Singapore logistics tech startup Go-Genie on its big push to help smaller players to compete with the big boys
Its CEO wants to help businesses work with multiple providers on a single system, while collecting real-time data for carbon reporting
[SINGAPORE] The chief of logistics tech startup Go-Genie wants to tackle two major challenges in supply-chain management – the need to coordinate with multiple service providers, and the pressure on businesses to collect data for sustainability reporting.
Go-Genie’s founder and chief executive officer Ang Ming Cong, who has observed inefficiencies in the logistics industry, noted that businesses typically work with multiple stakeholders in their supply chains, including shipping agents, warehouses and delivery providers.
In extreme cases, a product may go through “up to 100 hands” before reaching the final consumer, he said in an interview with The Business Times.
In markets such as the United States, large logistics companies like FedEx or DHL often control many stakeholders along the supply chain, so businesses manage logistics through a single provider.
But in South-east Asia, each part of the supply chain – be it freight, warehousing or last-mile delivery – may be handled by an independent provider.
“We are looking at a very fragmented market with a lot of small players,” noted Ang.
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He said businesses have to liaise with each logistics provider separately, and then coordinate different operations. Furthermore, when a customer complains about a missing delivery, for example, the seller has to check with each provider involved in processing that particular order.
On Go-Genie’s part, it makes use of a tech platform that consolidates different logistics providers into a single system, so businesses coordinate with them in one place.
It also enables businesses to track the movement of goods – from factories to warehouses, and ultimately to the end-consumers.
“We are like the control tower for these logistics services,” said Markus Lim, the company’s business development director.
Currently, listed companies in Singapore need to report carbon emissions from their vehicles. Starting from financial year 2026, they must disclose emissions from their entire supply chain.
Many companies are hiring carbon accountants to estimate emissions using industry averages tied to their operations, said Lim.
“But market practice is not the same as what these companies are actually doing,” he added.
To support carbon emissions reporting, Go-Genie’s platform collects real-time data from logistics operations such as vehicle usage and delivery patterns. This enables companies to measure their emissions more accurately.
From delivery to the entire supply chain
Go-Genie, which now has a valuation of S$20 million, was established in March 2022 as a third-party logistics provider handling last-mile parcel delivery. However, given the strong competition from established players, it soon pivoted to developing logistics technologies.
The startup’s initial platform consolidated delivery orders from various sources and pushed them to partners such as Lalamove and J&T, allowing these suppliers to manage all jobs through a single interface.
After a pre-seed fundraising round in early 2023, Go-Genie expanded the platform’s functions to unify logistics providers along the various parts of the supply chain, such as warehouse management – thus addressing more than just delivery.
“If you look at the whole supply chain, delivery is just the last-mile part,” said Ang, noting that other segments are also “highly fragmented”, with a range of providers available.
A client of Go-Genie, Pan Pacific Leasing, recognised the potential of the startup’s tech platform to solve logistics challenges. Through its investment arm, RK Ventures, Pan Pacific Leasing provided seed funding of S$5 million in January this year.
With this funding, the startup expanded its platform to cover the entire supply chain – from shipment and warehousing to last-mile delivery. This full platform was launched at a media event on Tuesday (Jul 22).
Go-Genie now serves more than 200 clients in Singapore. It also launched a pilot programme in Cambodia and has set up offices in Vietnam.
It is now aiming to raise Series A funding to support further expansion across South-east Asia.
In these markets, the startup’s strategy centres on using its unified platform to support logistics providers themselves – many of which are small, independent players.
“We empower these smaller logistics service providers to be on a level playing field with the big players,” said Ang.
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