Shaping the e-commerce industry: Schenker Ventures invests in Warehousing1

^{(Image – from left to right: Fabian Sedlmayr, Patric Hoffmann, Nils Aschmann, Nico Szeli, Paulina Banszerus (Credit: DB Schenker)}

DB Schenker announces an investment into Warehousing1, an e-commerce fulfilment platform provider based in Berlin, Germany. The funding is the first venture capital activity of Schenker Ventures, the global logistics service provider’s holistic venturing department. Schenker Ventures joins Warehousing1’s Series A round, alongside top tier venture capital firms with a strong record in scaling e-commerce and LogTech businesses.

Patric Hoffmann, Head of Schenker Ventures: “We want to nurture innovation in the logistics industry. Post-pandemic online shopping behavior is here to stay. Consumer brands around the globe have adapted their sales channels to the new market situation. The result is a multitude of new and diverse online shopping opportunities. Warehousing1 taps into that trend. We look forward to working together with the great team of Warehousing1. It will be a mutual learning opportunity.”

Nils Aschmann, founder and CEO of Warehousing1: “For us it was important to gain active partners that are able and willing to provide us with further targeted expertise in the field of logistics. We want to enhance and digitalize the fulfilment experience for the booming e-commerce market. Therefore, we are very pleased that Schenker Ventures has decided to join us as a strategic investor.” 

Warehousing1 offers retailers an online platform to find suitable warehousing space and fulfilment services quickly and easily. The four-year old start-up groups together the offering of small and medium-sized logistics companies into one core network. Via the Warehousing1 platform, e-commerce companies can digitally manage their fulfillment and flexibly scale up their logistics as needed. The focus is on young, fast-growing D2C brands. 

Adding value beyond the financial contribution

By leveraging the strong industrial network of DB Schenker, Schenker Ventures creates a significant advantage for the young e-commerce fulfillment company. Besides financial support, Warehousing1 will receive access to subject matter experts for e-commerce retail and consumer goods, warehouse operations and IT infrastructure. 

The other investors acquiring respectively growing their company share along with Schenker Ventures are Aster Capital, Wille Finance, HV Capital and Base10 Partners. In total, Warehousing1 is backed with over 10 million Euro. The shareholders have agreed not to publish individual share sizes.

Paulina Banszerus, responsible Investment Manager at Schenker Ventures: “Warehousing1 is right in the sweet spot of our investment strategy. The platform addresses a strongly growing market segment of logistics with a highly scalable digital and low-asset solution. Complementary to experienced financial investors, we want to create a competitive advantage through our network and expertise.” 

Schenker Ventures was set up in summer 2021. It comprises all venturing activities of DB Schenker and is built on three pillars: Venture Building, Venture Studio, and Venture Capital. Start-ups and prospective founders from the logistics and supply chain industry are invited to visit www.schenker-ventures.com to explore how DB Schenker can support their journey.