Dynamo Dispatch (2026/03/09)
Issue 365 | Ardo, Lio, Cart.com
Dynamo Dispatch. A 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
Dynamo portfolio company Stord is expanding StordAI with three connected assistants that turn fragmented fulfillment data into real-time operational intelligence, giving mid-market brands enterprise-grade supply chain muscle without the in-house build. Elsewhere, the Iran conflict is sending shockwaves through global logistics, disrupting shipping, aluminum supply chains, and cargo flows through the Strait of Hormuz, with ripple effects that show no signs of slowing.
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Make, Move, and Monetize đŠ
â Commerce Is Broken, Stord Aims To Fix It By Helping Brands Move Faster. Stord, an Atlanta-based, $1.5B ecommerce enablement platform powering nearly $10B in annual commerce and a Dynamo Ventures portfolio company, is expanding StordAI to convert fragmented fulfillment and order data into real-time operational intelligence. The update introduces three connected assistants: Chat (conversational ops copilot), Search (context-aware discovery across orders, data, and insights), and Feed (a personalized stream that surfaces risks and opportunities early), all accessible through a single conversational interface across the commerce stack. Stord is positioning StordAI as a competitive equalizer for mid-market brands losing margin to inventory distortion and cart abandonment from poor delivery clarity, giving them enterprise-grade operational muscle without building bespoke AI and logistics systems in-house. Completely unrelated, The Rise of âVibe Codingâ and What That Means for FreightTech.
Iran Conflict Snarls 10% of Worldâs Container Fleet: ONE CEO. The Iran conflict is now disrupting roughly 10% of the global container fleet, with around 100 boxships and 750 total vessels affected by the Strait of Hormuz closure, according to ONE CEO Jeremy Nixon. Carriers are halting Middle East bookings, rerouting ships, and prioritizing empty containers, which is expected to clog major Asian and European hubs, hurt terminal fluidity, and push freight rates higher. The longer the closure lasts, the more this shifts from a shipping disruption into a broader energy shock, with Nixon warning oil could hit $100 a barrel. This matters because a regional conflict is quickly becoming a global supply chain and inflation story. For operators, shippers, and investors, the signal is that freight and energy volatility may now move together. Also, Shadow Fleet Under Fire: Iranâs Strait Shutdown Could Squeeze Russiaâs Sar Chest, Chinaâs Oil Lifeline, and Europe Edges Into Iran War as Bases and Fleets Mobilise.
US and Israel Military Strikes Against Iran Shatter Prospects of Container Shipping Return to Red Sea. The US and Israelâs strikes on Iran, and Tehranâs retaliation, all but eliminate the odds of a broad container-shipping return to the Red Sea in 2026, raising the risk that carriers stick with longer Cape of Good Hope routings. That matters because a full Suez return would have released roughly 2.5M TEU of capacity back into the market, cut transit times, and pushed freight rates down much faster; instead, rates may keep softening, but not collapse as previously expected. This extends a market distortion that many had expected to unwind in 2026: excess distance stays in the network, capacity stays artificially tight, and the floor under freight rates remains firmer than expected. More broadly, it is another reminder that shippingâs normalization story can be overturned overnight by geopolitical escalation, with direct consequences for supply chain strategy, margins, and trade flows. For more, check out US Navyâs Newest Supercarrier Transited the Suez Canal, Entered Red Sea.
Disruption to Shipping in the Gulf Brings Record Cancellations. Container imports through the Strait of Hormuz are now seeing record cancellations, with Dun & Bradstreet reporting 21,762 TEUs scrapped on March 3 alone and import bookings down 59% versus the prior week as the Gulf conflict deepens. Export flows are also starting to stall, with Gulf export bookings down more than 40% since mid-February and cancellations now exceeding new bookings, signaling that both inbound and outbound trade is seizing up across a critical global chokepoint. If Iran follows through on threats to block oil flows, this moves beyond a regional shipping disruption into a broader inflation and energy shock that would hit major importers like China, India, and Japan. Hormuz is becoming a direct pressure point for both supply chains and commodity prices. The risk is no longer just delayed cargo, itâs a fast spillover into freight costs, oil prices, and global trade flows.
EU Unveils Industrial Accelerator Act to Boost âMade in Europeâ Clean Tech. The EUâs Industrial Accelerator Act is a more protectionist clean-tech push designed to boost domestic manufacturing, create jobs, and reduce dependence on the US and China by attaching âMade in EUâ and COâ criteria to support in sectors like autos, steel, and batteries. It also sets tougher conditions on large foreign investments in strategic industries and signals new local-content rules for EVs and components, even if many of the auto-specific details are still vague. For the auto sector, this is Europe moving from broad green-transition support toward directly steering where EV supply-chain value and employment are created. Winning in Europe will increasingly require local manufacturing, local jobs, and deeper supply-chain presence, not just market access. That raises the stakes for automakers, battery players, and investors deciding where to build, source, and deploy capital. Related, Europeâs Industrial Accelerator Act: How the EUâs âMade in Europeâ Push Could Reshape Global Manufacturing.
Tariffs and Shifting Supply Chains Reshape Global Air Cargo Flows. Dimercoâs March Asia Pacific freight report argues that tariffs and manufacturing shifts are beginning to rewire global air cargo flows. A temporary 10% US tariff and broader trade-policy uncertainty could pull high-value exports like semiconductors, electronics, and auto components back toward China, softening some of the momentum that has benefited Southeast Asia in recent years. Meanwhile, capacity is already tightening on key lanes: TaiwanâUS, South Korea exports, and India outbound are all feeling the squeeze, with Middle East disruptions and European weather adding further pressure. The overall picture is a market that looks soft in places but is growing more volatile beneath the surface, with uneven demand across trade lanes. The deeper shift is structural. Air cargo is becoming as much a policy-driven market as a demand-driven one. For shippers, forwarders, and investors, the risk is real, as tariff changes could quickly redraw which hubs, carriers, and routes capture the most value in 2026. Also, Middle East Crisis Forces Air Cargo Re-Routes as Asia-Europe Rates Jump.
Judge Orders Government to Begin Refunding More Than $13B in Tariffs. A federal trade court judge has ordered the Trump administration to begin refunding more than $130B in tariffs that the Supreme Court invalidated last month, opening the door for thousands of importers to claw back duties they paid. More than 2,000 companies have already sued, and while the administration is expected to appeal, the ruling materially increases pressure on Customs to unwind one of the biggest tariff programs in recent years. The bigger implication is that tariff policy volatility is now turning into a real financial transfer back to importers, with meaningful consequences for working capital, trade strategy, and the credibility of future emergency tariff actions.The key takeaway is that the tariff story has shifted from cost pressure to cash recovery and legal precedent. That makes trade litigation, refund timing, and future policy durability much more central to how companies plan. Also, Consumers Paid Tariffs on Overseas Items. Now They Want a Refund, and Tariff Refund Process Could be Ready by the Spring, Custom Official Says.
Supply Chain Costs to Rise Above Inflation. Kearney expects global supply chain costs to run 2.3%â4% above inflation through 2026, arguing that the real pressure is no longer cyclical but structural. Tariffs, critical minerals shortages, geopolitical risk, and higher inventory levels are creating a permanently higher cost base. The firms outperforming in this environment are those that spot pressure before it hits the P&L, align decisions across planning, sourcing, and operations, and pair tech with the talent needed to interpret signals and act quickly. The takeaway is that supply chain resilience is now a margin and growth issue, not just an operations issue. Companies that treat todayâs fixes as strategy by regionalizing, staging investments, and building flexibility will be better positioned than those still managing costs as temporary disruption. For more, check out Report: 86% Of Supply Chain Leaders Feeling Tariff Impact.
Iran War Triggers Aluminum Supply Crunch and Shutdowns Across Middle East. The Iran war is now spilling into aluminum, with Middle East smelter shutdowns and âforce majeureâ declarations threatening a supply crunch in a market that was already tight and running on low inventories. Producers, including Alba and Qatalum, have been hit, with Qatalum facing a shutdown that could take 6 to 12 months to fully reverse, raising the risk that what starts as a regional disruption turns into a broader repricing across base metals. With the Middle East accounting for roughly 10% of global refined aluminum output, prolonged logistics and energy disruptions could push prices sharply higher and intensify volatility across the US and Europe. The takeaway is that this is no longer just an oil or shipping story, it is now a real industrial-input shock. Aluminum is emerging as one of the clearest channels through which the Iran conflict could feed into broader inflation and supply risk.
Kelly: US Maritime âCriticalâ to National, Economic Security. Senator Mark Kelly is pushing the bipartisan SHIPS for America Act as a long-overdue national maritime strategy to rebuild US-flag shipping, domestic shipbuilding, port infrastructure, and workforce capacity, arguing that Americaâs reliance on foreign-owned and foreign-built vessels has become both an economic and national security vulnerability. He framed Chinaâs dominance in global shipping and shipbuilding as the clearest proof point that the US can no longer treat ports, shipyards, mariners, and maritime policy as separate fights, especially with rare bipartisan alignment now emerging in Washington. The bigger takeaway is that maritime is moving from a niche industry issue to a frontline industrial policy and geopolitical priority. For executives, investors, and founders, that raises the odds of sustained federal capital, procurement, and policy support flowing into shipping, port tech, shipbuilding, and supply chain security over the next several years. Completely unrelated, Ship Owners Question Trumpâs Plan to Insure Mideast Voyages.
The Future of Supply Chain đïž
Check out our podcast series thatâs been running since 2018. On each episode of the Future of Supply Chain, we sit down with a different entrepreneur, investor, or industry veteran to discuss innovation, technology, and the most exciting opportunities in supply chain as we build the future of the industry together.
Fundraises and M&A đž
EGI Battery Raises $10M in Seed Funding. EGI Battery develops and manufactures high-performance lithium-ion batteries for aerospace, uncrewed aerial systems, robotics, and other mission-critical applications. The company will use the funding to scale manufacturing at its Zeeb Campus in Michigan, advance battery engineering and product development, and strengthen a domestic, NDAA-compliant supply chain. The round was led by TSV Capital with participation from several US family offices.
MightyFly Raises $10M in Funding. MightyFly develops and operates autonomous, fixed-wing hybrid eVTOL cargo aircraft designed for expedited middle-mile and last-mile logistics, capable of carrying 100â500 pounds across 600â1,000 miles with multiple stops per route. The company will use the funding to expand operations and advance development of its autonomous air logistics platform. Investors in the round include Draper Associates, At One Ventures, and 500 Global.
Lio Raises $30M Series A Funding. Lio develops an agentic AI platform for enterprise procurement that deploys autonomous agents to execute purchasing workflows such as supplier comparison, negotiation, vendor onboarding, and order execution across enterprise systems. The company will use the funding to accelerate product development and expand its presence in the United States. The round was led by Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) with participation from SV Angels, Harry Stebbings, and Y Combinator.
Gather AI Raises $40M in Series B Funding. Gather AI develops an AI-powered physical intelligence platform that uses computer vision on drones and warehouse equipment to monitor and verify inventory across logistics facilities. The company will use the funding to expand deployments to hundreds of additional global facilities, develop predictive capabilities for proactive inventory management, and grow its engineering and customer success teams. The round was led by Smith Point Capital Management with participation from Bain Capital Ventures, Tribeca Venture Partners, Bling Capital, Dundee Venture Capital, XRC Ventures, The Hillman Company, and other existing investors.
Arda Raises $70M. Arda is developing an AI and software platform that analyzes video from factory floors to train robots and coordinate machines and human workers across the manufacturing process. The company plans to use the funding to build technology that enables more autonomous factories and helps make manufacturing more cost-effective in Western markets. The round is being co-led by Founders Fund and Accel with participation from Khosla Ventures and XYZ Venture Capital.
Gropyus Raises âŹ100M in Growth Funding. Gropyus operates a robotic smart factory that produces customizable timber-hybrid walls and ceilings for multi-story residential buildings, aiming to industrialize housing construction with automated, modular manufacturing. The new funding will support the expansion of its Richen factory capacity and continued technology research and development as the company scales automated housing production. Investors in the round were not disclosed in the source and should be confirmed.
Cart.com Secures $180M. Cart.com provides a unified commerce platform that combines enterprise software, fulfillment infrastructure, and logistics services to help brands manage omnichannel sales, operations, and supply chains. The company will use the funding to expand its logistics network, enhance its commerce operating system with workflow automation, predictive analytics, and agentic AI, and continue improving operational efficiency. The investment was led by Springcoast Partners with participation from existing investors PayPal Ventures, Arsenal Growth Equity, Mercury Fund, and Oak HC/FT.
Hale Capital Partners Raises $800M. Hale Capital Partners is a real estate investment manager focused on developing and acquiring last-mile logistics and industrial properties in supply-constrained urban markets across Australia. The new capital will fund opportunistic, value-add, and core-plus vehicles targeting modern logistics developments and income-producing industrial assets, particularly in major eastern seaboard cities. The fundraising includes significant recommitments from founding capital partners Oxford Properties and Warburg Pincus, along with participation from a new institutional investor believed to be a major Asian sovereign wealth fund.
Roboze Raises Undisclosed Amount in Funding. Roboze develops an AI-driven distributed manufacturing platform that integrates additive manufacturing hardware, advanced polymer and composite materials, and software to produce complex parts for aerospace, defense, energy, and other critical industries. The funding will support the expansion of its distributed manufacturing infrastructure and operational hubs across the United States, Europe, and the Middle East, enabling localized production of mission-critical components. Rule 1 Ventures led the investment, with participation from Privcorp Ventures, Heather Podesta, Gary Ang, Tholus Capital, the Ferrari Family Office, and existing investors including Federico Faggin and Rialto Venture Capital.
Redwood Logistics Acquires EELCO. Redwood Logistics is a Chicago-based fourth-party logistics provider that acquired EELCO, a Laredo, Texas-based customs brokerage and logistics company offering cross-border brokerage, compliance services, and Foreign Trade Zone warehousing. The acquisition brings customs brokerage in-house for Redwood Mexico and adds a 250,000-square-foot FTZ warehouse and decades of border operations expertise. Financial terms were not disclosed, and EELCO founders Eduardo Lozano and Marta Patricia Lozano will remain involved in the business.
Whoâs Hiring? đ©âđ»
Be sure to check out the Dynamo website for more job opportunities at our portfolio companies!
Director of Defense at Lux Aeterna in Denver, CO.
UI/UX Product Designer at Ceto in London, England.
Founding Product Engineer (fullstack, backend) at Guided Energy in Paris, France.
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