London-based LogisticsTech startup Synkka has raised a pre-Seed round to accelerate the rollout of its AI-powered workforce and reduce parcel delivery costs.
Strategic backing from industry insiders
Synkka, founded in 2024, confirmed the completion of an oversubscribed pre-Seed investment led by Ascension VC. The round also attracted industry veterans from ITA Group, ZigZag, Sendify, One World Express, as well as former executives from Asendia and Global-E. While the amount raised was not disclosed, the company highlighted that investor expertise and sector alignment were prioritised over financial benchmarks.
Building an autonomous workforce
The startup is developing what it calls an “autonomous workforce” for parcel operations. Instead of relying on large technical and operations teams, Synkka is building AI-driven digital agents to replace traditional human-heavy roles. Founder and CEO Torbjorn Maaherra, who previously worked at Einride, Australia Post Global, and Centiro, said that after more than a decade in logistics he recognised the inefficiencies of scaling with manual processes. According to him, the current model creates unnecessary costs that can now be removed through automation.
Chief Growth Officer Jordon Cornish, who has scaled SaaS startups such as Affinity and Showpad, explained that the company’s mission is to eliminate the “tax” of unnecessary headcount in parcel delivery. Chief Technology Officer Danylo Topchii, formerly leading AI at LooqMe and Shares, specialises in agentic AI systems and drives the technological foundation of the project.
First product: AI Carrier Integration Team
The company’s first product focuses on one of the most resource-intensive parts of logistics: integrating delivery providers into internal systems. Traditionally, this process requires several months of cross-functional technical work. Synkka claims its digital agents can complete the same task within days while cutting associated costs by as much as 60 percent.
Expansion beyond integrations
Looking ahead, the startup plans to extend its AI teams to areas such as customer support, client onboarding, financial reconciliation, and claims management. The long-term goal is to create a full suite of autonomous digital workers capable of running parcel delivery businesses without large operational departments.
Maaherra stressed that scaling operations through increased headcount is no longer sustainable, saying the funding validates the urgent need for automation in parcel logistics. Backed by operators who have shaped the industry, Synkka aims to establish itself as a backbone for the next generation of e-commerce infrastructure.
