Rotterdam, 9 April 2021 – Shypple, the global digital freight forwarding platform, is excited to announce securing a Series A funding round of $8.5 million from Dutch Founders Fund, Newton Partners via the Imperial Innovation Venture Fund, BOM Brabant Ventures and InnovationQuarter. This will be used to further develop the platform, which is disrupting the $350 billion global traditional freight forwarding market. This funding round enables Shypple to continue investment in the development of their technology-driven platform and initiate acquisitions to further accelerate growth.

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Shypple platform to revolutionize $350 billion traditional global freight forwarding market

Over 90% of global trade is transported by sea, and about 90% of this freight forwarding business is fragmented and heavily dependent on excel spreadsheets, emails, telephone calls and other error-prone modes to communicate and manage trade. The unprecedented issues as result of the corona pandemic and most recently the Suez canal illustrate how fragile global trade can be and how much need there is for more real time planning, control and flexibility. Along with each vessel, a crate of paperwork is flown to the destination port - demonstrating that this $350 billion market is desperately longing for innovation, which Shypple is providing through its technology-driven platform. 

Founded in 2016, the Shypple platform and digital freight forwarding service already connects over 3,000 businesses, including Bunzl and HKliving to manage and improve their supply chain. Shypple offers companies end-to-end transparency and complete control over their supply chain. Creating true value through increased efficiency, direct transport cost savings, minimizing errors, performance improvements of suppliers and forwarders and better consolidations, optimizing global trade. Companies can also increase operational FTE efficiency by 30% through the use of Shypple's technology.

Shypple is ideally positioned to drive global digital transformation of freight forwarding from the European continent. The company is headquartered in Rotterdam, also home to Europe’s largest port, with close proximity to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, and has offices in Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Shanghai.

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Series A Funding

Shypple’s selected four investors - Dutch Founders Fund, Newtown Partners (through the Imperial Venture Fund), BOM Brabant Ventures and InnovationQuarter, all embrace Shypple’s technology vision and see the global opportunities for the platform. 

“With our investors backing us with funding, supply chain expertise and global industry leadership, we are very excited about the future. This strengthens our determination to further develop the Shypple platform and increase usability for our customers,” says Jarell Habets, founder and CEO of Shypple. “In addition, this funding also enables us to initiate acquisitions to grow the volume of our business.”

“The potential for Shypple to revolutionize the traditional and opaque freight forwarding industry is huge,”  says Llew Claasen, co-founder and managing partner at South Africa based Newtown Partners. He continues: “Shypple is ideally positioned to drive disruptive innovation from Europe. We are excited to partner with them with our extensive knowledge and network in tech and international logistics and change the business over the next few years.”

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About Shypple

‍Founded in Rotterdam in 2016, the Shypple platform and digital freight forwarding service connects over 3,000 businesses, managing and improving their supply chain. The technology driven Shypple platform offers companies end-to-end transparency and control over their supply chain. Increasing efficiency, minimizing errors and optimizing global trade. Shypple is headquartered in Europe’s largest port, Rotterdam, with close proximity to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, and has locations in Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Shanghai. For more information: www.shypple.com.

About the Imperial Innovation Venture Fund

‍Imperial partnered with US venture capital firm, Newtown Partners, to launch a corporate venture capital fund with an initial capital commitment of $20m. The fund identifies, invests in and develops emerging technology and disruptive business model startups in supply chain management, logistics and healthcare. Learn more at newtownpartners.com.

Imperial is an African focused provider of integrated market access and logistics solutions, with a focus on the following key industries — healthcare, consumer, automotive, chemicals, industrial and commodities. Imperial takes its clients and principals’ products to some of the fastest growing and most challenging markets in the world. Ranked among the top 30 global logistics providers and listed on the JSE in South Africa, Imperial seeks out and leverages new technology to deliver innovative, end-to-end solutions. Through its significant African footprint and international expertise, and with the support of its 25 000 people, Imperial’s purpose is connecting Africa and the world — and improving people’s lives with access to quality products and services. For more information, visit www.imperiallogistics.com.