MergerLinks’ Post

FLEXPORT IN DISCUSSIONS TO ACQUIRE CONVOY Many people on LinkedIn have been reaching out to me since the news broke that Convoy was going out of business, and they’re asking me who I believe should acquire Convoy’s technology. This is who I listed: Amazon Uber Freight DSV - Global Transport and Logistics C.H. Robinson And my top choice - Flexport. Everybody keeps telling me that Flexport can’t acquire Convoy. False. The total sale price for the IP will be much lower than people realize. Yes, I’ve been critical of Flexport but once I learned that Convoy was going out of business, Flexport jumped to the top of the list of companies who should acquire Convoy. Why? Because Flexport hired Bill Driegert to start a trucking company. Acquiring Convoy’s IP will accelerate Flexport’s go to market strategy. Also, I have spoken to several members of the press and I’ve made the argument that Flexport should hire Dan Lewis and several other team members from Convoy. If the report is true, this is a wise move on the part of Ryan Petersen for pursuing this. This is a great way to strengthen Flexport’s foundation and better position the company for growth or a future sale. I still believe that Ryan should be meeting with GPS Logistics, AMERICAN EAGLE OUTFITTERS INC., Cart.com, Flowspace, Veho, WARP, AxleHire, Flexe, Coyote Logistics, Pandion and investors about consolidating multiple logistics and transportation companies. In essence, copy the strategy Brad Jacobs used to make acquisitions and create XPO Logistics. There are too many small logistics companies. There are too many platforms that offer little to no value. Now is a great time to go on a buying spree to find value and create a new model for fulfillment and logistics. I hope this is explored by Ryan and his team. Flexport has an opportunity to take advantage of the down cycle in logistics by going after as many companies as possible and creating a new Flexport Fulfillment and Logistics. #retail #trucking #freightforwarding #logistics #supplychainmanagement #fulfillment #microfulfillment https://lnkd.in/gfds5unp

🚀 WIZ Freight Navigates Success with $11.24M Series B Funding! 🌐 Exciting news as supply chain startup Wiz Freight secures Rs 93.3 crore ($11.24 million) in a Series B round, marking a significant milestone after a 20-month funding gap. Japan-based venture capital firm SBI Investments led the round, with key contributions from Tiger Global, Nippon Express Fund, Axilor Technologies Fund, Arali Investments, and Unikon Shipping Ventures. 💡 The board at Wiz Freight has greenlit the issuance of 1,790 Series B CCPS at an issue price of Rs 5,21,191 each, raising the substantial sum. The funds will be strategically utilized for growth, expansion, and general corporate activities, affirming Wiz Freight's commitment to scaling its operations. 💰 With a valuation estimated at around Rs 1,142 crore or $140 million post-allotment, Wiz Freight has witnessed a commendable 20% surge compared to its Series A round. The company's financial success is underscored by its impressive FY22 performance, where revenue from operations soared by an 18.2X jump to Rs 327.5 crore, marking profitability at Rs 8 crore. 🚢 Founded in 2020, Wiz Freight, spearheaded by Ramkumar Govindarajan and Ramkumar Ramachandran , offers comprehensive shipment management solutions, encompassing price discovery, booking management, shipment tracking, documentation, shipment finance, and stellar customer support. #WizFreight #SeriesBFunding #SupplyChainInnovation #BusinessGrowth #LogisticsTechnology #enterpreneur #fundraising 🚀🌐

I'll be representing Covenant Logistics and speaking this year on a panel at Manifest: The Future of Supply Chain & Logistics 2024 in Las Vegas - topic is "Regulation and Collaborations: Accelerating the Deployment of AV and EVs". Manifest will host over 5000 shippers / carriers / investors / startups / solution providers - if you're in supply chain, there is something here for everyone. #innovation #supplychain #sustainability #logistics #transportation

In today's fast-paced shipping landscape, staying on top of every shipment's status and ensuring smooth operations can be a challenge. That's why fretigo has developed MyDashboard, a powerful tool designed to empower you with real-time insights and control over your shipments like never before. With MyDashboard, we're putting the power of shipment control directly into your hands, empowering you to optimize processes, minimize disruptions, and deliver exceptional service to your customers. Ready to take control of your shipments like never before? Get started with free registration on fretigo.com and experience the future of logistics management! #fretigo #digitalfreightforwarder #onlinefreight #oceanfreight #airfreight #freightforwarding #freightforwarders #redsea #shippingsolutions #shippingworldwide #shippingnews #containershipping #exporter #importexport #internationalbusiness #cmacgm #gdfnetwork #msc #hapaglloyd #maersk #statista #flexport #digitalfreight #indianeconomy #startup #innovation

In today's fast-paced shipping landscape, staying on top of every shipment's status and ensuring smooth operations can be a challenge. That's why fretigo has developed MyDashboard, a powerful tool designed to empower you with real-time insights and control over your shipments like never before. With MyDashboard, we're putting the power of shipment control directly into your hands, empowering you to optimize processes, minimize disruptions, and deliver exceptional service to your customers. Ready to take control of your shipments like never before? Get started with free registration on fretigo.com and experience the future of logistics management! #fretigo #digitalfreightforwarder #onlinefreight #oceanfreight #airfreight #freightforwarding #freightforwarders #redsea #shippingsolutions #shippingworldwide #shippingnews #containershipping #exporter #importexport #internationalbusiness #cmacgm #gdfnetwork #msc #hapaglloyd #maersk #statista #flexport #digitalfreight #indianeconomy #startup #innovation

Wow. This article by Paul Berger is worth reading if logistics technology is your thing. By 2018, it had become clear to me and Lisa Morales-Hellebo that we had to think about REFASHIOND Ventures: The Industrial Transformation Fund quite differently than conventional wisdom would suggest if we wanted to protect our limited partners from the vagaries of economic cycles. The process of back and forth debate and discussion we went through has led us to the current version of our investment thesis. Our Thesis: REFASHIOND Ventures: The Industrial Transformation Fund invests in early stage startups refashioning legacy industries through Data & AI, Advanced Materials, Advanced Manufacturing, & Next Generation Supply Chains; Defensible through economic moats. We emphasize scalable networks, platforms, ecosystems, and information infrastructure. We launched with a rolling fund on AngelList in July 2021, and made our first investment in September 2021. We have now closed 53 investments across 47 startups. Join us. It's still Day 0, and the opportunity couldn't be any bigger; We are in the early-stages of the largest sector-driven investment opportunity of our lifetime - the technology-driven refashioning, transformation, and reinvention of industrial value chains AND supply chains. #IndustrialTransformation #SupplyChain #Innovation #Technology #Startups #VentureCapital 

UNICORN WATCH THIS WEEK: Databricks continues its acquisition shopping spree and Flexport initiates talks to buy Convoy, the fallen freight company. Databricks, with a valuation of $43.5B, has completed the acquisition of Arcion, a California-based database platform. This strategic move involved an investment exceeding $100M. Arcion had previously raised approximately $18M from notable firms such as Bessemer Venture Partners and Databricks itself. Flexport is engaged in talks to acquire the technology assets of Convoy Inc, a digital freight startup that recently closed its operations. The deal would not encompass Convoy's entire business, including physical assets like truck trailers or real estate, nor would it involve taking on Convoy's liabilities. Island, the creator of an enterprise internet browser, has secured $100M in funding. This funding round was co-led by Prysm Capital and Canapi Ventures, propelling the company to a valuation of $1.5B. This valuation marks a 15% increase from the startup's previous fundraising round in 2022. Synthesia reports that 47% of the Fortune 100 companies are utilizing their computer-generated avatars. This marks a significant increase from June of this year, when the startup had already counted more than 50,000 companies among its clientele, including 35% of those listed in the Fortune 100. The Boring Company has completed the sale of shares previously held by employees and investors at a price 22% higher than the previous year's funding round valuation. This gives the startup an implied valuation of over $7B. Through the tender offer, the company informed its shareholders that investors could purchase up to $20M in secondary shares. Automattic, the parent company of WordPress.com and Tumblr, is set to acquire the messaging app Texts.com for a notable $50M. Texts.com is known for its capability to unify various messaging apps into a single, user-friendly dashboard. Magic Leap, the augmented-reality headset developer, has appointed Ross Rosenberg, a tech executive from Bain Capital, as the new CEO. Ross Rosenberg replaces Peggy Johnson and is entrusted with driving the broader adoption of AR technology in commercial contexts. Keyfactor, the identity-first security solution provider for modern enterprises, announces that it has secured a minority investment from Sixth Street Growth. This investment values the company at approximately $1.3 billion. #preipo #unicorns #technews #startups #venturecapital #databricks #flexport #convoy #secondaries #secondarymarket Find the article links in the comments.

Revolutionizing Cargo Shipping: Ship Smart, Ship on Fretigo! Are you tired of the hassle and uncertainty of traditional cargo shipping processes? Say goodbye to lengthy paperwork, endless phone calls, and unpredictable delays. It's time to embrace a smarter, more efficient way to ship your cargo - online! Introducing fretigo.com, your trusted partner in revolutionizing the cargo shipping industry. With our innovative online platform, we're simplifying the entire shipping process, putting the power in your hands. It's time to embrace the future of cargo shipping. Say hello to convenience, reliability, and efficiency. Say hello to Fretigo. Ready to experience the difference? Visit our website today to learn more and start shipping smarter, faster, and easier than ever before! #fretigo #digitalfreightforwarder #onlinefreight #oceanfreight #airfreight #freightforwarding #freightforwarders #redsea #shippingsolutions #shippingworldwide #shippingnews #containershipping #exporter #importexport #internationalbusiness #cmacgm #gdfnetwork #msc #hapaglloyd #maersk #statista #flexport #digitalfreight #indianeconomy #startup #innovation

This story highlights a concerning trend in the freight industry—one that could be mitigated if companies were willing to invest in upgrading their systems and processes. Many logistics companies are still using analog systems to keep track of their operations. Deliveright was founded to support the move from analog processes to robust, flexible logistics technology, empowering companies to compete and scale without compromising their warehouse and trucking workforces. Rather than requiring a total overhaul, the best solutions give companies the functionality and support to do what they’re already doing with greater ease and efficiency. #supplychaintech #modernization #logistics #supplychain

From a valuation of $3.8B to out of business in less than a year? Logistics is a tough business, and burning stacks of cash isn't the preferred business model. Read more here, for @the The Wall Street Journal's take on logistic tech start-ups. #logistics #technology #transportation #manufacturing