LogAware — Bringing Transparency and Quality to Logistics

Originally published in December 2021 through StartU

As we face rising inflation and disruptions to our holiday shopping this season, it is hard to ignore the supply chain issues that are impacting the global economy. Even before supply chains became a central topic of 2021, Hidayat Hamidov was rethinking the supply chain and logistics industry and developing a solution that would help digitize the industry.

About LogAware

LogAware is an online logistics platform that is bringing transparency and quality to logistics operations. The platform allows companies to easily connect with supply chain partners, access an online cargo, trucking and container marketplace, track cargo and documents, enable accurate and efficient information flow, and receive detailed analytics.

LogAware currently offers free, business, premium, and ultimate subscription options, which vary based on the number of users, size of the company, number of connected companies, scale of tracking, sharing capabilities, online assistants, and other features. By allowing partners to access the interface, companies can avoid intermediary parties and ensure that “information flow is parallel to cargo flow.”

The Founders

I had the pleasure of interviewing Hidayat to learn more about his background in supply chain and logistics and his motivations for developing LogAware. Hidayat, a current student at Columbia Business School, earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in supply chain management and logistics and spent the last decade regionally managing international logistics companies. During his time working on international projects, he experienced the industry’s long and demanding hours, resulting from a lack of efficient information flow, an antiquated system, and the 24-hour nature of communicating across several time zones.

Recognizing the need to improve efficiency and data flow and unsatisfied with existing solutions, he reached out to his friend Rauf Mahmudlu, who is a network engineer and has a background in IT. The pair developed LogAware with a mission to digitize and centralize all logistics processes through one user-friendly platform.

Value Proposition

According to Hidayat, communication through the legacy supply chain and logistics systems was like a game of telephone: as tracking information and updates were transmitted to various partners, information often became distorted, and it was difficult to quickly address problems, leading to higher transportation costs and operational chaos.

Simultaneous and efficient information flow offers a competitive advantage to businesses, as customers value regular status updates and accurate reports.

Whereas searching for documents to provide updates to partners and customers required 15+ minutes with existing systems, it takes just five seconds using the LogAware software, and information can be shared automatically. For businesses, particularly those managing numerous intermodal freight movements simultaneously, this can translate to significant headcount savings and reduced stress on employees.

LogAware is primarily targeting small and medium-sized businesses (SMB), as the subscription service provides them with a cost-effective alternative to developing their own platforms as well as access to potential new partners and customers.

Growth and Traction

LogAware launched just a few months ago and has already gained traction with customers in the U.S. and Europe. Of the customers-to-date, Hidayat estimates that around 30% are importers and exporters and approximately 70% are logistics and freight forwarding companies. As the platform consumes APIs of the leading container lines, it is fostering transparency in container pricing and booking and increasing visibility in end-to-end tracking of container movements.

LogAware plans to continue to add new features to its platform and works alongside clients to design dashboards that best support their needs.

Hidayat believes the supply chain and logistics industry is particularly ripe for disruption, having been one of the most conservative industries when it comes to digitization, and he is excited to see the growth of the LogTech space in coming years.

With supply chain issues capturing the attention of retailers, governments, and consumers in recent months, it is the right time to pay attention to companies that are providing a solution, and I look forward to seeing how LogAware continues to disrupt the industry.

For more information, please visit their website: https://logaware.co.uk/index.html