Sendle clocks 100 million kilometres of parcel delivery, wins Telstra Business Award and raises $5 million funding round

Sendle, Australia’s first door to door carbon neutral delivery service, has been awarded the 2016 NSW Telstra Business Award in the New Business category, following unprecedented growth, the launch of new products and high-profile partnerships.

Sendle is levelling the playing field for the 90 percent of Australia’s businesses who operate with less than 10 employees. Since launching over a year ago, Sendle has clocked 100 million kilometres of 100 per cent carbon neutral parcel delivery.

As a certified B Corporation, Sendle is committed to making a positive impact on both the world and other Aussie small businesses.

“Sendle offers big business delivery services to the small end of town. Before Sendle came along, there was no comparable service offered to small businesses. We’ve unlocked capacity in the big business courier networks and connected it to small businesses,” said James Chin Moody, co-founder and CEO of Sendle.

How did Sendle get here?

“What hurdles has Sendle encountered in hitting this milestone?” Anthill asked.

“Our biggest challenge has been saying no to the right things,” James told us.

“With Sendle, a parcel delivery service that meets such a huge need of small businesses, there were many opportunities in front of us but only a finite amount of time.

“The parcel courier has had to make some difficult, but strategic, decisions to keep us on the right trajectory not just to grow as a company, but to ensure we stay focussed on our customers and their experience.”

Sendle has forged a number of high-profile partnerships since the start of the year with Etsy, NAB, NRMA, and Virgin‘s Velocity Frequent Flyer programme to provide their customers with an even better deal on parcel deliveries.

By unlocking parcel delivery services once reserved for big business, Sendle is typically saving customers over 40 per cent compared to what they would pay lining up at the Post Office. That’s an average of $8.81 per parcel sent.

The recent launch of a satchel delivery option cements Sendle as a firm competitor against Australia Post, offering a greener and more efficient parcel delivery service for items 500g to 25kg.

What next for Sendle?

“We’re so thrilled to have grown at such a fast pace and to be recognised in the Telstra Business Awards. Momentum is building and we have big plans for Sendle and some exciting new products in the pipeline, so watch this space,” said James.

He went on to reveal that shortly after winning the 2016 NSW Telstra Business Award in the New Business category, Sendle secured a capital raise of $5 million in a funding round led by Full Circle Venture Capital, Black Sheep Capital, rampersand, Giant Leap, and NRMA.

“We’ll be using the funds to continue building out the Sendle ecosystem, unlocking the big business delivery network for even more small businesses,” James revealed.

“We’ll also be hiring more amazing developers and designers, and have a number of new products and partnerships in the pipeline which we’ll be announcing in the coming months.”