Altana raised $100M in 2022 for its Series B round using a concise 10-slide deck that emphasizes a massive data advantage and a sophisticated technical moat. The narrative shifts from the failures of 'Globalization 1.0'—characterized by a lack of truth and trust—to a new paradigm powered by the Altana Atlas. The deck highlights a knowledge graph connecting 400 million companies and billions of shipments, supported by a federated learning architecture that unlocks non-public data. While the deck is light on specific financial figures, it demonstrates significant momentum with a reported 10x re…
Key takeaways
- The deck frames the problem as a systemic failure of 'Globalization 1.0,' citing a lack of truth regarding product origins and compliance (Slide 4).
- Altana claims a massive data scale, citing a knowledge graph of 400 million companies connected by billions of shipments (Slide 5).
- The product is positioned as a 'Trusted Network Platform' with three core pillars: Trusted Shipment, Trusted Network, and Platform-as-a-Service (Slide 6).
- A key technical moat is identified as a 'unique federated learning architecture' that allows the company to access siloed, non-public data from customs agencies and enterprises (Slide 8).
- The leadership team leverages high-signal pedigree from companies including Palantir, Bridgewater, S&P Global, and Panjiva (Slide 9).
- Revenue growth is the primary traction metric shown, with 10x growth in 2021 and a projection of 10x+ for 2022 (Slide 9).
- The deck completely omits a specific 'Ask' slide, valuation details, or a detailed breakdown of unit economics.
- The visual design uses a high-contrast, minimalist aesthetic that reinforces the 'source of truth' branding (Slides 2-10).
Introduction: The Macro-Narrative of Supply Chain Intelligence
Altana’s Series B deck is a study in minimalist, high-stakes storytelling. In an era where supply chains have become a matter of national security and global economic stability, Altana positions itself not just as a software provider, but as the infrastructure for a new era of commerce. The deck, used to raise $100M in 2022, moves quickly from a philosophical problem to a technical solution, leaning heavily on the scale of its data and the pedigree of its team.
Slide 1-2: Branding and Identity
The deck opens with a professional headshot (Slide 1) and a stark, minimalist logo slide (Slide 2). The use of a split black-and-white background for the logo immediately establishes a visual theme of 'clarity' and 'truth,' which becomes the central pillar of their value proposition. There is no tagline here, allowing the brand name to stand alone.
Slide 3: Globalization 2.0
Slide 3 introduces the core thesis: 'Globalization 2.0.' By labeling the current state of the world as a version number, Altana implies that the previous version is obsolete. The slide defines Altana as a 'Trusted Network Platform built on a shared source of truth for the global supply chain.' The imagery—a mix of brutalist architecture and geometric patterns—suggests structure, reliability, and a foundational role in the global economy.
Slide 4: The Problem – No Truth, No Trust
Slide 4 is the 'Problem' slide, framed as the failure of 'Globalization 1.0.' It uses a simple binary list to contrast the lack of information with the lack of confidence. On the left ('No Truth'), it poses questions like 'where do our products come from' and 'what is inside the box.' On the right ('No Trust'), it translates these into business risks: 'is my network resilient' and 'is it safe and compliant.' This slide effectively bridges the gap between operational data and executive-level risk management.
Slide 5: The Data Scale
Slide 5 provides the first set of hard metrics. Altana claims to have a 'dynamic knowledge graph of global commerce' consisting of 400 million companies connected by billions of shipments. This is a classic 'moat' slide. By showcasing the sheer volume of data—spanning customs, trade policy, enterprise, logistics, compliance, financial, and supply chain data—Altana signals to investors that the barrier to entry for a competitor is immense.
Slide 6: The Altana Atlas Product
Slide 6 breaks down the product offering into three categories: Trusted Shipment (automating customs and trade), Trusted Network (illuminating extended networks and AI-supported risk analysis), and Platform (PaaS) (dedicated instances for customers to build their own applications). This slide clarifies that Altana is both a finished product for end-users and a platform for developers, expanding its Total Addressable Market (TAM).
Slide 7: Platform Architecture
Slide 7 is a technical 'layer cake' diagram. It shows how 'Atlas Data' (shipments, ownership, etc.) feeds into a 'Data Lake + Graph Database,' which is then processed through 'Graph' and 'Insight' layers before being delivered via APIs or UIs. It also mentions 'Partner Analytics' in areas like ESG and Cyber. This slide is intended for a technical due diligence audience, proving that the company has a structured approach to handling its massive data set.
Slide 8: The Technical Moat – Federated Learning
Slide 8 is perhaps the most important slide for a Series B investor. It explains how Altana gets data that others cannot. The 'unique federated learning architecture' allows Altana to run its AI models against 'siloed customer data' (like that of Global Customs Agencies) without the data ever leaving the customer's secure environment. This solves the primary hurdle in supply chain transparency: the refusal of participants to share sensitive data.
Slide 9: Progress and Pedigree
Slide 9 combines the 'Team' and 'Traction' slides. Instead of individual bios, it uses logos to show the leadership team's background: Palantir, Bridgewater, S&P Global, and others. This is a high-signal way to communicate that the team has 'been there, done that' at the highest levels of data analytics. The right side of the slide shows revenue growth: 10x in 2021, 4x YTD in 2022, and a projection of 10x+ for the full year 2022. While specific dollar amounts are missing, the growth multiples are aggressive enough to justify a Series B valuation.
Slide 10: Closing
The deck ends as it began, with a simple logo on a black background. It leaves the investor with the brand name, reinforcing the 'source of truth' identity one last time.
What Altana Does Well
Macro-Positioning: Altana doesn't just sell a tool; they sell a solution to the 'failure of globalization.' This high-level framing makes the company feel essential to the functioning of the world economy, which is exactly what leads to large Series B and C rounds.
Technical Differentiation: By highlighting federated learning, Altana provides a clear answer to the question: 'Why hasn't this been done before?' They identify a specific technical bottleneck (data privacy) and explain their unique way around it.
Scale as a Moat: Citing 400 million companies and billions of shipments creates a sense of inevitability. Investors love businesses that become more valuable as more data is added, and Altana leans heavily into this network effect.
What is Missing from the Deck
The Ask: There is no slide detailing how much money is being raised or what the funds will be used for. While this information is often shared in person or via a separate term sheet, its absence in the deck makes the narrative feel slightly incomplete as a standalone document.
Unit Economics: There is no mention of Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC), Lifetime Value (LTV), or churn rates. For a Series B round, investors typically want to see that the 'money-in, money-out' machine is working efficiently.
Competitive Landscape: The deck assumes Altana is in a category of one. While their federated learning approach is unique, they do face competition from legacy providers and other supply chain visibility startups. A slide acknowledging the landscape and their specific advantages would have added depth.
Lessons for Founders
Sell the Future, Not Just the Feature: Altana’s 'Globalization 2.0' concept is a perfect example of how to frame a startup’s mission. Don't just talk about what your software does; talk about the new world it enables.
Use Pedigree as a Shortcut: If your team comes from top-tier companies, use their logos. It builds instant credibility and reduces the perceived risk for the investor. You don't need long bios if the logos speak for themselves.
Visualize the 'Un-visualizable': Supply chain data is abstract and messy. Altana uses clean, geometric diagrams and a consistent color palette to make their complex architecture look organized and manageable. Good design is a proxy for a good product.
Focus on the 'Unfair Advantage': If you have a way to access data or customers that your competitors don't, make that the centerpiece of your deck. For Altana, it was federated learning. Find your equivalent and highlight it clearly.
Frequently asked questions
- How much did Altana raise with this deck?
- As reported by Business Insider, Altana raised $100 million in a Series B round in 2022. The deck itself does not state the amount being raised or the terms of the investment, which is common for late-stage decks intended for a broad audience or leaked after the fact.
- What is the 'Altana Atlas' mentioned in the slides?
- The Altana Atlas is described on Slide 6 as the company's 'Trusted Network Platform.' It acts as a shared source of truth that facilitates trusted global trade, illuminates extended networks for risk analysis, and provides a PaaS layer for customers to build dedicated instances using Altana's knowledge graph.
- What technical advantage does Altana claim over competitors?
- Altana highlights its 'federated learning architecture' on Slide 8. This technology is presented as a way to unlock 'non-public data at scale' by deploying the platform directly to customer data silos (like customs agencies and logistics providers) without requiring the raw data to leave the customer's environment.
- Who are the key people behind Altana?
- While individual names aren't listed on the slides, Slide 9 showcases the 'Leadership Team' through company logos. The team has experience at Palantir, Bridgewater, Mixpanel, S&P Global Market Intelligence, Panjiva, Orbital Insight, and Avalara, suggesting deep expertise in big data and supply chain intelligence.
- What specific supply chain problems does Altana solve?
- According to Slide 4, Altana addresses questions regarding product origin, contents of shipments, arrival times, business partner identity, network resilience, sustainability, compliance, and insurability. It essentially provides transparency where 'Globalization 1.0' failed.
