iKargos.com has been growing phenomenally post its initial fund raise. The company was started 2 years ago in May 2020 by Rekha Atri, with the vision of digitizing international logistics. iKargos.com is a full-stack cross-border digital supply chain platform that simplifies international logistics for the end customer by providing a transparent and cost-effective supply chain.
Rekha explains, “Logistics has always been a tedious and manual process. There are multiple stakeholders involved in moving a shipment internationally. One has to coordinate with various Shippers, Shipping lines, Customs Brokers, CFSs, Transporters etc. to get a single shipment across international borders. For most regular importers and exporters, there are multiple shipments going on at the same time. It is quite a nightmare. We decided to integrate the entire process and give the customer one single dashboard.” She continues, “Our customers can manage their entire supply chain by simply logging online to our website. We are also the only integrated player in the industry to offer all related services under one roof. Since everything related to the shipments is done in-house, we are able to offer our customers a seamless experience.”
Services offered by iKargos.com:
- Air and Sea Freight
- HS code Search
- Certification
- Product Compliance
- Custom Clearance
- Warehousing
- Inland Transportation
- First and Last mile service
- Cargo Insurance
- Online Tracking of Cargo
- Supply Chain Consulting
- Reports and Analytics
- Survey and Inspection
Acquisition
iKargos has recently acquired majority stake in Navbharat Consolidation Pvt. Ltd. a forwarder and Customs broker. Speaking about the acquisition Rekha mentions, “Navbharat is a strategic acquisition that helps us leap ahead in the business by many years. Navbharat is an established and reputed brand in the country. With this acquisition the owner of Navbharat, Mr. Prashant Dwivedi, joins iKargos as a Co-founder. He has extensive experience in the logistics industry and is a well-known expert. He is a Computer Engineer, MBA (IIM Calcutta) and a Lawyer. The industry expertise and connects that Prashant brings with him are invaluable. Further, iKargos is also able to expand to 12 locations in one go, thanks to the country-wide presence that Navbharat has.”
Growth
The growth in the business has been meteoric. Rekha is gung-ho about the future. “We are moving at 5x revenues as compared to last year. With Navbharat by our side, we will speed up even further. The market is huge and we can go on at this pace for a few decades. The logistics growth story is just beginning.”
International Expansion
iKargos has expanded to UAE by setting up its subsidiary iKargos Logistics FZE. The subsidiary will help setup the UAE-India tradelane for iKargos. Recently, the two countries have signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) that allows duty concessions to numerous products on both sides.
Overall, India will benefit from preferential market access provided by the UAE on over 97% of its tariff lines which account for 99% of Indian exports to the UAE in value terms particularly from labour-intensive sectors such as Gems and Jewellery, Textiles, leather, footwear, sports goods, plastics, furniture, agricultural and wood products, engineering products, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and Automobiles. As regards trade in services, Indian service providers will have enhanced access to around 111 sub-sectors from the 11 broad service sectors.
CEPA is expected to increase the total value of bilateral trade in goods to over US$100 billion and trade in services to over US$ 15 billion within five years.
Investors Feedback
Early backer Praveen Sinha is bullish on iKargos. He states, “I was one of the earliest investors in iKargos. They have already come a long way in just over 2 years. The passion and vision of the management is contagious. Navbharat and iKargos joining hands makes this a perfect combination of stability and aggression. I am sure iKargos will reap excellent rewards for its investors and customers.