Temasek, Kuehne + Nagel launch early-stage logistics fund

The joint venture, known as Reefknot Investments, was set up early last year with a view to investing globally in areas including big data, predictive analytics, artificial intelligence, blockchain, and robotics. The newly launched fund, which is expected to be the first of a series, will back 6-8 companies up to the Series B stage.

Reefknot is headed by Marc Dragon who has more than 20 years of entrepreneurial and corporate experience in the logistics technology space and founded a Singapore-based VC called Insycn Ventures. He is joined by logistics an investment industry professionals Hoon Ling Min and Arnaud Houles in the roles of vice president and investment manager, respectively.

Digitization of the logistics industry is seen as an important opportunity set for investors that leverages trends ranging from changing workforce demographics requiring more automation to the growth of e-commerce markets, which in turn drives rising customer service expectations. Strategies in this space typically focus on integrating supply chains upstream and downstream with online platforms.

Temasek is considered one of the leaders of a global trend among sovereign wealth funds to invest in early-stage technologies and venture capital-oriented plays. It invested in the logistics industry as recent as June with a $300 million commitment to a warehousing and supply chain services unit of Hong Kong's Li & Fung that is pursuing a modernization agenda.

• Tweet  
• Facebook  
• LinkedIn  
• Google plus  
• Save this article  
• Send to  

• Topics
• Southeast Asia
• Venture
• Technology
• Fundraising
• Singapore
• Temasek Holdings
• Logistics