Dynamo Dispatch. Weekly update from Dynamo Ventures covering the latest and greatest in supply chain, mobility, and building venture-scale businesses.
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Weekly Commentary đ
We opened our applications for our next Venture Fellow who will begin their journey into VC and startups in January. The Venture Fellow is an important part of Dynamo and has been a great way for us to develop undergraduate talent and expose them to the ins/outs of venture fund management. If you know any brilliant undergrads, send them our way!
We Are Dynamo,
Santosh, Ted, Barry, and Jon
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Supply Chain đŚ
Amazonâs Plan for 1K Suburban Warehouses. Amazon plans include small delivery hubs in cities and suburbs across the US. The move comes in light of Walmartâs efforts to bolster its eComm capabilities. In recent years, Amazon has purchased vacant retail spaces in suburban areas and most recently announced the opening of 100 fulfillment and sortation centers, delivery stations, and other sites in September alone. Elsewhere in eComm, Amazon and Walmart Seek End-to-End Solutions from Shippers.
The Latest Tracking Technology from FedEx. As Covid-19 vaccines and other critical shipments begin transport, FedEx adds SenseAware ID for precision tracking and enhanced package visibility. The new packaging leverages compact sensors through Bluetooth Low Energy and WiFi access points throughout the FedEx Express Network. Speaking of Fedex, itâs Ramping Heavy Last Mile Offering after an Awesome Quarterly Earnings Report.Â
đWhy Cloud Services are Vital to Supply Chains. Valued at over $15B is 2019, the supply chain management sector grew almost 10%. Growth comes as companies seek tools to help them achieve stronger supply chain resiliency, opposed to finding ways to increase efficiency and productivity. Also,CSIS on Diversifying Supply Chains to Reduce Risk in the Global Economy.
Daimlerâs Plans for its H2 Truck. Daimler will begin customer trials for its H2 Fuel Cell truck in 2023 with production slated for the second half of the decade. The truck's long-haul capabilities will be powered by two liquid-hydrogen tanks and a robust fuel-cell system which will equip the truck with a range of 1,000km (600mi). Related,Scania Launches Sales of BEV & PHEV Trucks.
Trucking Firms Grapple with Cybersecurity Amid New Regulation. The coming wave of COVID-19 vaccine shipments has the UN urging companies in the EU and Asia to improve their cybersecurity infrastructure. A great number of smaller suppliers, who often lack the financial and human resources to implement such security have struggled to protect their freight supply chains as the number of ransomware attacks has grown substantially in recent years. Elsewhere in trucking, Convoyâs New Program to Guarantee Shipper Capacity.Â
Why Collaborative Warehouse Robots are Crucial to eComm Success. With eComm potentially making up 40% of all retail sales, warehouses aim to unlock significant value through collaborative robots. Physical distancing and less human contact have become commonplace in warehouse settings, sparking an acceleration of robot implementation as retailers capitalize on omnichannel fulfillment strategies through simple tasks like picking and loading/unloading pallets.Related,See Whatâs Next for One of the Worldâs Top Robot Companies.
Mobility đ
BMWâs Software Partnership to Help Drivers âFeel the Roadâ. Enabling better detection of road conditions, BMW announces software from Israel based Tactile Mobility will be embedded into the next generation of vehicles. Tactile Mobility is a developer of software that utilizes a vehicleâs non visual sensors to help smart and autonomous vehicles âfeelâ road dynamics and conditions. Elsewhere in automotive, GM Unveils a New Fleet of Ultium Drive Motors.Â
A Preview of Teslaâs Battery Day. Hype surrounding Teslaâs Battery Day grows as images of a new and improved tabless battery leak online. Battery expert Dan Blondal notes that Teslaâs announcements around silicon anode technology, improved energy density, and a focus on environmental sustainability for its batteries could make this the most important day in Tesla history. Speaking of batteries, LG Chem to Spin Out its Battery Business and BYD Bets on Older Battery Technology to Undercut Competitors.Â
đNvidiaâs Integration Dreams. Nvidia furthers its integration ambitions with its $40B acquisition of chip designer, Arm from Softbank. Chasing Intel, Nvidia is hoping to implement its technology into Armâs extensive network of smartphones, industrial equipment, and home devices to gain access to top technology in AI and graphics, areas where Nvidiaâs GPUs thrive. Also, Chips Caught-up in US/China Trade War.
ChargePoint Nears A Deal to Go Public. ChargePoint is nearing a deal to go public through a reverse merger with Switchback Energy Acquisition Corp. If completed, the deal would give ChargePoint a valuation north of $2B. Speaking of charging infrastructure, Electrify America Switches to Per kWH Billing in 23 States.
European EV Sales Standout Amid Global Uncertainty. Despite global auto sales falling sharply across Q1 and Q2, Europe witnessed a surprising sales uptick of nearly 46%. The jump can be attributed to "the combination of new stimulus programs, new model launches, and automakers pushing to hit their carbon dioxide emissions targetsâ. Researchers predict the EV market will likely grow y/y, after an initial outlook of an 18% decline. Related, How the Quarantine Saved US Drivers $22B.
Germanyâs Plans for Autonomy. In comparison to the US and China, Germany has been highly restrictive in AV testing. But this may change as German legislators are currently proposing regulations to permit AVs on the roads. After meeting with German Auto industry leaders, Chancellor Merkel agreed with the notion that âGermany must take the lead for development of self-driving carsâ, but made no commitment to more state aid for such programs. Elsewhere in mobility, Are Flying Cars on the Horizon?.
Fundraises, M&A, Talent đ¸
đĽsennder acquires Uber Freight Europe. Dynamo portfolio company sennder is Europeâs largest digital freight brokerage. The all stock deal worth just shy of $1.1B will enable Uber Freight to now refer customers seeking logistics services in Europe to sennder, while sennder will reciprocate for its customers who need to move freight in North America.Â
IDriverplus Raises $14.6M in Series C+ Funding Round Led by Xin Ding Capital and Huaxia Weiming Investment. IDriverplus is a Beijing based supplier of driverless vehicle and robotics systems. Funding will be used for R&D, deploying robotaxi fleets, and ramping up production of cleaning robots, and other specialized products.Â
GoExpedi Raises $25M in Series C Funding Led by Top Tier Capital Partners. GoExpedi is a Houston based e-commerce, supply chain and analytics company for the industrial and energy sector. The fresh capital will go towards accelerating the development and scale of its machine learning software, robotics, and advanced analytics technology, as well as adding new talent.Â
Seegrid Raises $27M to Close its Growth Equity Round of $52M. Seegrid is a provider of Automatic Guided Vehicles in the material handling industry. New funding will go towards increasing its workforce, accelerating the development of new products, and help the company consider potential strategic acquisitions.
Humatics Raises a $30M Series B Led by Blackhorn Ventures. Humatics is an industrial automation startup using microlocation technology to change how people and machines locate, navigate, and collaborate in the connected world. The fresh capital will help scale Humatics microlocation technology across the globe.Â
Duckbill Raises a $30M Series B Led by Future Capital and Shunwei Capital. Duckbill is a Shanghai-based digital trucking platform using AI- based dispatching to connect freight forwarders with local truck drivers. New funding will help drive product research and development, expansion to major ports across China, and talent recruitment.Â
nTopology Raises a $40M Series C Led by Insight Partners. nTopology is a New York based startup building engineering design tools for advanced manufacturing. Fresh funding will help its design software to reach more engineers.Â
VanMoof Raises a $40M Series B Led by Norwest Venture Partners, Felix Capital, and Balderton Capital. VanMoof is a developer and designer of urban e-bikes. The fresh capital will enable VanMoof to meet increasing demand, shorten delivery times, and build a suite of rider service solutions.Â
Volansi Raises a $50M Series B from Lightspeed Venture Partners, YCombinator, and Others. Volansi provides automated drone delivery for time-critical parts and medical supplies for enterprise customers and the US DoD. With the new investment, Volansi will expand its team, launch new projects, and scale current initiatives in the US and emerging markets.Â
Boosted Commerce Raises $87M from Torch Capital, Crosscut Ventures, and Others. Boosted Commerce is a CPG platform focused on accelerating the growth of consumer brands. With the new funding, Boosted plans to acquire and develop 100 e-commerce Consumer Package Brands over the next four years.Â
Zwift Raises $450M from KKR and Others. Zwift is a startup that hosts virtual-reality cycle races. The funding will help Zwift introduce its own indoor bike and other hardware.Â
Delivery Hero Purchases Glovo for $272M. Delivery Hero is a multinational online food-delivery service based in Berlin, Germany. As a result of the acquisition, Delivery Hero will add five new markets to its LatAm operations, as well as remove a competitor in three markets.
Accel-KKR Acquires Wabtecâs Shipper TMS to Combine it With Pinc Solutions. Wabtec Corporation is a global provider of equipment, systems, digital solutions and value-added services for freight & transit rail. By merging the two companies, KKR will create a combined business that serves as a foundation for a Supply Chain Execution (SCE) platform focused on comprehensive transportation management software solutions for shippers.Â
The First Woman CEO of a Class I Railroad. After spending her entire 28-year career at BNSF, Kathryn Farmer will succeed Carl Ice as the first female CEO of BNSF and at a Class I Railroad. Farmer, who previously served as EVP of Operations and VP of Domestic Intermodal and Industrial Products will also assume leadership of BNSFâs Board of Directors.
Company Building đ ď¸
Amp It Up. Snowflake, CEO Frank Slootman shares his secret behind getting the best from his teams at DataDomain, ServiceNow, and now, Snowflake.Â
Long-term Planning Around Stock Options. A must read thread around the tax implications related to stock options. Ultimately, it boils down to long term planning so you can understand the cash requirement of exercising your incentive package.
đ§Heroes & Myths in Entrepreneurship. Guy Raz discusses the non-linear, messy, high-low path to success that founders, employees, and their companies must navigate.
Who's Hiring? đŠâđť
Decision Analyst at nextmv in Philadelphia, PA (remote ok).
Field Operations Manager at Stord in Atlanta, GA.
Backend Engineer at sennder in Berlin, Germany.
Check out other jobs at Dynamo portfolio companies.
đĽ Have you seen any interesting startups recently? Introduce us.
â¤ď¸ We would love your support. Please forward to friends and share on social media.
đď¸ If you were forwarded this and found it interesting, please sign up.
đ Check out Dynamo's podcast series, The Future of Supply Chain.