The Chattanooga based logistics accelerator, Dynamo, opened its door to 10 startups for the inaugural cohort this week.
“With over 120 applicants, we had to make some hard decisions,” Director Santosh Sankar said.
“We are confident in the startups selected for our 2016 class.”
Logistics veterans Ted Alling, Barry Large and Allan Davis - who are partners in venture incubator Lamp Post Group and who founded, grew and sold Access America Transport in a multimillion-dollar deal - are leading the new accelerator.
Former Techstars Managing Director Jon Bradford will serve as Dynamo’s entrepreneur-in-residence, helping mentor the young companies.
The leaders invited teams who could push forward the “lagging logistics industry.”
The Teams
Locatible: This startup is a platform that allows logistics and operations leaders to pinpoint the location of their assets within 5 centimeters, allowing them to gain real-time insights around workflow, asset optimization and workforce efficiency. It’s based in Dublin, and the founders are Rónán Ó‘Cóigligh and Peter Kortvel.
Shipamax: Based in London, England, Shipamax provides an end-to-end digital brokerage for bulk freight ships carrying agriculture commodities, metals, gasoline products and other carbons. Leveraging real-time data around pricing, asset utilization and more, shippers can seamlessly book a ship to suit their needs. Its founders are Jenna Brown and Fabian Blaicher.
Sirenum: Based in London, Sirenum is the world’s first fully automated staff management solution. Sirenum leverages cloud and mobile technology in order to transform the way organizations connect with their staff; increase the engagement of part-time, temporary and mobile workers; and improve health and safety compliance in highly regulated industries. The founders are Ben Rubin, Ben Hizak and Josh Pines.
SKUPOS: This startup is a two-sided network marketplace for the retail industry, providing store owners and distributors with a clear view into inventory, ordering, delivery and critical timed opportunities. Inventory is automated with point-of-sales integrations, and orders are automatically placed when minimums are met. Distributors have access to all in-network inventory levels, providing a one-push campaign for increased sales and quicker inventory turns. The founders are Jake Bolling, Linh Nguyen and Mike Glassman.
Skydrop: Based in Monterrey, Mexico, Skydrop is a platform that connects local, independent delivery agents with small businesses that need last-mile pickup or delivery services in Latin America. The founders are Armando Solbes Argüello, Arnoldo Rodriguez and Jose Zambrano.
Slope.io: From fulfillment to automation, Slope provides specialized, software-driven logistics services for companies operating in the clinical research space. It’s based in Mobile, Alabama, and Chattanooga, and the founders are Rust Felix and Michael Felix.
Stord: Based in Atlanta, Stord is reinventing the warehousing industry with an on-demand service for flexible and affordable warehousing. Stord connects businesses in need of warehousing and distribution solutions to excess warehousing capacity to help save time, money, and hassle. The founders are Sean Henry and Jacob Boudreau.
SynapseMX: This startup is a real-time, mobile-first platform that allows teams to plan, track and accomplish aircraft maintenance from anywhere to limit the amount of time aircraft are out of service. SynapseMX is based in Atlanta, and its founder is Shane Ballman.
Wise Systems: Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Wise Systems is an enterprise software solution that simplifies last-mile delivery. Through real-time updates to drivers, fleet managers and customers, Wise Systems increases efficiency, transparency and reliability, and decreases costs. The founders are Chazz Sims, Jemel Derbali, Ali Kamil and Layla Shaikley.
WorkHound: WorkHound is a software platform built to help carriers keep drivers and improve the truck driver experience. Truck drivers use their smartphones to share feedback and ideas with the carrier, which WorkHound aggregates and turns into actionable insights to help manage and retain drivers. It’s based in Des Moines, Iowa, and the founders are Max Farrell and Andrew Kirpalani.
Related Article: 10 Companies Needed to Change the Face of Logistics