Equal Ventures is a hands on partner with entrepreneurs at the earliest stage and is led by Richard Kerby and Rick Zullo. The firm is headquartered in New York, New York, United States. Equal Ventures has adopted the Diversity Term Sheet Rider.

Equal Ventures

Greycroft is a venture capital firm that focuses on technology start-ups and investments in the Internet and mobile markets. With offices in two of the most important business hubs in the world, New York and Los Angeles Greycroft uniquely positioned to serve entrepreneurs who have chosen us as their partners. The firm leverages an extensive network of media and technology industry connections to help entrepreneurs gain visibility, build strategic relationships, bring their products to market, and build successful businesses.  Greycroft manages in excess of $1 billion and has made over 200 investments since its inception in leading companies including Acorns, App Annie, Bird, Botkeeper, Bright Health, Boxed, Braintree, Buddy Media, Everything But The House, Extreme Reach, Huffington Post, Icertis, JW Player, Maker Studios, Plated, Scopely, Shipt, TheRealReal, Thrive Market, Trunk Club, Venmo, WideOrbit, and Yeahka. Greycroft has adopted the Diversity Term Sheet Rider.

Greycroft

Techstars is a global platform that provides investment and innovation. Through the Techstars Worldwide Entrepreneur Network, founders and their teams connect with other entrepreneurs, experts, mentors, alumni, investors, community leaders, and corporate partners who will help their companies grow. Techstars operates four divisions: Techstars Mentorship-Driven Accelerator Program supercharges success and Techstars Startup Programs inspire, educate, and connect entrepreneurs. Techstars Venture Capital Fund invests in innovative and disruptive companies. Techstars Corporate Innovation Partnerships help brands create products and services. Techstars' accelerator portfolio includes more than 1,000 companies with a market cap of $8.1 billion.

Techstars

Las Olas Venture Capital (LOVC) is an early-stage venture capital fund that invests in startups in various industries. Their core mission is to amplify the impact of founders building the future in nonobvious geographies and industries. As active lead investors with a concentrated early-stage portfolio, their support extends beyond capital. LOVC provides tailored strategic and operational guidance to our founders and connects them to our networks of capital, talent, and potential customers. Investment themes reflect their view on the emerging technologies and business architectures that they think will fundamentally impact how the world runs. LOVC focuses on investing in B2B software companies. This approach to B2B software investing stems from their deep operational expertise in scaling these types of companies and our conviction that a unique market opportunity exists for innovation within the enterprise. They believe that regardless of background or location, when determined, intelligent people make it their mission to solve a challenging problem and change the world, they often do. They are generalist investors within B2B and target investments in vertical SaaS, software-enabled marketplaces, and knowledge worker tools. Consumer-facing technology, hardware or service-based businesses, and industries like biotech and Web3 that require deep domain expertise to develop conviction fall outside their thesis. LOVC's investments typically demonstrate early product-market fit signals. $15-75K MRR is their sweet spot for recurring revenue businesses, but they understand that product market fit also manifests in other ways. LOVC invests in companies based in the Eastern United States.

Las Olas Venture Capital

Everywhere Ventures (fka ''The Fund'') is a first-of-its-kind early-stage venture fund created ​by founders for founders​ to support the next generation of entrepreneurs. Everywhere Ventures is a community-powered venture investing platform that integrates the capital, expertise, and mentoring of experienced founders and operators across ten micro funds. The Fund's $70M+ under management comes almost exclusively from the over 500 founders and operators who are its limited partners. Everywhere Ventures operates from the belief that those who have actually built successful companies are best suited to advise and support early-stage startups. Everywhere Ventures invests in pre-seed deals globally usually in the first financing round the company raises. Emphasis is placed on purpose-driven teams across money, health and work verticals.

Everywhere Ventures

Union Square Ventures is a private equity and venture capital firm focused on early-stage, growth capital, late-stage, and startup financing. The USV portfolio companies create services that have the potential to fundamentally transform important markets.  It exclusively invests in the internet world, focusing on the applications layer of the web, internet services, and web services that create large networks as well as the mobile sector. Some of its invested companies are based in New York, San Francisco, London, Berlin, and places in between. It typically makes a starting investment in portfolio companies of $1 million. In certain Series Around cases, the firm may make a starting investment between $2.5 million to $3 million. It typically invests up to $20 million in any single company. Union Square Ventures was founded in 2003 and is based in New York, United States.

Union Square Ventures

RyderVentures is a corporate venture capital fund that invests and partners with companies that enable the future of logistics. With its breadth and depth, companies not only work with their operations and logistics experts but also benefit from its over 50,000 customer base and large sales force. This leads to greater visibility of the company, the ability to perfect technology in real use cases, and quicker adoption of products.

RyderVentures

Sozo Ventures was formed in 2011 to invest in and support IT ventures with their global expansion. We invest in category leaders in advanced data technologies, ecommerce, enterprise cloud, fintech, IOT and healthcare IT, among other emerging sectors. We are structured to connect the most ambitious entrepreneurial teams with the world's most advanced and respected customers and distributors. We are at our best when we can share our expertise well before expansion strategies are set.

Sozo Ventures

Alumni Ventures Group provides high-quality, diversified venture portfolios to individual investors who previously haven't had access to VC. It helps accredited alums from top entrepreneurial schools invest together in the ventures of fellow alums. The firm backs companies with an alumni connection and an institutional lead investor with expertise in the space. AVG also offers focused funds that allow any accredited investor access to a venture portfolio, diversified by type, sector, stage, and geography. Beth Obermiller, Michael Madden, and Mike Collins co-founded the firm in Manchester, New Hampshire in 2013.

Alumni Ventures

SmartHop

SmartHop is a business-in-a-box platform that empowers small trucking companies and owner-operators to earn more while doing less. By using artificial intelligence to deliver smart load recommendations, full-service back-office support, and low-cost operational services, SmartHop enables customers to operate with better capabilities than the leading carriers.  It transforms the way drivers make a living through the nation’s largest network for truckers. Founded in 2018, SmartHop is backed by Equal Ventures, Union Square Ventures, Greycroft, RyderVentures, and Las Olas VC. It is headquartered in Miami, Florida.

SmartHop operates an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered freight matching platform for owner-operators, small fleets, and brokers. The platform only registers 53' dry van and reefer trailers, flatbeds, and power trucks only, and caters to full-truckload (FTL) bookings.Carriers can enter the location, upon which the platform will identify nearby loads available based on profit potential. The company partners with brokers and shippers to bring the loads to the platform.

Using online platforms, autonomy, electric and fuel-cell tech solutions to shape the future of trucking.

Truck Industry Tech

SmartHop picks up a $30M Series B for AI-powered trucking platform

Transcore

Transcore-owned DAT Solutions, a provider of online freight matching solutions, partnered with a similar online freight matching company SmartHop. The partnership would provide SmartHop’s carriers with access to loads posted on DAT’s platform.

Apps that help shippers connect with carriers, optimize freight logistics, track shipment and driver hours, etc.

SmartHop operates an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered freight matching platform for owner-operators, small fleets, and brokers. The platform only registers 53' dry van and reefer trailers, flatbeds, and power trucks only, and caters to full-truckload (FTL) bookings.Carriers can enter the location, upon which the platform will identify nearby loads available based on profit potential. The company partners with brokers and shippers to bring the loads to the platform.In addition, SmartHop offers back-office services such as fuel at discounted rates, leasing, load factoring, and insurance.Key customers and partnershipsSmarthop’s customers include J&amp;M Dispatching and Tailormade. Its key product partnerships include truck-sharing marketplace Ryder to offer truck-leasing facilities (2021) and similar online brokering platforms such as Loadsmart (December 2020), DAT Freight &amp; Analytics <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/4531">(July 2021),</a> Parade (October 2020; expanded in August 2021), Cargobot, and Newtrul to offer more load opportunities to drivers. Its other product partners include Arrive Logistics, C.H. Robinson, Coyote Logistics, CW Carriers, Edge Logistics, Emerge, FedEX, Project44, Redwood, and ReedTMS Logistics.

Einride is a Swedish startup developing technology for both autonomous and electric trucks. Its product portfolio includes the freight-hauling autonomous Class 8 trucks “Pods,” electrified commercial mobility solutions “E-trucks,” electric semi-trailer <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/10558">“Einride Trailer,” </a>its operating system “Saga”—an IoT-based system that runs through Einride’s vehicles <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/14209">(also offered to third parties), </a>a developer application programming interface called <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/10558">“Einride Extend”; </a>and charging stations called <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/14209">“Einride Stations.” </a>The company offers electric trucks to customers across Europe, US, and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19012">the UAE. </a>It also has approval to launch its autonomous trucks in countries including Sweden, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/11283">the US, </a>and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/13069">Germany.&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;Einride offers its products on a subscription-based delivery-as-a-service business model. The subscription includes the use of Einride's electric and autonomous trucks, access to its routing software, and maintenance services.Key customers and partnershipsEinride’s customers using its electric trucking solutions include <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/9350">A.P. Moller-Maersk </a>(US), Bridgestone (US), <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/9350">Beyond Meat </a>(US), <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/35190">PepsiCo</a> (US), Lidl (Sweden), <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/11100">Oatly </a>(Sweden and US), <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/25917">Mars </a>(Europe), Heineken (Netherlands and Germany), <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/15017">AB InBev </a>(Benelux region), PepsiCo snack food subsidiary <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17838">Walkers </a>(UK), <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18586">REWE </a>(Germany), and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19409">PostNord </a>(Sweden and Norway). Its customers that use the autonomous version of its trucks include <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/24002">GE Appliances </a>(US).&nbsp;Einride has truck purchase agreements with automakers including Mercedes-Benz (120 trucks for deployments in Europe; <a href="https://sp-edge.com/sectors/commerce-and-hospitality/updates/7396">December 2021) </a>BYD (200 trucks for US deployments; <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8645">February 2022) </a>, Scania (110 trucks for deployment in Europe; <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/11190">May 2022), </a>DAF Trucks (50 electric trucks; <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18731">May 2023) </a>and Paccar (150 trucks, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/29863">May 2024), </a>which would be retrofitted with Einride’s autonomous/operating software.&nbsp;Key competitors: None comparable (Einride is the only company in the Truck Industry Tech that offers battery-electric and autonomous trucking solutions.)

Einride

Kodiak Robotics develops Level-4 autonomous trucks (i.e., fully autonomous vehicles but limited to specific locations and/or conditions) powered by its autonomous technology “Kodiak Driver,” for long-haul transportation. Its approach to system engineering is unique and involves a ground-up approach without retrofitting systems from other autonomous vehicles. Its technology consists of 1) “SensorPods,” a sensor suite that uses cameras, LiDAR, and radars to perceive the environment; 2) “Kodiak Maps,” a flexible routing layer that offers information for autonomous driving; and 3) “Guardian,” its fault management system that runs safety and performance checks to ensure safe movements.In <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/25348">January 2024</a>, the company unveiled its sixth-generation driverless semi-truck designed for scaled deployment on public roads. The company plans to make the technology available for users in two ways: 1) shippers can either request to integrate the sensor pods into their fleets and pay a subscription fee for Kodiak Driver or 2) partner with Kodiak Robotics to ship goods using Kodiak’s fleet of autonomous trucks for a subscription fee. The company launched commercial operations in 2019 and launched the Partner Deployment Program (PDP) to structure work with commercial partners in 2022. It operates in cities in states including Texas, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/21110">Georgia,</a> Oklahoma, and Florida. The company also planned to expand operations <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/3402">to Asia-Pacific</a>, including South Korea and China (via a partnership with South Korean conglomerate SK Group; announced in May 2021).In terms of driverless operations, Kodiak Robotics had a fleet of 40 autonomous trucks in testing, with a driver following the route as of September 2023. The company intended to launch fully driverless tests in 2024 and commercial driverless operations by 2025.Key customers and partnershipsKodiak Robotics’ customers include <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/8991">Ceva Logistics,</a> <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/9650">U.S. Xpress,</a> <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/11864">10 Roads Express,</a> <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/22474">Maersk,</a> <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/13839">IKEA,</a> <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27196">Martin Brower,</a> <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/13398">Werner Enterprises,</a> <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19644">Loadsmith,</a> Tyson Foods, C.R. England, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/30953">Artur Express</a> and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/31883">Atlas Energy Solutions</a>.The company also has partnerships to establish truckports and other related services to facilitate its operations. Such partnerships include 1) Wabash, a producer of semi-trailers, to use its trailers-as-a-service (TaaS) offering for autonomous fleet (<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/33939">September 2024</a>); 2) logistics and transportation firm Ryder Systems to establish a truckport in Houston, Texas <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/25804">(January 2024);</a> 3) weigh station bypass solutions provider Drivewyze to pilot a motor vehicle inspection program for autonomous trucks in Texas <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/20326">(July 2023);</a> 4) Forward Air Corporation, an asset-light provider of transportation services, to operate 24/7 trucking services between routes in Dallas (Texas) and Atlanta (Georgia; March 2023); and 5) travel center operator Pilot Company to co-develop truck service stations across North America <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/12559">(August 2022).</a>Its other product partners include semiconductor design company Ambarella to integrate Ambarella’s perception system-on-chip (SoC) (January 2023) and AI domain control SoC (January 2024) into Kodiak’s self-driving trucks.

Kodiak Robotics

Plus (formerly Plus.ai) develops automated and autonomous trucking solutions. Its product portfolio consists of 1) “PlusVision,” an AI-based perception software designed for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and higher levels of autonomous driving; 2) <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/29369">“PlusProtect,”</a> a scalable AI-based technology that allows global tier 1 automotive suppliers and OEMs to develop functionalities such as automatic emergency braking, lane departure warnings, traffic jam assist, predictive fuel optimization, etc.; 3) “PlusDrive,” for advanced Level 2++ supervised driving functions (i.e., vehicles can control the speed and the steering but require a safety driver to maintain full vigilance); 4) “SuperDrive,” a Level 4 autonomous driving software for driverless operations (i.e., fully autonomous vehicles limited to specific locations and/or conditions); and 5) <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/26625">“Plus Open Platform for Autonomy,”</a> an initiative focused on providing a set of hardware and software tools that allow developers to create and integrate various autonomous driving solutions.As of May 2024, the company had customers in the US, Europe, and Australia. The company offers its technology as a subscription-based SaaS offering. As of&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/35595">October 2024</a>, Plus planned to validate its technology, collaborate with truck manufacturers to develop autonomous-ready vehicle platforms, complete the safety case for its technology, and commence testing for driverless operations by 2025 or 2026. It also plans to launch commercial operations in 2027.Key customers and partnershipsOEMs that have integrated Plus’ technology include Nikola (to integrate PlusDrive into Nikola’s trucks; February 2023), TRATON Group (to integrate Scania, MAN, and Navistar trucks with SuperDrive to be sold directly to the OEMs’ customers; <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/27515">March 2024),</a> and IVECO (to integrate IVECO’s heavy-duty truck with PlusDrive in April 2021; public road tests commenced in Germany <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19927">in July 2023)</a>. Its customers include Amazon, which ordered 1,000 self-driving truck systems (<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/3407">June 2021).</a> The company also has a partnership with Hyundai Motor Company to equip fuel-cell electric trucks with Plus SuperDrive (<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/29863">May 2024</a>). Hyzon has completed a Class 8 200 kW FCEV truck trials in partnership with the logistic solutions providers&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/35420">TALKE</a> (October 2024) and&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/35642">IMC Logistics</a> (November 2024).Plus’ key product partnerships include ones with 1) automotive technology company Luminar to integrate Luminar’s LiDAR solutions into PlusDrive <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/19201">(June 2023);</a> 2) engineering and technology company Bosch to integrate PlusDrive with the Bosch integrated steering systems <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18177">(May 2023);</a> and 3) Transurban, a company managing urban toll road networks, to test Level 4 autonomous driving technology in Australia <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/21220">(August 2023).</a>Its business in China was separated <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/22722">in October 2023</a> following a deal with China-based digital freight platform operator Full Truck Alliance (FTA), which enabled Plus to operate and expand across other global markets while FTA was to operate its China business.

Plus

Gatik develops and operates a fleet of light and medium-duty trucks with Level-4 automation (i.e., fully autonomous vehicles limited to specific locations and/or conditions) for middle-mile delivery. Gatik operates as an autonomous delivery as a service (ADaaS) provider to its customers. The company has operations in Arkansas, Texas, and California in the US and Ontario in Canada. As of May 2024, Gatik had a fleet of more than 60 trucks and had completed more than 600,000 order deliveries.Key customers and partnershipsGatik’s customers include <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/17132">Kroger</a> (US), <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/6505">Walmart</a> (US), <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/12708">Pitney Bowes</a> (US), <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/21574">Tyson Food</a> (US), <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/10926">Georgia-Pacific, KBX</a> (US), and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/13535">Loblaw’s PC Express</a> (Canada).Gatik’s product collaborations include those with 1) electric vehicle manufacturer Via Motors (introduced electric autonomous box trucks; February 2021); 2) Isuzu North America to mass-produce autonomous medium-duty delivery trucks (April 2021); 3) American multinational tire manufacturer Goodyear for tire intelligence technology (<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/5712">September 2021;</a> extended in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/25347">January 2024</a>); 4) fleet management solutions provider Ryder System to retrofit its autonomous technology into Ryder’s trucks and obtain its maintenance facilities (<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/6070">October 2021);</a> 5) ChargePoint, an EV charging network to offer charging infrastructure and services for Gatik’s customers (<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/9390">March 2022); </a>and 6) Isuzu Motors to co-design a redundant chassis for autonomous driving systems <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/29407">(May 2024).</a>Gatik also has secured strategic partnerships with <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/32844">Nippon Express Holdings</a>, <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/30366">ITOCHU Corporation</a> and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/29407">Isuzu Motors</a> under which it secured strategic investments.&nbsp;

Gatik

Aurora Innovation (Aurora) is an autonomous vehicle technology startup providing autonomous vehicles under two divisions, namely “Aurora Horizon” (its autonomous trucking service) and “Aurora Connect” (its autonomous ride-hailing service). Both are powered by the company’s self-driving technology “Aurora Driver,” which is equipped with a hardware kit that includes a computer, proprietary “FirstLight Lidar,” radar, and cameras, as well as a software platform that features perception, motion planning, mapping, and simulation systems to understand its environment.Aurora has operations in cities including the Bay Area (California), Bozeman (Montana), Dallas (Texas), Detroit (Michigan), Louisville (Colorado), Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania), and Seattle (Washington). It launched its first commercial-ready truck route connecting Dallas and Houston, Texas in <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/23374">November 2023. </a>However, Aurora laid off 3% of its workforce (about 53 employees) <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/25865">in January 2024, </a>to boost the commercial launch efficiency of its autonomous trucking business.Aurora planned to provide the service to customers on a subscription-based delivery-as-a-service business model, charging a fee per mile. As of&nbsp;<a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/35472">October 2024</a>, the company intended to launch the service commercially in 2025.Aurora’s complementary acquisitions include Uber’s self-driving car unit, Advanced Technologies Group (ATG; December 2020), to complement its autonomous technology development and LiDAR startups Blackmore (May 2019) and OURS Technology (February 2021) to expedite and complement its LiDAR development process.Aurora was listed on the Nasdaq in November 2021 by <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/4258">merging with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), </a>valuing the combined entity at USD 13 billion. The company did not generate revenue in 2023 and reported an operating loss of USD 835 million for the year.&nbsp;Key customers and partnershipsAurora’s partners to pilot its technology include logistics companies such as <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/9619">Werner Enterprises, </a><a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18176">Hirschbach, </a><a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/10521">FedEx, </a><a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/30781">Uber Freight, </a>and <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/11986">Schneider.&nbsp;</a>Its product partners include OEMs, such as Volvo (March 2021; a production-ready version unveiled <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/29593">in May 2024) </a>and PACCAR (January 2021) to jointly develop autonomous trucks, fleet service partner <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/14317">Ryder </a>(November 2022), and hardware and service partner <a href="https://sp-edge.com/updates/18085">Continental </a>(April 2023).&nbsp;

Aurora Innovation

Developers of autonomous light, medium, and heavy-duty trucks. Most companies outfit truck chassis with their technology. The majority of autonomous trucks available test at SAE Level 3 (i.e., require a driver present and ready to take control or remote assistance by an operator).

Providers of self-driving and safety-related hardware and software that provide features such as platooning, collision avoidance alerts, blind spot detection, automatic braking, automated manual transmissions, and eco-driving systems.

Developers of electric and hydrogen-powered trucks.

Apps and devices that show comprehensive routes and provide truck drivers with up-to-date gas prices, locations of nearby truck stops, bypass weigh stations, available parking, etc.

Companies in "safety and driving assist tools" and "autonomous trucks" use AI/ML for autonomous navigation

Companies operating in "Autonomous trucks" segment often provide autonomous mobility solutions

Autonomous trucking solutions fall under Industry 4.0

Electric and fuel cell trucks contribute to reduced carbon footprint of vehicle fleets

SmartHop

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