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Forto has raised $593.0M across 6 funding rounds.
Key people at Forto.
Forto has raised $593.0M in total across 6 funding rounds.
Based in Berlin, Germany, Forto provides digitized freight forwarding and supply chain management solutions that coordinate complex global shipments for B2B customers across various industries. The company operates an integrated technology platform that offers real-time visibility, carbon emissions tracking, and route optimization tools for international logistics operations spanning Europe and Asia. Operating with a global workforce of approximately 900 employees, the logistics provider serves leading brands in the fashion, furniture, and electronics sectors while generating an estimated $293.9 million in annual revenue. Forto reached a $2.1 billion post-money valuation after securing a $250 million Series D funding round backed by prominent institutional investors including SoftBank Vision Fund 2, G Squared, Northzone, and Disruptive. Originally launched under the name FreightHub to modernize the traditional shipping industry, the enterprise was founded in 2016 by Michael Wax and his co-founders.
Forto has raised $593.0M across 6 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $250.0M Series D in March 2022.
Key people at Forto.
Forto is a Berlin-based digital freight forwarder that builds a proprietary transport management platform for sea, air, rail, and sustainable logistics services.[1][2][3] It serves over 2,500 global customers, including manufacturers, ecommerce brands, and enterprises like Enpal and Dance, solving fragmented supply chain challenges through end-to-end visibility, real-time tracking, seamless communication, and data-driven analytics.[1][2][4] With a $2.1 billion valuation from a $250 million Series D in 2022, backed by SoftBank, Northzone, and A.P. Moller Holding, Forto operates 21 offices across Europe and Asia, employing 900+ logistics and tech experts, and emphasizes sustainability via emissions reporting and ocean plastic prevention.[1][3]
The platform streamlines booking, management, customs clearance, and delivery, acting as a single point of contact to reduce intermediaries, costs, and environmental impact, driving rapid growth from its 2016 founding as FreightHub.[2][4]
Forto was founded in 2016 as FreightHub in Berlin, Germany, by entrepreneurs aiming to digitize the opaque logistics industry.[1][2][3] The idea emerged from recognizing inefficiencies in global trade—fragmented providers, poor visibility, and manual processes—and leveraging technology to create a unified platform.[2] Early traction came from serving diverse industries like fashion, furniture, and electronics, expanding from Europe to Asia with physical offices while building a network of logistics partners.[1][3]
Pivotal moments include rebranding to Forto, securing major funding (culminating in the 2022 Series D at $2.1B valuation), and growing to 900+ employees across 21 locations, fueled by demand for digital solutions post-pandemic.[1][5] Founders and leadership combined logistics expertise with tech savvy, humanizing the company through a global team committed to transparent, sustainable supply chains.[3]
Forto rides the wave of logistics digitization, accelerated by e-commerce boom, supply chain disruptions, and ESG demands, timing perfectly with post-2020 globalization shifts.[1][2] Market forces like rising freight volumes, sustainability regulations, and AI adoption favor its platform, which connects businesses to providers amid labor shortages and trade tensions.[4] It influences the ecosystem by educating on digital freight (e.g., via content/PR for B2B SMEs), fostering transparency in a $10T+ industry, and enabling scalable, green trade for brands in fashion, electronics, and renewables.[1][3]
As a unicorn, Forto sets benchmarks for tech-logistics hybrids, inspiring competitors and attracting talent/investment to Berlin's ecosystem while expanding to North America.[2][5]
Forto is poised for unicorn-scale expansion, potentially eyeing IPO or further funding to deepen AI integrations, enter new modalities like trucking, and scale sustainability initiatives amid net-zero pressures.[1][4] Trends like autonomous shipping, blockchain for provenance, and nearshoring will shape its path, amplifying its role in resilient global trade.[2] Its influence may evolve from disruptor to infrastructure player, powering efficient, planet-friendly supply chains as digital adoption hits critical mass—transforming how the world moves goods, just as it did from FreightHub's early days.[3]
Forto has raised $593.0M in total across 6 funding rounds.
Forto's investors include Alven, Northzone, Point Nine Capital, #SecretFund, Sequoia Capital, Nicolas Steegmann, Thibaud Elziere, Arbor Ventures, Benchmark, Bessemer Venture Partners, Cherry Ventures, Citi Ventures.
