The ecommerce logistics sector in India is witnessing a boom, given the demand for fast and efficient delivery solutions as businesses race to meet customer expectations. The market is projected to reach $7.8 Bn by 2030 from $4.4 Bn in 2025, reflecting a 12.2% CAGR for the forecast period.

It is hardly surprising. Getting the logistics within a business wrong is bound to have dire consequences, especially for smaller enterprises or new entrants with little money to set up expansive distribution and specialised logistics teams.

Another critical challenge is scale. Shipping in small quantities tends to get more expensive but many are compelled to do this. After all, there can be no greater business problem than a product not reaching its customers.

When Shiprocket was launched in 2017 by Saahil Goel, Gautam Kapoor, Akshay Ghulati and Vishesh Khurana, the startup knew how small businesses grappled with shipping challenges. It was a classic pain point waiting to be solved, and the startup mulled how it could give the logistics control back to the businesses (well, they never had it in the first place) and help them grow.

Shiprocket decided to differentiate itself from Day 1 and started to operate with an asset-light, technology-driven model. In essence, it is a business and technology enabler, optimising delivery operations through a network of more than 25 courier partners. This approach allows the startup to scale efficiently while minimising capital expenditure.

Today, this unicorn caters to more than 100K sellers and provides a bouquet of services ranging from hyperlocal deliveries to international shipping, with a solid leadership team driving value. Valued at $1.2 Bn, Shiprocket raised more than $320 Mn from prominent investors, including Lightrock, Temasek, Bertelsmann India Investments and Zomato, among others.

“Scaling in the logistics industry should not be about adding more vehicles or warehouses. It is about optimising every step of the journey and applying client-centric principles to the techno-business model,” said Goel, cofounder, MD and CEO of IPO-bound Shiprocket. “So, we focus on technology, automation and data intelligence to drive efficiency, ensuring that businesses, big or small, can confidently reach their consumers on time.”

However, scaling such a business in India, one of the most complex and fragmented markets, has challenges. Logistics players must cope with high rates of return to origin (RTO), last-mile inefficiencies, regulatory roadblocks and unpredictable demand fluctuations. Agility isn’t just an advantage here; it’s a necessity.

For Shiprocket, the key has been building an integrated ecosystem beyond shipping. By leveraging high-end tech solutions and forging strategic partnerships with Invest India, Dependo, Skye Air and more, the startup offers end-to-end fulfilment and financial enablement to its clients and logistics partners, shaping the future of Indian commerce and supply chain. Along the way, it has also crossed INR 1,300 in revenue (as of FY24) and is eyeing profitability in FY25.

Recently, Shiprocket’s board of directors passed a resolution to convert the startup into a public company from a private one as it aims to list in the next fiscal year. The startup will now drop the word ‘private’ from its name and rechristen itself as Shiprocket Limited, as it looks to capitalise on the public listing momentum among Indian startups in 2025.

While details of the potential IPO are yet to be officially confirmed, the company might soon join BlackBuck and Delhivery among the new-age logistics tech players on the stock market.

As part of Griffin Dialogues, our newly launched flagship series spotlighting India’s trailblazing startup leaders, Inc42 discussed with Goel what it takes to service a sector where the need for speed rules supreme, the challenges of........

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