Topics
Latest
AI
Amazon
Image Credits:Auger
Apps
Biotech & Health
mood
Image Credits:Auger
Cloud Computing
Commerce
Crypto
Enterprise
EVs
Fintech
fundraise
Gadgets
Gaming
Government & Policy
Hardware
Layoffs
Media & Entertainment
Meta
Microsoft
Privacy
Robotics
Security
Social
Space
Startups
TikTok
transport
speculation
More from TechCrunch
Events
Startup Battlefield
StrictlyVC
Podcasts
video
Partner Content
TechCrunch Brand Studio
Crunchboard
Contact Us
Dave Clark has had a roll coaster of a time these preceding two years .
Aftersteppingdown in June 2022 as chief operating officer of Amazon ’s global consumer partition — a role he held for over two decennium — Clark relocated to Dallas to link up supply strand logistics company Flexport . With a gameboard mandate to prepare Flexport to go public , Clark led as carbon monoxide - chief executive officer , and later as CEO , while founder Ryan Petersen transitioned to executive director chairman .
But all did not go swimmingly . In September 2023 , Flexport ’s board , led by Petersen , pressured Clark to leave office , accusing him of mismanagement . Clarkmaintainedhe was only trying to fix what he consider “ all-embracing ” organizational problems . Subsequentreportingbacked upClark ’s claims , but the damage was done . Clark was out .
Clark excogitate over a gubernatorial run in Texas ; hehiredstrategists , too . But the temptingness of launching a business — one he could run as he saw primed — proved to be stronger .
Clark on Tuesday unveiled his new party , Auger , and he ’s raised a gigantic $ 100 million seed round lead by VC business firm Oak HC / FT . Auger is developing an AI - powered tool for provision mountain range - dependent business that integrates with exist inventory management platforms to deliver substantial - fourth dimension insights .
“ Throughout my career , I ’ve seen at first hand how low provision mountain range do n’t just bear upon companies , but in fact millions of people : postponement that forestall products from reaching shelves , miscommunications that thrust employees into overtime , high consumer prices , and inefficiency that conduce to a raise carbon paper footmark , ” Clark tell TechCrunch . “ These are n’t just business problems — they ’re human problems . And it ’s time we fix them . ”
Clark was obscure about whatpreciselyAuger is establish , keep that it “ unifies ” provision mountain chain data for various types of collection . There seems to a chatbot portion , too : Clark aver user will be able-bodied to “ just ask ” questions like “ Give me inventory information for next calendar week ’s shipment , ” and Auger will serve up that datum “ instantly ” in a “ consumer - ground level ” vena portae .
Join us at TechCrunch Sessions: AI
Exhibit at TechCrunch Sessions: AI
“ Despite toilsome investments , companies still trust on fragmented ‘ Franken - software ’ — dissociate organisation patched together from incompatible technology that do n’t communicate efficaciously , ” Clark said . “ This leave to inefficient workarounds and forces critical decision to be made using tools like Excel , which were never designed to handle the complexness of supply chains at this scurf . Auger is creating a raw solution for company look for well options . ”
To Clark ’s point , there ’s robust demand for technology that facilitate organizations make good sense of their provision chains . According to onesource , 56 % of retailers confine weeks ’ worth of “ safety parentage ” as policy against provision chain visibility setback .
The lack of supply chain cognisance — combined with growing supply chain headwinds , from docker strikes to turmoil in the Red Sea — is chip in to major worldwide shipping disruptions . About a third of armed service companies and nearly half of manufacturers are having difficulty obtaining supplies , according to a Federal Reserve Bank of New Yorksurvey .
“ Increasing disruptions and global conflicts [ are ] creating dear - constant modifications in planetary manufacturing and the flow of goods , stretching existing technology beyond its limits , ” Clark said .
The more recent hurdles , combined with challenges introduced by the pandemic , have led to an burst in the issue of startups tackle supply string visibility and management . The sector for logistics software program is on trail to strive $ 46.5 billion by 2025 , perMarkets and Markets . And funding is flowing healthily into parvenu provision range weapons platform trafficker — startups in the spacereceived$15.4 billion in investment this class .
Indeed , Auger , based in Bellevue , Washington , is entering a market place chock - full of formidable challenger .
Altana , which bag $ 200 million from investor in July , uses an AI system to create a shared view of external provision chain of mountains networks , drawing from both logistics and B2B data . EverstreamandPandooffer their own dashboards for depth psychology , intended to complement transfer management and provider relationship management systems .
Clark asserts that what Auger ’s making will be truly different .
“ Auger will integrate data from multiple sources and use forward-looking AI and machine learning to generate automated , dynamic perceptivity in existent time , ” Clark said . “ The chopine will offer a exclusive Zen of glass across preparation , forecasting , and financing [ to ] … enable team to move beyond manual tasks and pore on drive conception . ”
Clark may well have what it takes to go up against the larger vendors in the SaaS supplying chain software package outer space . Logisticsishis speciality , after all . At Amazon , Clark was an early proponent ofrobotic mechanisation , which save the companytens of millions of dollars . And , during the pandemic , Clark dramatically expanded Amazon ’s operations to meet the rarified demand for online goods .
Clark has also made big managerial missteps . Hemisjudgedthe reception of Amazon ’s brick - and - trench mortar businesses , and , in the final stretch of the pandemic , over - expandedthe company ’s storage warehouse capability . That latter decisiveness led tobillionsin price overruns .
Oak general partner Matt Streisfeld has confidence in Clark , calling him a “ once - in - a - lifetime ” founder with the potential to “ reimagine supplying chain direction software . ”
“ We are in the thick of a decisive fracture , with more data point shift to the swarm every solar day , ” Streisfeld said in a financial statement . “ With this shift , we will have more accessible information that can be structured for not only real - metre , continuous provision , but also so that AI can be layered on to automatize more workflows and deliver more occupation and fiscal insights for inventory direction and forecasting . ”
Clark says that Auger , which has yet to secure customers or generate any revenue , will release more information about its product roadmap and milestones in the coming months . “ Our foundation team is made up of unrelenting problem - solvers with a proven track record of fork up transformative supply chain solution at scale , ” he added . “ This is just the commencement . ”
