Package and shipping platform Shippo, which has roots in Germany, is one of 28 startups from around the world in the new batch at 500 Startups’ renowned accelerator in San Francisco. Shippo aggregates shipping volumes and provides access to cheaper shipping providers for ecommerce businesses.
Founded by Laura Behrens Wu, Simon Kreuz and Max Diez, Shippo joins other hopefuls from around the world – from Spain, India, France, Jordan, Canada, Israel, Egypt, Brazil, Taiwan and Hong Kong – alongside US startups.
Part of the eighth batch to go through the accelerator, they will be the first to be based in San Francisco itself rather than in Mountain View. They include BidAway, an eBay for holidays, PR platform clippPR and FameBit, a marketplace connecting businesses with YouTube influencers for product and service endorsements.
Shippo’s API is aimed at making shipping easier and more affordable for smaller companies which don’t benefit from bulk discounts, and is targeted more at Europe, Asia, South America and Africa rather than in the US, where the postal service already offers cheap international shipping at a “huge loss.”
Founded last year, its investors include Alireza Masrour of Plug & Play Ventures and Parker Thompson, 500 Startups venture partner.
500 Startups founder Dave McClure, serial entrepreneur and super angel investor, visited Berlin in 2012 and later made local startup Versus IO his first investment in Germany.