Logistics startup nets $2.75m funding to help businesses survive an ecommerce revolution

CarPal team. Image credit: CarPal.

Ecommerce is a tidal wave that’s supposedly responsible for the current retail doldrum and empty shopping malls. Singapore-headquartered startup CarPal, however, wants to help businesses large and small tap the rise of online shopping – and perhaps stand up to the likes of Amazon and Alibaba.

The startup has announced raising a US$2.75 million round led by undisclosed private equity investors. Existing backer RB Investments has doubled down.

CarPal has two products. One, it offers small businesses the ability to deliver packages to their customers. These businesses can book a delivery either through CarPal’s apps or by integrating its API into their own websites. CarPal then connects them to its pool of 10,000 freelance couriers in Singapore. It’s sort of an Uber for deliveries.

Two, it offers CarPal Fleet, a software for companies to manage their own delivery fleets and optimize delivery routes. CarPal charges customers based on the number of deliveries they do.

CarPal system dashboard. Image credit: CarPal.

The company says it has hundreds of customers in Southeast Asia. It didn’t reveal exact numbers, but adds it’s been growing 200 percent year-on-year since it launched in 2014.

CarPal is similar to startups like Onfleet and Bringg, although both are based on the US. Local competitors include Zyllem, which had pivoted from owning a delivery fleet to now selling logistics software, as well as CoolAsia.

CarPal also operates PetMate, a taxi service for pets.

Converted from Singapore dollars. US$1 = S$1.39.