tech start-ups

Flexport just another forwarder forced to adapt quickly to market changes

The news this week that Flexport has laid off some 50 staff has, predictably, caused a flurry of comment about the digital forwarder and its future.
It should, however, be seen in context – it is hardly the only forwarder out there scaling back. DSV Panalpina may have lost between 20% and 30% of Panalpina staff, although admittedly under different circumstances.
Forwarders wax and wane constantly on staff numbers – according to …

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2020 will be a better year for investment in maritime and logistics start-ups

Venture capital investment in the maritime sector was dominated last year by the enormous $1bn raised by US digital-first freight forwarder Flexport, but the deal masked an overall decline in investment in maritime start-ups.
According to new research from consultancy Thetius, $1.14bn was raised by start-ups last year, but without the Flexport $1bn, led by Japanese investor SoftBank, the remaining $144m represented a 24% decline on the $190m raised in 2018.
Thetius …

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‘Mysterious third party’ prepares Shyp relaunch

Last March we reported on the demise of US-based on-demand shipping start-up, Shyp. The company, which launched in 2016, had struggled to turn the hype surrounding it into a genuine business proposition. But after shuttering its doors, it appears there may be life in the (not so) old dog yet. Tech Crunch is reporting that a third party has acquired the brand and domain name.

Former chief executive Kevin Gibbon tweeted that …

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