Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

SmartHop says $30 million VC round will help deliver better tech tools for small fleets

Digital freight matching startup connects independent carriers and owner-operators with better access to dispatching, payments, fuel, lease, and insurance.

smarthop O2j-nuXB.jpeg

Digital freight matching startup SmartHop plans to boost hiring and scale up its platform for small truck fleets thanks to a $30 million injection of venture capital that includes investments from a half-dozen marquee names in the logistics technology field, the firm said today.

The “series B” round was led by Sozo Ventures with participation from existing investors Union Square Ventures (USV), RyderVentures, Greycroft, Equal Ventures, Las Olas VC, and The Fund. Additional participants in the round include logistics industry veterans Robby Nathan, founder and CEO of LoadDelivered; Jett McCandles, founder and CEO of project44; Andrew Leto, founder and CEO of Emerge; Craig Fuller, founder and CEO of FreightWaves; and Jason Duboe, Chief Growth Officer at project44; and Alumni Ventures.


“The supply chain nightmares of the past two years have hammered home the crucial role truckers play in the global economy, yet the vast majority of them are hobbled by an antiquated and grossly inefficient system,” Spencer Foust, managing director at Sozo Ventures, said in a release. “Through its impressive technology platform, vast partner network, and stellar team of industry veterans, SmartHop makes it possible for small truckers to work better and get paid better. That's good news for them, and for all of us who depend on their hard work and many sacrifices.”

The funding brings Miami-based SmartHop to a total of $46 million in funding following its $12 million round last year. The firm says its platform is designed to help independent carriers and owner-operators take control over their businesses while maximizing profits and minimizing downtime.

SmartHop leaders say their technology suite provides small fleets with tools for dispatching, payments, fuel, lease, and insurance, giving them access to the best rates and better capabilities than leading carriers. “Trucking is a difficult job for anyone, but for decades it has been especially challenging for smaller trucking companies, leading to burnout and driver churn which, given their crucial role in the nation’s supply chain, has negatively impacted our economy,” Guillermo Garcia, co-founder and CEO of SmartHop, said in a release.

Recent

More Stories

photos of grocery supply chain workers

ReposiTrak and Upshop link platforms to enable food traceability

ReposiTrak, a global food traceability network operator, will partner with Upshop, a provider of store operations technology for food retailers, to create an end-to-end grocery traceability solution that reaches from the supply chain to the retail store, the firms said today.

The partnership creates a data connection between suppliers and the retail store. It works by integrating Salt Lake City-based ReposiTrak’s network of thousands of suppliers and their traceability shipment data with Austin, Texas-based Upshop’s network of more than 450 retailers and their retail stores.

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

minority woman with charts of business progress

Study: Inclusive procurement can fuel economic growth

Inclusive procurement practices can fuel economic growth and create jobs worldwide through increased partnerships with small and diverse suppliers, according to a study from the Illinois firm Supplier.io.

The firm’s “2024 Supplier Diversity Economic Impact Report” found that $168 billion spent directly with those suppliers generated a total economic impact of $303 billion. That analysis can help supplier diversity managers and chief procurement officers implement programs that grow diversity spend, improve supply chain competitiveness, and increase brand value, the firm said.

Keep ReadingShow less
Logistics industry growth slowed in December
Logistics Managers' Index

Logistics industry growth slowed in December

Logistics industry growth slowed in December due to a seasonal wind-down of inventory and following one of the busiest holiday shopping seasons on record, according to the latest Logistics Managers’ Index (LMI) report, released this week.

The monthly LMI was 57.3 in December, down more than a percentage point from November’s reading of 58.4. Despite the slowdown, economic activity across the industry continued to expand, as an LMI reading above 50 indicates growth and a reading below 50 indicates contraction.

Keep ReadingShow less
pie chart of business challenges in 2025

DHL: small businesses wary of uncertain times in 2025

As U.S. small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face an uncertain business landscape in 2025, a substantial majority (67%) expect positive growth in the new year compared to 2024, according to a survey from DHL.

However, the survey also showed that businesses could face a rocky road to reach that goal, as they navigate a complex environment of regulatory/policy shifts and global market volatility. Both those issues were cited as top challenges by 36% of respondents, followed by staffing/talent retention (11%) and digital threats and cyber attacks (2%).

Keep ReadingShow less
cargo ships at port

Strike threat lingers at ports as January 15 deadline nears

Retailers and manufacturers across the country are keeping a watchful eye on negotiations starting tomorrow to draft a new contract for dockworkers at East coast and Gulf coast ports, as the clock ticks down to a potential strike beginning at midnight on January 15.

Representatives from the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) last spoke in October, when they agreed to end a three-day strike by striking a tentative deal on a wage hike for workers, and delayed debate over the thornier issue of port operators’ desire to add increased automation to port operations.

Keep ReadingShow less