In a groundbreaking move that promises to reshape the landscape of supply chain sustainability, London-based startup Clearly has successfully raised €3.9 million in seed funding. This innovative climate intelligence platform is set to transform how fleet operators approach emission reduction and energy efficiency, leveraging the power of artificial intelligence to provide critical, trip-level insights.
The funding round, spearheaded by Pace Ventures and Nine Realms, saw enthusiastic participation from established mobility investors Mobilion, Next Gear, and M1720. Notable angel investors, including Lord Nash and Margaux Primat, also threw their weight behind Clearly’s visionary approach to tackling one of the most pressing challenges of our time.
With the transport sector responsible for a quarter of global emissions, the urgency to decarbonize supply chains has never been more apparent. Road transportation alone requires a staggering annual investment of $1.75 trillion to achieve net-zero goals. It’s no wonder that over half of CEOs are actively seeking improved data visibility to drive down emissions, as reported by the United Nations.
Clearly’s innovative platform addresses this challenge head-on by offering logistics operators, fleet owners, and other supply chain stakeholders the critical insights needed to make real-time decisions that significantly enhance both operational and financial efficiency. The company’s proprietary technology overcomes the limitations of existing approaches by integrating and analyzing data from a wide array of sources, including vehicle movement and performance, operations, assets, and energy consumption.
Danielle Walsh, Founder and CEO of Clearly, explains the unique value proposition: “Decarbonising supply chains is not a new challenge, but one of the largest hurdles for businesses has been accessing and analysing comprehensive data. We saw that by using our unique approach to collect, normalise and blend supply chain data, we could improve its interoperability and use it to provide actionable insights on transportation emissions down to the level of individual trips and packages.”
One of Clearly’s key strengths lies in its hardware-agnostic approach, ensuring compatibility with any data source and overcoming the significant initial challenge of data acquisition. This flexibility positions Clearly as a versatile solution capable of adapting to the diverse needs of the global supply chain industry.
The urgency of Clearly’s mission is underscored by alarming projections from the International Energy Agency. Without significant intervention, transportation emissions are expected to surge by 60% by 2050, potentially triggering severe weather events, rising sea levels, ecosystem disruption, health risks, and economic instability.
Marius Swart, Partner at Pace Ventures, expressed confidence in Clearly’s potential: “This space is expanding rapidly, and we were impressed by the significant demand from large corporates and the financing sector for Clearly’s product. As the transport sector transitions to using greener technologies, we see the need for data-driven procurement and AI-enabled operational decision making broadening at a fast pace.”
Christy McCaig, Partner at Nine Realms, added, “Unlike other tools, Clearly offers actionable insights to help fleet operators achieve their goals in the most commercially viable way. We were impressed with the team and their early traction with enterprise customers, and we’re thrilled to support them in their next stage of growth.”
The fresh infusion of capital will be strategically deployed to enhance Clearly’s existing product offering and expand its suite of proprietary AI capabilities. Additionally, the company plans to scale its team to meet the growing global demand for its innovative solution.
As the world grapples with the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions, Clearly’s AI-driven approach offers a beacon of hope for the transport sector. By providing real-time, actionable insights, the platform empowers fleet operators to make informed decisions that not only contribute to sustainability goals but also drive operational efficiency and financial performance.
The success of Clearly’s seed funding round signals a growing recognition of the critical role that data-driven solutions will play in achieving global net-zero targets. As the company continues to evolve and expand its offerings, it stands poised to make a significant impact on the future of sustainable transportation and supply chain management.
In a world where every emission reduction counts, Clearly is proving that with the right tools and insights, businesses can turn the challenge of sustainability into a competitive advantage. As the company embarks on this next phase of growth, all eyes will be on how its innovative approach can help reshape the future of global supply chains, one trip at a time.
