SoftBank, owner of a portfolio including logistics unicorns ShipBob and Flock Freight, led the freight management service’s latest round at a $1.3bn valuation.

Internet and telecommunications firm SoftBank’s Latin America Fund led a $200m series D round for US-based freight automation technology provider Loadsmart yesterday having also backed similar companies in recent months.

Rail transportation and property group CSX Corporation also took part in the round, alongside funds and accounts managed by BlackRock and Janus Henderson Group. It valued Loadsmart at $1.3bn.

Founded in 2014, Loadsmart has built an artificial intelligence and big data-equipped freight forwarding software platform which helps shippers, brokers and…

Edison Fu

Edison Fu is a reporter and Asia liaison at Global Corporate Venturing.