Shipping
| Logo | Company | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Aeropost | Provides online shoppers from Latin America a U.S. shipping address for E-Commerce purchasing. | @AerocasillasSJO |
| Bongo International | Shipping platform for E-Commerce enabling international online shoppers to access U.S and E.U. E-Commerce sites. Recently acquired by Fedex. | @bongous | |
| Boxc | Shipping platform for E-Commerce aggregated for discounted U.S.-China freight-forwarding. Attractive for drop-shippers, especially with the option of outsourced logistics. | @BoxCLogistics | |
| Cloud Fulfillment | Outsourced logistics cloud-based solution for E-Commerce. | @CloudFulfilment | |
| EasyPost | Parcel shipping API which includes tracking and shipping rates (select carriers). | @easypost | |
| Postmaster | Parcel shipping API which includes tracking and shipping rates (select carriers). | @postmaster_io | |
| ShipBob | Similar to a personal shopper, but this is a personal shipper for parcels, initiated by uploading item photos into an app. Select U.S. cities, eg Chicago. | @LoveShipBob | |
| Shiphawk | Outsourced logistics solution for E-Commerce, including multi-modal freight exact quoting and tracking. | @ShipHawk | |
| Shippo | Shipping platform (API and app) for E-Commerce connecting with leading freight forwarders to achieve discounted parcel rates and bulk discounts. | @goshippo | |
| Shipwire | Outsourced logistics cloud-based solution for E-Commerce. | @shipwire | |
| Shyp | Similar to a personal shopper, but this is a personal shipper for parcels, initiated by uploading item photos into an app. Select U.S. cities, eg L.A. | @shyp | |
| Snapnship | Parcel shipping app with visualiser which predicts packing/label requirements. | @snapnship |