In the intricate circulatory system of global commerce, where trillions of dollars in goods flow annually to sustain the modern economy, a surprising amount of traffic is still directed by antiquated processes, including paperwork, manual negotiations, and even the humble fax machine. This stark paradox defines the current state of the international freight industry, a sector fundamental to nearly every business yet lagging decades behind in digital adoption. Into this environment of inefficiency steps MyDello, a logistics technology startup armed with a recent €3.1 million in funding and an ambitious goal: to use artificial intelligence to bring the world’s supply chains firmly into the 21st century.
A Trillion-Dollar Industry Still Reliant on Fax Machines
The global freight industry, valued at an astonishing $6 trillion, serves as the backbone of international trade, ensuring that raw materials reach factories and finished products reach consumers. Despite its critical importance, its operational methods often stand in stark contrast to the high-tech, on-demand nature of modern business. Many logistics operations continue to depend on manual data entry, lengthy email chains for price negotiations, and paper-based documentation, creating a system that is both slow and prone to human error.
This technological disconnect creates a significant chasm between the expectations of digital-native businesses and the reality of shipping operations. Companies accustomed to instant procurement, transparent pricing, and real-time data in other areas of their business are frequently met with opacity and delays when it comes to logistics. The lack of standardized digital tools means that arranging a simple international shipment can become a complex, multi-day process involving numerous phone calls and manual coordination, a frustrating reality for businesses striving for agility and efficiency.
The Anatomy of Inefficiency in Global Freight
The challenges within the logistics sector are systemic, stemming from its fragmented and traditionally opaque nature. Pricing is often inconsistent, hidden behind layers of brokers and carriers, requiring businesses to engage in time-consuming haggling to secure a competitive rate. The reliance on paper-based systems for bills of lading, customs declarations, and invoices not only slows down the process but also introduces significant security risks and administrative burdens, making the entire supply chain fragile and difficult to manage.
For businesses, these inefficiencies have tangible and costly consequences. The absence of reliable, real-time visibility into a shipment’s location and status makes supply chain planning a matter of guesswork, leading to unpredictable delays that can disrupt production schedules and disappoint customers. Managing this cumbersome process requires significant administrative overhead, diverting resources that could otherwise be invested in growth and innovation. This environment is ripe for disruption, calling for a solution that can bring simplicity, transparency, and predictability to a notoriously complex field.
MyDello’s Digital Offensive on a Fragmented World
MyDello confronts these challenges directly with a unified digital platform designed to streamline the entire shipping process from start to finish. The user-centric solution allows a client to receive instant, door-to-door quotes across air, ocean, and rail with a single inquiry. By simply entering the cargo’s origin, destination, and dimensions, businesses can compare a range of vetted options, effectively transforming a week-long negotiation into a matter of minutes.
The power behind this simplicity is the company’s proprietary technology, which eliminates the need for manual coordination and price haggling. The platform can manage shipments of any size, from a 1 kg parcel to ten full shipping containers, and once a customer selects an offer, it orchestrates the rest. This is augmented by an AI-driven vision for the future, which includes real-time tracking and predictive delivery data to give customers unparalleled visibility. The company’s goal is to achieve near-total automation of its shipment operations by the end of 2026, a move that would fundamentally reshape industry standards.
This approach has already demonstrated significant market validation. Since its launch, MyDello has onboarded 12,500 businesses from 110 countries and established operations across 12 countries in Europe and China. Its credibility is further bolstered by strategic partnerships with logistics titans such as Maersk, DHL, and Lufthansa, proving its capability to integrate with and enhance the services of established industry leaders.
Investor Confidence and Customer Acclaim
The recent €3.1 million funding round, led by Icelandic venture capital firm Frumtak Ventures, serves as a powerful vote of confidence in MyDello’s model and vision. This strategic capital injection, the firm’s first in Estonia, highlights a growing recognition of the urgent need for innovation in logistics. The company’s board has also been strengthened with the addition of Jevgeni Kabanov, President of the highly successful Estonian tech company Bolt, bringing invaluable experience in scaling a global technology platform.
This investor optimism is rooted in a clear-eyed assessment of the industry’s shortcomings. Andri Heiðar Kristinsson, a general partner at Frumtak Ventures, noted the perplexing prevalence of “outdated legacy technology” in the sector and positioned MyDello as the ideal company to move the industry into the “AI-age.” This expert perspective underscores the belief that MyDello’s blend of industry knowledge and technological prowess is the key to unlocking immense value in a stagnant market.
The platform’s impact is already being felt on the front lines of global commerce. Kaile Palu, Purchasing Manager at the international fishing tackle company Rapala, described MyDello’s portal as a “game-changer.” Palu praised its ability to provide real-time visibility and automated updates, noting that it has made the company’s complex shipping operations “easier, faster, and more efficient.” Such testimonials provide tangible proof that MyDello is not just promising a revolution but actively delivering one to its customers.
A Blueprint for a Logistics Revolution
MyDello’s strategy for transforming the industry rests on a clear, three-pronged approach. The first pillar is aggressive and targeted global expansion. The upcoming launch in the United Kingdom serves as a case study for its methodical entry into major commercial hubs, with the broader goal of achieving comprehensive coverage across every European country by 2027. This expansion is designed to build a truly global network capable of serving businesses wherever they operate.
The second pillar is the powerful synergy of deep industry experience and relentless technological innovation. MyDello’s founding team possesses decades of hands-on logistics expertise, which informs the development of its platform and ensures it solves real-world problems. This practical knowledge is combined with a continually evolving AI layer, creating a formidable competitive advantage that legacy providers and pure-tech startups alike will find difficult to replicate.
Ultimately, the company’s blueprint culminates in its third and most transformative pillar: the end goal of full automation. By automating the vast majority of shipment operations, MyDello aims to turn a complex, opaque, and expensive process into one that is fundamentally simple, transparent, and affordable. If successful, this automated future would not only streamline supply chains for thousands of businesses but could also set a new global standard for how goods are moved around the world. The pieces have been set in motion, and the industry is watching to see if this AI-powered vision will become the new reality of global trade.
