The e-commerce sector has witnessed huge growth in recent years, which has led to the growth in a number of orders coming in from different locations. In order to fulfil these orders, e-commerce giants already have their own fulfilment centres. However, a significant number of small companies still have to outsource their supply chain to third-party logistics (3PL) providers. This is where Dutch scale-up Sendcloud steps in.
The e-commerce shipping platform aims to empower online retailers to compete by optimising the full shipping journey from checkout to returns.
Sendcloud raises Series C
In a recent development, Sendcloud announced that it has raised $177M (approx €149.7M) in its Series C round of funding. The news follows the company’s Series B round of funding of €12.6M funding raised last year in November 2020.
Investors
The current Series C round was led by SoftBank Vision Fund 2 alongside significant strategic investment from L Catterton and participation from HPE Growth.
Speaking on the development, Yanni Pipilis, Managing Partner at SoftBank Investment Advisers, says, “Growing parcel volume and demand for flexible delivery have increased the need for smart shipping solutions amongst online merchants. Sendcloud has built a leading all-in-one shipping platform that aims to help merchants easily integrate functionalities such as checkout, shipping, tracking, returns, and analytics. We are pleased to partner with Rob and the Sendcloud team to support their mission of fueling the next wave of e-commerce enablement.”
With this fundraise, Neil Cunha-Gomes and Monika Wilk, investors at Softbank Investment Advisers, will join Sendcloud’s board of directors alongside L Catterton’s Ido Krakowsky.
Use of the funds
Sendcloud, which claims to have increased its annual parcel volumes by 133 per cent, will use the proceeds from this round to further accelerate its growth, continue expansion internationally, and fuel global adoption of the platform.
In order to support this growth, the company will also utilise the capital to hire another 250 people in the next 12 months. Currently, it already employs 400 people.
Rob van den Heuvel, CEO & co-founder of Sendcloud, says, “At a time when consumers around the world want to decide where, when, and how they want to receive a parcel, online merchants depend on Sendcloud to fuel their logistics process. To engage consumers in the long term and successfully process growing parcel volumes, a multi-carrier solution like Sendcloud is essential, and we are proud to partner with Softbank and L Catterton and embark on a new chapter of growth for our business.”
All-in-one platform for e-commerce shipping needs
Founded in 2012 by Bas Smeulders, Rob van den Heuvel, and Sabi Tolou, Sendcloud is an all-in-one shipping platform for e-commerce businesses that want to scale. The company’s solution turns e-commerce logistics from a bottleneck into an accelerator, making shipping a competitive advantage.
According to the company, with its SaaS model as a starting point, it has evolved over the years from a simple API to an all-in-one platform that automates the entire shipping process. From choosing multiple carriers to automating returns, the company optimises the shipping process for both consumers and retailers.
Sendcloud’s shipping methods include cross-border shipping, delivery in parcel lockers, same-day delivery, and even delivery during a day and timeslot of choice. Additionally, the company has access to over 400,000 service points across Europe, enabling customers to pick up their parcel at their most preferred parcel shop.
Currently, Sendcloud has more than 23,000 customers across the Netherlands, the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Belgium, and Austria. Its customers range from small to enterprise-sized online retailers and in industries from fashion and electronics to food & drink. Some of its clients include Gelato, Rosefield, Shoeby, and Subdued, among others.
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