Decarbonization of Logistics: Data Start-up

shipzero enables transport and logistics companies to create transparency about their emissions data and manage decarbonization throughout the supply chain. The Hamburg-based data platform has received seven-figure growth funding for further product development and internationalization. Through the data-based processing and analysis of transport data, the startup identifies and supports its customers in concrete decarbonization projects. The investors include the Munich-based VC investor “Rethink Ventures”, which specializes in mobility and logistics, the sustainability-focused investment company “zu na mi” and the London-based climate tech investor “Rainmaking Impact”.

“With the funding, we will further expand the functionality and analytics capabilities of our data platform. We want to radically simplify emissions reporting, make it more accurate, and enable data-driven decisions and investments to accelerate decarbonization in specific projects within the transportation sector,” says Tobias Bohnhoff, co-founder and CEO of shipzero.

The awareness of a necessary transformation in the industry has grown steadily over the past two years. This is also reflected in the sharp rise in demand for the shipzero data platform. The team of logistics and data experts is now being requested by companies ranging from owner-operated freight forwarders to major corporations. Companies such as the Nagel Group, BLG Logistics, Lanfer Logistik and BSH Hausgeräte already rely on the expertise of the 23-strong team.

Transport and logistics companies are facing major challenges. Manufacturing companies, which purchase high volumes of transport, are demanding greater transparency and the ability of their service providers to report information on emissions data. Meanwhile, legal regulations are increasing the obligations for comprehensive CO2 reporting on the transports carried out.

At the same time, many companies struggle with the consolidation of their transport and order data from the various systems even before the actual CO2 calculation. “We notice repeatedly, the biggest challenge is getting access to the most complete information possible. There is a lack of a holistic view of all movement and consumption data and a reliable quality of the data,” says co-founder and data expert Mirko Schedlbauer. shipzero integrates primary data from diverse fleets and systems, including those of external logistics partners, into its platform. The CO2 calculation is thus not only based on projections, but on the actual energy turnover of the means of transport.

According to Bohnhoff, the coming financial years will be characterized by increasingly ambitious goals on the path to climate neutrality and the investments required to achieve them. The two founders know the specific challenges of the transport and logistics industry and have specialized the data platform and the team behind it in the complex logistics business. “In the coming years, billions will be invested in alternative engines, fuels and infrastructure. Today, only a few companies can tell on a data basis where and when exactly this investment will pay off for them, and that’s exactly what we want to change with shipzero,” explains Tobias Bohnhoff.

shipzero is a data platform that enables effective emissions tracking and reduction in global freight transport. Shippers, logistics service providers and carriers can use shipzero to manage transport emissions and to move towards net-zero logistics. Appanion Labs was founded in Hamburg in 2018. The team combines experts in data management, logistics and sustainability. The emissions data platform shipzero was launched in 2021 and has been growing continuously. It tracks over 30 million transports in more than 70 countries and is connected to thousands of data generating logistics assets.