Willbox, a Japanese Logistics Innovator, Enters the Global Stage Raising JPY700 Million in Series A

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Nov. 24, 2022 - PRLog -- Today, Willbox announced it has raised JPY700 million (US$4.8 million) in Series A funding — a sign of increased digital adoption in the logistics industry and investors' confidence in the opportunities ahead.

SMBC Venture Capital, one of Japan's leading banks, led the investment round, joined by new backers Mizuho Capital, Salesforce Ventures, and Industrial Technology Investment Corporation from Taiwan, and existing investors, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital, Marubeni Ventures, and ANOBAKA.

Today, the company has expanded the scope of what it does for customers, and its overall engagement. Through the company's marketplace and SaaS platform, Giho, Willbox is focused on providing logistics solutions and continuous feedback to its customers, 80 percent of which are publicly listed companies. Giho users can not only order logistics services but also lead to the "best" trading solutions, which logistics strategies are working, and which are not, and keep in touch with every logistics player involved in the supply chain so they can track and change logistics plans more quickly.

"Giho is an intelligent global logistics platform." said Motonari Kami, founder of Willbox. "What we are doing is providing an accurate and faster logistics experience for users, helping them improve their supply chains to increase profitability."

While the COVID-19 pandemic has roiled international trading, it has played an important role in Willbox's growth and success. Due to the increased demand for shipping containers, Willbox has been working with shipping companies and logistics forwarders, resulting in over 193 shipping lines and 243 routes available via the Giho platform, and Willbox has achieved 100% secured space for shipper's cargo.

"We have established a system that enables us to provide a full range of logistics functions including securing of containers," noted Kami, "and we believe that we are now ready for refreshing growth, which is why we have decided to raise funds this time."

As a leader in innovation, Willbox has created a unique business model which combines open platform SaaS and information and communication technology. Willbox aims to take global supply chains to the next level, in which all logistics elements and resources would be connected, integrated, and shared with every logistics player, building a fully connected digital logistics universe.