Seventy-four percent of U.S. retailers do not provide same-day delivery despite the growing consumer demand for faster delivery, according to a 2022 survey by Roadie. A 2020 McKinsey & Co. survey also found consumers are often left unsatisfied and abandon purchases. Often, it may be related to delivery time frames. In an age when brick-and-mortar has given way to online shopping to a large degree, delivery timelines are an important factor and can be a differentiator.
Mothership, a short-haul freight-technology company dedicated to same-day delivery, announced it raised $76 million from Benchmark, WestCap, Bow Capital, former Con-way Freight CEO Douglas Stotlar and other leading investors. The company will use the capital to expand its on-demand freight platform nationwide.
“Mothership has built the technology and network at scale to bring freight same day. We believe same-day freight is the future,” said Mothership Founder and CEO Aaron Peck.
Mothership is the trusted logistics system of record for leading companies, including DoorDash, GoPuff, Harbor Freight Tools and PayPal-owned returns-logistics business Happy Returns. The company grew during the COVID-19 pandemic, boosting same-day last-mile revenue by more than four times and its national footprint to 26 U.S. metro areas.
“The last two years have taught us the importance of the supply chain. I believe Mothership is leveraging technology and a marketplace model to have a bigger impact for consumers and carriers in the short-haul and final mile,” said Benchmark General Partner Bill Gurley.
Mothership will allow businesses to deliver freight same day through automatic dispatch to the nearest carriers within their network. Its technology then routes carriers on an efficient route so freight travels faster, costs less and reduces overall emissions.
“Mothership is well-positioned with strong leadership and best-in-class technology to bring on-demand delivery to more people,” said WestCap Founder and Managing Partner Laurence Tosi.
Mothership is expecting to grow its product, sales and support teams in Austin, Texas, and remotely to continue to support the rapid growth. The company recently hired Kristin Alvarez as vice president of customer experience to lead customer and carrier experience as part of its expansion plans. Before joining the company, she was head of operations at Afterpay, which Block acquired.
Edited by
Erik Linask
