Supply chain consulting firm Fortna Inc. and investment firm Schematic Ventures hosted a reception highlighting logistics technology startups on Monday evening, inviting executives from 11 young firms to pitch their ideas and gain access to crucial publicity and potential funding. Each startup presented a five-minute pitch presenting their technology and describing how it could impact distribution and supply chain operations.

The discussion ranged from the reasons why robotic automation has progressed so much further in the automotive sector than logistics; best strategies for split-case picking; new approaches for online freight marketplaces; an improved design for high-density-inventory storage and retrieval; visibility over in-transit goods; depalletizing automation; warehouse space sharing; last-mile distribution strategies; and a streamlined international shipping network. Participating startups included: 6 River Systems Inc., Attabotics, Flexe, Grabit, Kinema Systems, Plus One Robotics, Shippo, Shotput, Tive, Vantage Freight, and Vention.