How much did Shiplyst raise with this deck?

According to the catalogue listing, Shiplyst raised $271,000 in a Pre-Seed round in 2017. Interestingly, the deck itself features data from 2019, suggesting this version was likely used for follow-on discussions or a later bridge, despite the initial 2017 funding date noted in the records.

What is the primary problem Shiplyst solves?

The deck focuses on the 'complicated and broken' nature of international logistics in India. Specifically, it points to the involvement of 6 different vendors per shipment and a 27% higher logistics cost in India compared to global benchmarks, largely driven by manual processes that take over 120 hours for a single quote.

Does the deck show financial projections?

No. The deck is entirely focused on historical traction and market size. It shows GMV growth through Q4 2019, reaching '7 figures,' but it does not provide a forward-looking pro forma, burn rate analysis, or revenue targets for the coming years.

Who are the founders and what is their background?

The team consists of Manish Singh (CEO), Sharad Kumar (CMO), and Mehul Doshi (CTO). Singh and Doshi are both described as serial entrepreneurs with previous 7-figure exits. Kumar brings over a decade of experience as a freight forwarder, providing the necessary industry-specific 'insider' knowledge.

What is missing from this pitch deck?

The deck is missing several standard components: a specific 'Ask' (how much they are raising), a 'Use of Funds' slide, a detailed competitor matrix, and unit economics (CAC/LTV). It relies heavily on high-level growth percentages rather than granular financial health metrics.

Shiplyst Pitch Deck (2017): 9-Slide Pre-Seed Deck

See all 9 slides of the Shiplyst pitch deck — a 2017 Pre Seed deck — with a slide-by-slide teardown of what the deck does well and where it falls short.

Shiplyst’s 2017 pre-seed deck is a masterclass in brevity, using just 9 slides to articulate a clear value proposition in the complex ocean freight industry. By highlighting a staggering 122-hour average quote time in the status quo and contrasting it with their 'few seconds' solution, the founders created immediate urgency. The deck relies on strong early traction, citing a 90%+ repeat order rate and 50%+ quarter-on-quarter growth throughout 2019. While it lacks a formal 'Ask' slide or detailed financial projections, the team slide serves as a significant trust signal, showcasing two founder…

Key takeaways

The deck identifies a massive friction point: a 122-hour average freight quote time in India (Slide 2).
Shiplyst claims to reduce this quote time to 'Few Seconds' through a single platform (Slide 3).
Traction is demonstrated by a 90%+ repeat order rate and 50%+ quarter-on-quarter growth (Slide 4).
The founders highlight significant domain expertise, including two team members with prior 7-figure exits (Slide 6).
The market opportunity is localized, citing an $11bn Indian freight forwarding market growing at 6% CAGR (Slide 5).
Operational efficiency is a core claim, with the platform reportedly offering up to 6x improvement (Slide 7).
The deck omits a specific funding ask, valuation, or use of funds breakdown (Omitted).
A summary slide (Slide 8) consolidates all key metrics, including a customer base of 800+ signups.

Executive Summary: The 9-Slide Efficiency Play

Shiplyst’s pitch deck is a lean, high-impact document that prioritizes speed and clarity over exhaustive detail. In just nine slides, the company establishes a clear problem-solution fit within the Indian ocean freight market. By focusing on the extreme friction of the current manual process—specifically the 122-hour wait time for quotes—Shiplyst makes a compelling case for digitization. The deck is light on design but heavy on 'trust signals,' particularly the founders' previous exit history and high repeat customer rates.

Slide 1: Title and Tagline

The cover slide features a large container ship, immediately grounding the pitch in the physical reality of global trade. The logo is simple, incorporating an arrow to signify movement and progress. The tagline, 'YOUR SHIPPING CATALYST,' positions the company not just as a tool, but as an accelerant for business. Contact information for the CEO, Manish Singh, is prominently displayed at the bottom right, a practice maintained throughout the deck.

Slides 2-3: The Contrast of Inefficiency

Slide 2, titled 'International Logistics from India - Complicated & Broken,' uses three stark metrics to define the problem. It cites a '122 Hours' average freight quote time based on a 'Mystery Shopper Survey' from December 2019. It also notes that '6 Vendors' are typically involved and that India suffers from a '27%' higher logistics cost. This slide is effective because it quantifies the pain in a way that makes the solution feel necessary rather than optional.

Slide 3 provides the immediate counterpoint. It describes Shiplyst as a 'Managed Ocean Freight Marketplace' and claims to reduce the quote time to 'Few Seconds.' It promises a 'Single Platform' (reducing the vendor count from 6 to 1) and '10% Freight cost Savings.' The symmetry between Slide 2 and Slide 3 is a classic narrative technique that clearly defines the value proposition.

Slide 4: Traction and Growth

The 'Strong Growth' slide uses two line charts to show progress across 2019. The first chart shows the number of containers (TEUs) shipped, trending upward from Q1 to Q4. The second chart shows GMV (USD) in thousands, with a specific callout for '7 figures GMV in Q4.' Below the charts, two key metrics are highlighted: 'Quarter-on-Quarter growth: 50%+' and 'Repeat Orders: 90%+.' The repeat order rate is arguably the most important figure in the deck, as it proves product-market fit and customer satisfaction in a notoriously fickle industry.

Slide 5: Market Opportunity

Shiplyst frames its market starting with the global context and narrowing down to the Indian opportunity. It cites a '$164bn' global freight forwarding market and an '$11bn' Indian market. The 'Total Addressable Market in India' is pegged at '$5.5bn,' with a '6% CAGR.' While these numbers are large, the slide is grounded by citations from sources like Transport Intelligence, ET, and FIEO, which adds credibility to the projections.

Slide 6: The Team

The 'Our Team understands Logistics' slide is a significant strength of this deck. It features three co-founders: Manish Singh (CEO), Sharad Kumar (CMO), and Mehul Doshi (CTO). The bullet points emphasize deep experience: '40+ years of Logistics & Technology experience' collectively. Crucially, both the CEO and CTO are noted for having '7 figures exit' histories. This reduces the perceived risk for investors, as the leadership has a proven track record of building and selling companies.

Slide 7: Market Differentiator

This slide outlines why Shiplyst will win against incumbents and new entrants. It lists four pillars: 'Early mover advantage' in the Indian digital space, 'Relationships & Partnerships' with top shipping lines, a 'Fully automated platform' yielding '6x operational efficiency,' and the 'Managed Marketplace' model. The mention of 6x efficiency is a bold claim that suggests the company can scale without a linear increase in headcount.

Slide 8: The Summary Slide

Slide 8 acts as a 'cheat sheet' for the entire deck. It organizes information into four quadrants: 'About Us,' '12 months Company Statistics,' 'Differentiator & Advantages,' and 'Customers.' It reveals new information not found on previous slides, such as a 'Logistics & Technology Team of 30+' and an HQ in San Francisco with offices in Mumbai, Indore, and Bangalore. The customer section displays logos for companies like Crystal, Bilt, Schreiber, and Vadilal, providing social proof from established Indian enterprises.

Slide 9: Conclusion and Press

The final slide is a standard 'Thank You' page but includes logos for 'Startup India' and 'Make in India,' suggesting government recognition or alignment with national initiatives. It also features 'As Seen In' logos for TechCrunch, YourStory, and TechInAsia, further validating the company’s presence in the startup ecosystem.

What Works in the Shiplyst Deck

The primary strength of this deck is its quantified problem statement. Many founders describe problems qualitatively ('shipping is hard'), but Shiplyst uses a specific number—122 hours—to anchor the investor's understanding of the inefficiency. This makes the 'few seconds' solution feel like a massive technological leap.

Furthermore, the repeat order rate of 90%+ is a powerful indicator of a 'sticky' product. In the logistics world, where price-shopping is rampant, such a high retention rate suggests that the platform's workflow benefits (document exchange, live tracking) are as valuable to the customer as the price savings.

The founder-market fit is also exceptionally clear. By highlighting both technical exits and deep domain expertise (a decade as a freight forwarder), the team addresses the two biggest hurdles in logistics tech: building the software and understanding the arcane rules of global shipping.

What is Missing from the Shiplyst Deck

The most glaring omission is a formal 'Ask' slide. There is no mention of how much capital the company is seeking, the terms of the round, or the specific milestones they intend to hit with the new funding. While this information is often shared in a separate document or during the pitch, its absence in the deck makes the presentation feel more like a company update than a fundraising tool.

Additionally, the deck lacks unit economics. While GMV and container volume are growing, there is no data on the take-rate (the percentage Shiplyst keeps from each transaction) or the cost to acquire a customer (CAC). Without these, it is difficult for an investor to judge the long-term profitability of the marketplace.

Finally, the competitive landscape is largely ignored. The deck mentions an 'early mover advantage' but does not name or analyze other digital freight forwarders (like Flexport or BlackBuck) that might be entering the Indian market. A 'Competitor Matrix' would have helped define Shiplyst's unique moat more effectively.

What Founders Should Copy

Founders should emulate Shiplyst’s use of symmetry between the Problem and Solution slides. By using the same metrics (Quote time, Number of vendors, Cost) on both slides, they create a clear 'before and after' picture that is easy for an investor to digest in seconds.

The Summary Slide (Slide 8) is another excellent feature. Many investors skip through decks quickly; providing a single page that captures the team, traction, customers, and differentiators ensures that the most important facts are communicated even if the investor only looks at one slide.

Lastly, the inclusion of specific data sources for market size (Slide 5) is a best practice. It shows that the founders have done their homework and aren't just pulling 'billions' out of thin air to look impressive. Using recognized industry bodies for citations builds immediate trust in the founders' professionalism.

Final Verdict: Shiplyst’s deck is a highly efficient, data-driven pitch that relies on the sheer scale of the problem and the proven capability of its team. While it lacks some of the financial granularity expected in later rounds, for a pre-seed or seed-stage raise, it provides exactly what is needed: proof of a massive pain point and evidence that the team is already solving it for a growing, loyal customer base.

Frequently asked questions

How much did Shiplyst raise with this deck?: According to the catalogue listing, Shiplyst raised $271,000 in a Pre-Seed round in 2017. Interestingly, the deck itself features data from 2019, suggesting this version was likely used for follow-on discussions or a later bridge, despite the initial 2017 funding date noted in the records.
What is the primary problem Shiplyst solves?: The deck focuses on the 'complicated and broken' nature of international logistics in India. Specifically, it points to the involvement of 6 different vendors per shipment and a 27% higher logistics cost in India compared to global benchmarks, largely driven by manual processes that take over 120 hours for a single quote.
Does the deck show financial projections?: No. The deck is entirely focused on historical traction and market size. It shows GMV growth through Q4 2019, reaching '7 figures,' but it does not provide a forward-looking pro forma, burn rate analysis, or revenue targets for the coming years.
Who are the founders and what is their background?: The team consists of Manish Singh (CEO), Sharad Kumar (CMO), and Mehul Doshi (CTO). Singh and Doshi are both described as serial entrepreneurs with previous 7-figure exits. Kumar brings over a decade of experience as a freight forwarder, providing the necessary industry-specific 'insider' knowledge.
What is missing from this pitch deck?: The deck is missing several standard components: a specific 'Ask' (how much they are raising), a 'Use of Funds' slide, a detailed competitor matrix, and unit economics (CAC/LTV). It relies heavily on high-level growth percentages rather than granular financial health metrics.

Cover slide of the Shiplyst pitch deck — Pre-Seed 2017 — Shiplyst pitch deck, slide 1 (2017)

Shiplyst pitch deck: the facts

Company: Shiplyst
Year: 2017
Stage: Pre-Seed
Slides: 9
Sector: E-Commerce / Logistics
Deck type: Pitch Deck
Outcome: $271,000 Raised
Headquarters: San Francisco, US (with offices in India)

Shiplyst pitch deck PDF

The full Shiplyst deck is embedded on this page and can be read slide by slide in the browser — no download or account required. Each slide is covered in the breakdown above.

What the Shiplyst pitch deck was used for

This is Shiplyst’s 9‑slide funding deck associated with a pre‑seed round recorded as $271,000 in 2017, for an ocean freight procurement marketplace focused on international logistics from India. The deck emphasizes how international logistics from India is complicated and broken, quantifying long quote times, many vendors involved, and higher logistics costs based on survey and industry data. It positions Shiplyst as a managed marketplace providing instant freight quotes, digital documentation, and real‑time tracking to exporters and importers. The OCR text suggests at least one later version of the deck incorporated 2019 data, implying the same core deck may have been reused or updated for follow‑on discussions after the initial 2017 raise.

Business model: Ocean freight procurement marketplace that lets exporters and importers instantly compare container freight quotes from multiple forwarders, place bookings, manage documentation online, and track cargo in real time.

Round: Pre‑Seed (as labeled in the deck catalogue).
Year: 2017
Founded: August 2017
Founders: Mehul Doshi, Manish Singh

Raised: $271,000 (amount reported in a catalogue listing associated with this 2017 pre‑seed deck; no independent press or filing found to corroborate).

Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India (Gold Crest Business Park, LBS Marg, Ghatkopar West, Mumbai 400086).

Industry: Logistics / Ocean freight procurement marketplace (maritime/shipping, transportation and logistics).

What happened after the Shiplyst deck

After launching in 2017 as an ocean freight procurement marketplace, Shiplyst continued operating and later joined the 500 Startups Winter 2019‑2020 batch, and by May 2020 had incorporated Shiplyst Logistics Private Limited in India; corporate records list the company as an active, unlisted private entity headquartered in Mumbai.

Founded in August 2017 as an online ocean freight marketplace for exporters and importers in India.
Became part of 500 Startups Winter 2019‑2020 batch as the only Indian startup selected for its specific business model,
Incorporated Shiplyst Logistics Private Limited in India on 18 May 2020, with authorized share capital of INR 10,00,000

What the Shiplyst deck got right

Strong, data‑driven problem framing around Indian international logistics. The deck directly quantifies the inefficiencies of international logistics from India—such as long average quote times, many vendors involved, and materially higher logistics costs—using survey and industry data, which makes the problem concrete for investors and aligns with later external descriptions of Shiplyst’s market.
Clear integrated marketplace solution to a fragmented workflow. Shiplyst’s solution—an online ocean freight procurement marketplace offering instant quotes, booking, documentation, and tracking—addresses multiple pain points in one integrated platform, matching what external sources describe as a comprehensive workflow tool for exporters and importers.
Founding team with deep logistics domain expertise and cost‑saving impact. External coverage emphasizes the founders’ logistics and supply‑chain domain expertise and notes that customers save around 10 percent on freight costs due to transparency and automation, reinforcing the deck’s claim that the team understands and can address structural inefficiencies.
Concise deck tightly focused on a single, well‑defined use case. The deck is concise at 9 slides yet addresses key elements of problem and solution, which aligns with later descriptions of Shiplyst as a focused B2B marketplace rather than a broad, unfocused platform.
Subsequent accelerator and corporate milestones support early narrative. Subsequent milestones—participation in 500 Startups Winter 2019‑2020 and formal incorporation as Shiplyst Logistics Private Limited—provide retrospective validation that the early narrative in the deck translated into continued development and external recognition.
Use of primary and industry research to substantiate pain points. The deck’s slide referencing a "Mystery Shopper Survey" and data from the Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training suggests the company invested in primary and secondary research to understand market pain points, which strengthens credibility compared with purely anecdotal claims.

What could have been stronger

Limited methodological detail behind key problem statistics. The available OCR from slide 2 shows statistics (e.g., "122 Hours' quote time", "6 Vendors involved", "27% higher logistics cost") but the deck—at least in the captured text—does not clearly attribute exact methodologies for the "Mystery Shopper Survey" or the data source from the Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training beyond brief footnotes, which may raise diligence questions about sample size, representativeness, and rigor.
Scarce early traction evidence visible in the deck text. Public sources describe Shiplyst’s platform capabilities (instant quotes, documentation, tracking), but the deck text we have focuses almost entirely on problem framing and does not, in the OCR snippet, show concrete **traction metrics** such as shipment volume, revenue, or customer logos from the 2017 period. This absence of early traction data in the visible slide limits investors’ ability to assess market validation from the deck alone.
Potential date mismatch between deck data and labeled round. The catalogue note highlights that this deck includes data from 2019 despite being associated with a 2017 pre‑seed round, suggesting the same or updated deck may have been reused for later discussions. This mismatch between deck data dates and round year could create confusion for investors about which metrics correspond to which stage of the company.
Lack of explicit unit economics or pricing detail in the deck. In the visible content, the deck presents high‑level pain points (time to quote, vendor count, higher costs) but does not outline detailed unit economics, margin structure, or pricing strategy for Shiplyst’s marketplace, even though maritime freight procurement is a low‑margin, operationally intense category. Without these details, investors must infer commercial viability from later external descriptions rather than from the deck itself.
Team credentials and logistics background may be under‑explained on the slides we see. The OCR snippet includes an email address "manish@shiplyst.com" and branding, but we do not see a full slide that systematically introduces the founding team, their prior roles, or logistics experience, even though external articles emphasize their domain expertise. If the deck under‑explains this, it may under‑leverage a key strength for early‑stage logistics investors.

How an investor would read this deck

What draws attention

The deck’s quantified problem framing—long quote times (over 100 hours), multiple vendors involved per shipment, and materially higher logistics costs in India—directly targets a known pain point in ocean freight procurement, which is attractive for early‑stage logistics investors.
The marketplace model for ocean container freight, with instant quotes and digital documentation, aligns with broader digitization trends in freight and supply chain, suggesting a potentially large market and defensible workflow integration.
The founding team’s deep domain experience in freight and logistics, highlighted in external coverage, supports the deck’s emphasis on understanding inefficiencies in Indian logistics.
Participation in later programs such as 500 Startups Winter 2019‑2020 (not necessarily tied to this deck) indicates that the company subsequently met the bar for reputable accelerators, giving investors some confidence about quality and traction after the pre‑seed period.

Risks that stand out

Marketplace liquidity risk: ocean freight is highly relationship‑driven, and building sufficient density of reliable freight forwarders and shippers on both sides of the marketplace is challenging; if Shiplyst cannot sustain liquidity, quote quality and reliability may suffer.
Operational complexity: the platform touches RFQs, contracting, documentation, and real‑time tracking, all of which have operational risk and potential liability; scaling this without significant human support could be difficult.
Regulatory and compliance exposure: cross‑border ocean freight is governed by complex customs, trade, and insurance regulations; errors in documentation or process could expose the company and customers to fines or shipment delays.
Competitive pressure from global digital freight platforms and large logistics incumbents launching similar tools could compress margins or slow adoption in India.
Potential confusion around fundraising chronology and deck versions: the association of 2019 data with a 2017‑labeled pre‑seed deck may indicate evolving materials and makes it harder to pin down metrics as of the original raise.

Questions this deck invites

Can you provide detailed methodology and raw data for the "Mystery Shopper Survey" and the logistics cost comparisons cited in the deck, including sample size, time period, and selection of vendors?
What specific traction metrics (e.g., number of shipments handled, GMV, active exporters/importers, repeat customer rate) did Shiplyst have at the time of the 2017 pre‑seed raise, and how have these evolved since then?
How does Shiplyst’s revenue model work in practice (commission structure, subscription vs. transaction fees), and what gross margins and contribution margins were observed on early cohorts of shipments?
What are the primary customer acquisition channels and CAC for exporters/importers using the platform, and how do these compare to lifetime value based on observed retention and shipment frequency?
What competitive landscape did you map in 2017 (traditional freight forwarders, other digital freight marketplaces), and what differentiation—product features, pricing, or service—allowed Shiplyst to win accounts from incumbents?

What founders can take from the Shiplyst deck

Quantifying the pain in a specific vertical—here, international logistics from India with metrics like quote time and excess cost—can make a problem feel concrete and urgent in a funding deck.
Domain expertise in a complex, operationally heavy sector such as ocean freight can be a central narrative pillar; founders should explicitly connect prior experience to observed inefficiencies, as Shiplyst’s external coverage does.
Showing how a digital marketplace consolidates fragmented processes (quoting, booking, documentation, tracking) onto a single platform is a compelling way to illustrate workflow simplification in B2B logistics.
Consistency between the data timeframe on slides and the labeled funding round year is important; mixing later‑year data into an earlier‑round deck can create questions about what was known at the time of the raise.
Early‑stage logistics decks benefit from pairing strong problem framing with concrete traction metrics; where traction is not visible, investors will seek corroboration from external sources or subsequent milestones.
For marketplace businesses, clearly outlining revenue model, unit economics, and marketplace liquidity strategy helps investors move from believing the problem to believing the business can scale profitably.

Shiplyst pitch deck: common questions

What does Shiplyst do?

Shiplyst is an India‑based **ocean freight procurement marketplace** that allows exporters and importers to instantly generate and compare container freight quotes from multiple forwarders, place bookings, complete shipping documentation, and track cargo online.

When was Shiplyst founded and by whom?

Public listings state that Shiplyst was **founded in August 2017** by **Mehul Doshi** and **Manish Singh** in Mumbai, India.

How much did Shiplyst raise with this pitch deck?

The catalogue listing tied to this deck reports that Shiplyst raised **$271,000 in a pre‑seed round in 2017**, and this 9‑slide deck is associated with that raise. However, no independent press release or regulatory filing confirming this exact amount or investor names was found, so this figure should be treated as catalogue data rather than a verified financing announcement.

Who are Shiplyst’s target customers in this deck?

Shiplyst’s platform targets **exporters and importers using ocean freight from India**, typically B2B customers shipping container loads internationally. The deck’s slide 2 references a "Mystery Shopper Survey" and Indian logistics data, indicating a focus on the inefficiencies these customers face when procuring international freight from India.

What problem and solution does the Shiplyst pitch deck focus on?

Later descriptions of Shiplyst’s product highlight features such as instant freight quotes, RFQs for spot and long‑term shipments, freight contract management, benchmarking, online documentation including bill of lading, and real‑time track‑and‑trace on a single dashboard. The deck itself emphasizes faster quote times, fewer vendors, and lower logistics costs relative to the status quo in Indian international logistics.

Sources

Funding and outcome facts on this page were researched on 2026-08-22 from the pages below.

Shiplyst pitch deck slides

Shiplyst pitch deck slide 1 of 9 — Shiplyst pitch deck — slide 1 of 9

Shiplyst pitch deck slide 2 of 9 — Shiplyst pitch deck — slide 2 of 9

Shiplyst pitch deck slide 3 of 9 — Shiplyst pitch deck — slide 3 of 9

Shiplyst pitch deck slide 4 of 9 — Shiplyst pitch deck — slide 4 of 9

Shiplyst pitch deck slide 5 of 9 — Shiplyst pitch deck — slide 5 of 9

Shiplyst pitch deck slide 6 of 9 — Shiplyst pitch deck — slide 6 of 9

What each slide of the Shiplyst pitch deck says

Slide 2

International Logistics from India - Complicated & Broken 122 Hours' 6 27%" Average freight Vendors Higher logistics cost guote time Involved In India *Mystery Shopper Survey — Dec 2019 **Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training Shlpl st manish@shiplyst.com

Slide 3

Shiplyst: Managed Ocean Freight Marketplace Few Seconds 1 10% Average freight Single Freight cost quote time Platform Savings

Slide 4

Strong Growth NO OF CONTAINERS (TEUs) SHIPPED GMV (USD) 2 . 7 figures GMV in Q4 £ a g £ a z Q1-2019 Q2-2019 Q3-2019 Qa-2019 Rl2083 pauls Ste aC Key Metrics > Quarter-on-Quarter growth: 50%+ > Repeat Orders: 90%+ TEUs = Twenty Equivalent Units shipl st manish@shiplyst.com

Slide 5

Our Market Is Growing > Global Freight forwarding is $164bn market. > Indian Freight forwarding is $11bn market.l?! >» Total Addressable Market in India: $5.5bn.B! > Market in India is growing at 6% CAGR.!"!

Slide 6

Our Team understands Logistics 2 A J ‘am S " S 3 4 ay Manish Singh Sharad Kumar Mehul Doshi + Serial Entrepreneur + Freight forwarder for over a + Serial Entrepreneur + Comes from a Family of decade. + Spent over 14 years building Exporters + MBAIn Foreign Trade. enterprise applications for + 13 years of experience in Logistics industry Logistics Technology + B.E. in Computer Science. + B.E. in Information Technology + 7 figures exit. + 7 figures exit. shipl st manish@shiplyst.com

Slide text above is read directly from the Shiplyst deck PDF embedded on this page.