Flexport

founder: ryan petersen (ceo) Equity raised: $94 million Estimated 2017 revenue: $500 million Lead investors: first round capital, founders fund, Y combinator

What it does: provides automated freight-forwarding and tracking services. in the $9 trillion global logistics business, companies rely on middlemen called freight forwarders to track their goods. the freight forwarders use antiquated tools such as faxes and phone calls. in 2013, petersen, now 37, founded flexport in san francisco. his goal: offer software that lets customers track and control their cargo à la fedex. flexport has 450 employees in nine offices, including atlanta, amsterdam, hong kong and shenzhen, china, and warehouses in los angeles and hong kong, where customers can consolidate cargo.