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§ Private Profile · Madrid, Madrid, Spain
Trucksters is a technology company.
Trucksters operates an express relay transportation network for long-haul freight. Its core product facilitates driver changes at strategic hubs, eliminating single drivers covering entire routes. This system significantly reduces full truckload (FTL) shipment transit times, enhancing operational efficiency and reliability through optimized routing and continuous cargo movement.
Founded in 2018 by Luis Bardají Izard, Gabor Balogh, and Ramón Castro Neira, Trucksters emerged from observed inefficiencies in traditional long-haul trucking. They noted challenging driver conditions and slow deliveries. Their key insight: a relay system improves driver welfare, enabling more frequent home returns, simultaneously offering faster, more reliable freight services.
Trucksters serves shippers needing expedited freight delivery and carriers seeking optimized fleet use and driver satisfaction. The company aims to transform European road freight by prioritizing driver well-being, accelerating goods movement, and boosting sustainability. Their vision: establish the leading relay-based transport network, redefining logistics efficiency and human-centric logistics.
Trucksters has raised $62.0M across 5 funding rounds.
Trucksters has raised $62.0M in total across 5 funding rounds.
Trucksters has raised $62.0M across 5 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $36.0M Series B in June 2023.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1, 2023 | $36M Series B | Martin Witt | Juan Urdiales, Sacha Michaud | Announced |
| Mar 1, 2022 | $9M Series A | Sacha Michaud | Atomico, Creandum, FJ Labs, Goat Capital, Kfund, Pro Founders Capital, Scale Venture Partners, Teamworthy Ventures, Y Combinator, AVI Meir, Chris Murphy, Christian Reber, Felipe Navio, Ingo Uytdehaage, Juan Urdiales, Maximilian Tayenthal, Philippe Teixeira DA Mota, Ángel Mayoral García, Carlos Severino Martinez, Telmo Pérez Luaces, Amplifier, BIG SUR Ventures, Bonsai Partners, Kibo Ventures, Metavallon VC, The Valley VC | Announced |
| Jul 1, 2021 | $15M Series A | Aquilino Pena | Juan Urdiales, Sacha Michaud, Amplifier, Bonsai Partners | Announced |
| Nov 16, 2020 | $1.1M Venture Round | — | Ángel Mayoral García, Bernd Hullerum, David Palau, M. Elena Zalbidea Garmendia, Telmo Pérez Luaces, APX, BIG SUR Ventures, Metavallon VC, The Valley VC | Announced |
| Jun 24, 2019 | $960K Venture Round | José Miguel Herrero, Metavallon VC | Sacha Michaud, APX, Grupo Undanet | Announced |
Trucksters has raised $62.0M in total across 5 funding rounds.
Trucksters's investors include Martin Witt, Juan Urdiales, Sacha Michaud, Atomico, Creandum, FJ Labs, Goat Capital, KFund, Pro Founders Capital, Scale Venture Partners, Teamworthy Ventures, Y Combinator.
Trucksters is a Madrid-based transportation technology company founded in 2018 that operates long-haul full truckload (FTL) trucking services using an innovative relay system powered by big data and AI. The relay system enables driver-to-driver trailer exchanges at fixed points, cutting transit times by up to 50%—matching air freight speeds at trucking costs—while minimizing empty kilometers to under 7% and improving driver work-life balance by allowing them to return home daily.[1][2][4][5][6] Serving over 700 companies in sectors like food and refrigerated transport, Trucksters handles 1,000 FTL shipments monthly, performs 8,000 relays annually, and has achieved 3.5x year-on-year growth, backed by $51.2M in total funding including a $33M Series B in 2023 from investors like Volvo Group Venture Capital, Continental's VC unit, and the European Investment Bank.[2][3][5]
Trucksters was founded in 2018 in Madrid, Spain, by Luis Bardají (CEO), Gabor Balogh, and Ramón Castro, who identified inefficiencies in the stagnant long-haul trucking industry, such as prolonged stops during drivers' mandatory 11-hour rests and driver shortages.[2][3][4] The idea emerged from a vision to modernize road freight—a sector unchanged for 50 years—by introducing relay exchanges that keep cargo moving without handling, leveraging AI for route optimization and sensorized trailers for real-time data on temperature, location, and door openings.[1][4][5][6] Early traction came from operational scaling, with pivotal funding rounds fueling expansion: a Series B of €33M in 2023 enabled network growth across Europe and sustainability initiatives like electrified routes.[2][3][5]
Trucksters rides the logistics tech wave, applying AI and data analytics to revolutionize long-haul trucking—an industry ripe for disruption due to e-commerce growth, supply chain complexities, and EU regulations on driver hours and emissions.[1][6] Timing aligns with post-pandemic freight booms and sustainability mandates, where relay tech cuts times 50% while lowering CO2 via optimized routes, influencing the ecosystem by attracting VC from auto giants like Volvo and Continental, signaling validation for tech-enabled trucking.[2][3][6] It challenges incumbents by humanizing the sector (easing driver shortages) and enabling "airline speeds at truck costs," potentially setting standards for efficient, green road freight in Europe and beyond.[4][5][6]
Trucksters is poised to expand its relay corridors across Europe and into new markets, leveraging its $51M+ funding for fleet electrification and AI enhancements amid rising demand for fast, sustainable logistics.[2][3][5] Trends like autonomous trucking, stricter emissions rules, and nearshoring will amplify its edge, potentially scaling to global influence as it triples growth again. Watch for US entry or partnerships with e-commerce giants—its relay innovation could redefine trucking, delivering faster goods without planetary trade-offs, much like it already doubles speed for today's shippers.[4][6]