cargo.one, a Berlin-based AI-native operating system for air and ocean freight, has raised €17M ($20M) in growth funding led by Bessemer Venture Partners. The platform centralizes sales and procurement for freight forwarders and carriers using the industry's most comprehensive multimodal rate database. The capital will fuel AI investments following the acquisition of Cargofive.
EU FreightTech Wave Builds Momentum
The round arrives amid a European FreightTech funding surge: Qargo secured €28M Series B in December 2025, while Rail-Flow raised €12.5M. Freightos reported 24% revenue growth to $29.5M in 2025, targeting breakeven this year. cargo.one's multimodal expansion addresses the need for unified air-ocean platforms as digital freight forwarding grows at 19.23% CAGR from $49.43B in 2026.
Fragmented Rates Slow Quoting
Air cargo e-booking penetration remains under 10%, with forwarders manually copying rates across portals. This leads to errors and delays, especially during peak seasons with 5.6% demand growth in January 2026. Current tools lack integrated data, causing most AI logistics projects to fail on ROI.
AI OS Unifies Air-Ocean Data
cargo.one integrates live rates from 76 airlines and 30 ocean carriers, powering AI quoting in co-pilot, supervised, or autonomous modes. Unlike Flexport's full-service forwarding ($2.25B funded), cargo.one acts as a neutral marketplace for 28,000+ users across 172 countries. The recent Cargofive acquisition adds 4M ocean trade lanes, enabling end-to-end workflows.
Agentic Workflows Boost Efficiency
Forwarders access analytics, customer portals, and TMS integrations in a unified workspace. This contrasts with CargoAi's narrower AI focus ($3.5M raised), offering cargo.one superior scale with 19 of the top 20 forwarders onboard. Peak season tools like AI quoting cut times by up to 90%.
As Moritz Claussen, co-CEO, noted:
"Most AI projects in logistics fail to deliver ROI because they lack access to robust, structured data."
Bessemer Backs AI Scale-Up
Bessemer leads this €17M round, joining prior investors Index Ventures, Next47, Creandum, and Point Nine Capital. The tier-1 VC's focus on AI platforms signals growth capital for enterprise logistics digitization. Strategic backer Lufthansa Cargo adds domain validation, aligning with cargo.one's 65M+ monthly quotes.
Air Cargo Demand Fuels Digitization
The air cargo market stands at $87.19B in 2026, projected to reach $114.88B by 2035 at 6.6% CAGR. E-commerce and capacity constraints drive adoption, with IATA noting 5.6% demand rise. cargo.one's 12M+ monthly airline rate comparisons position it ahead in a space where Forto ($610M) focuses more on ocean.
Competitors Chase Multimodal Scale
Freightos ($118M total) expands SaaS multimodally, while Flexport deploys AI agents for 10% cost savings. cargo.one differentiates via native AI OS and carrier integrations, serving enterprises like Hellmann and DSV. Low digital penetration accelerates capital into neutral platforms.
Serial Founders Enable Pivot
CTO Mike Rötgers brings exits from Casacanda (acquired by Fab.com) and €7M+ at OptioPay. Co-CEOs Moritz Claussen (TIACA Rising Star 2025) and Oliver Neumann scale from prior fintech roles. Recent hires from Airbus and WestJet bolster domain expertise.
Multimodal Rollout Accelerates
Post-acquisition, cargo.one launches agentic AI workflows and eyes further carrier integrations. Partnerships with Hellmann and DP World (300+ offices) support national expansion. The funding enables 10x rate infrastructure growth amid uninterrupted demand.