This Week on Supply Chain Now: April 20-24

It’s an exciting, transformative period for the global supply chain. After several years of disruptions from the pandemic, high-stakes labor challenges, and unstable global trade, supply chain innovators are looking to future-focused solutions that can help logistics professionals not just survive, but thrive in this complex environment. In this article, we explore nine FreightTech solutions (in no particular order) that are making a significant impact in 2024. 1. Axle: Streamlining Back-Office Operations with AI Axle Technologies is modernizing the logistics industry by leveraging artificial intelligence to streamline time-consuming back-office operations. Their universal data platform simplifies access to logistics data, enabling companies to optimize deliveries, reduce fuel costs, and enhance the sustainability and profitability of trucking. Axle embraces diversity, collaboration, and the 80-20 rule, understanding that customer feedback is essential for innovation. By wrangling diverse data sources into a universal schema, Axle is building the transportation infrastructure of tomorrow, making the industry more efficient and resilient. 2. EAIGLE: Enhancing Visibility with AI EAIGLE uses AI to provide unprecedented visibility into operations at gates and yards. Their end-to-end AI platform works with existing or third-party hardware, including optical and infrared cameras and radar sensors. This hardware-agnostic approach ensures superior accuracy, eliminating false…

Supply chain technology is a hot commodity. Venture capital investments in supply chain tech and technology-based logistics companies have totaled an estimated $15.4 billion in 2024, and more than 150 supply chain startups have been acquired in the last two years as logistics companies work to leverage cutting-edge technology to improve their services. According to a Kearney report, the biggest capital infusions have been in delivery technology, warehouse automation, and supply chain digitization and artificial intelligence (AI), and the investments are paying off. “Quite simply, the more you invest, the better you get at monetizing breakthrough innovation.” Freight brokerages, in particular, are looking to technology to help set them apart – or stay in business. Brush Pass Research reported there are 17.5% fewer active freight brokerages today than there were two years ago. Three Supply Chain Startups to Know StartUs Insights identified the top nine supply chain innovations and trends for 2025: AI Internet of Things (IoT) Flexible supply chains Big data and analytics Robotics Supply chain sustainability Supply chain traceability Last-mile delivery Cybersecurity   “The supply chain has several variables that hinder its efficiency, including globalization, government regulations, pandemics, international transportation costs, increasing competition, and more,” StartUs said of…