Parcelly, the UK’s carrier agnostic logistics tech platform today announced its Series A funding round of $6.7 million led by Scania Growth Capital. The funding will enable Parcelly’s strategic expansion in the U.S. and continental Europe and further accelerate its platform development.
Founded in 2014 by Sebastian Steinhauser, Parcelly has been revolutionising the world of urban logistics, resolving first and last mile challenges by activating excess space in real estate for E-commerce and logistics through its proprietary mobile app technology. Parcelly is a Pick-Up and Drop-Off (PUDO) solution, integrating retailers and carriers across all industries and of all sizes to a highly scalable and internationally growing platform of ‘logistics hubs’.
Parcelly operates a smartphone app which allows local businesses to activate underutilised storage space for E-commerce. Parcelly’s technology platform is powering the new reality of retail, bridging the gap between the online and offline worlds by converting physical space into either E-commerce storage or distribution hubs. The Parcelly solution is asset light, without the need for purpose-built infrastructure. Parcelly enables a broad range of fully customisable services, addressing consumers’ increasingly demanding delivery expectations, and driving customer satisfaction at the most expensive end of the supply chain: the final mile.
Parcelly has seen 450% YoY platform growth over the past financial year, with Hyper-local Warehousing being the most successful sales channel. Simultaneously the PUDO location network grew by 207% in the UK and abroad, scaling services such as Click & Collect and Returns. Alongside this, it has released multiple cutting edge software updates towards its back and front end technologies, simplifying the integration of Parcelly’s first-mile services into e-tailers fulfilment processes and enabling the processing of items beyond just standard E-commerce parcels. Accelerated throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, the company focuses on B2B partnerships internationally, with clients across multiple industry verticals, including DHL Express, Stuart (GeoPost), Deliveroo, UberEats and JustEat and retailers such as Krispy Kreme, Aesop, Community Fibre and Bryson.
The new funding will fuel international expansion around the company’s UK, US and Germany offices, with plans to triple the firm’s headcount in the coming 6 months. The funding will also further support platform development, with a particular focus on it’s Hyper-local Warehousing solution, allowing retailers and carriers to meet the needs of urban logistics whilst aligning with the growing focus on industry sustainability goals. Besides Scania Growth Capital, existing investors of Parcelly include Publicis Group (managed by Iris Capital), Bright Link Ventures and Beril AG.
Sebastian Steinhauser, CEO and Founder of Parcelly
“I formulated the idea for Parcelly because I was dissatisfied with the last-mile delivery experience when placing an order online and it became my mission to change that. What started as a B2C centric consumer app back in 2014 has evolved into the highly scalable B2B technology platform Parcelly is today. We make effective use of available space to offer the broad range of services online retailers and carriers need to meet consumer expectations, efficiency and sustainability goals.
We’re super excited and proud to be on this journey and to welcome Scania Growth Capital on board as investors. Our focus to date has been on establishing our core product proposition with global clients, and this Series A round will help us fulfill our expansion plans, technology and team development. We are looking forward to disrupting new industry sectors with our unique omni-channel logistics platform.”
Christian Zeuchner, Partner at East Hill Equity, Investment Manager for Scania Growth Capital
“Parcelly are on an exciting journey to change the way local warehouses are sourced and managed, enabling efficient last mile delivery and making most efficient use of existing space and resources in relevant demand pockets. The offering suits most retail markets and segments, and supporting Parcelly in their continued growth with both investment and the industry experience from Scania is a very good strategic fit for the portfolio of Scania Growth Capital.”