Business Development

Technology and Innovation

The Savannah Logistics Innovation Center (SLIC) and Plug and Play selected their first cohort of startup companies for their accelerator program raising $25 million in investment for the companies. Startup accelerator programs support early- to late-stage, growth-driven companies through education, mentorship and financing. 

This program is offered in partnership with The Foram Group, the Georgia Department of Transportation, Georgia Ports Authority, Georgia Power, Georgia Southern University, Maersk, the Savannah Economic Development Authority, Savannah State University and Savannah Technical College.

The startups selected include:

• Awake.ai, a software platform company building an ecosystem for smart ports and shipping and accommodating seamless collaboration within the entire maritime logistics chain by sharing situational awareness and providing AI-supported predictions for future planning.  
• Casi, relays workforce shift changes and announcements between a management dashboard and the tolls that employees already have in place like text messaging and email.
• Datch, the only voice AI technology engineered specifically for the industrial workforce to interface with enterprise databases.
• Dray Alliance, a company providing a container drayage trucking service powered by technology to drive reliability, transparency and connectivity for containerized freight.  
• Einride, unmanned transportation vehicles that are safe, cost-efficient and emission-free, enabling clients to reduce transportation costs along with creating a cleaner environment.  
• Qualle, software that helps with container triangulation to match import containers with exporters’ demand.  
• Really Virtual, a unique workforce development platform that manufactures a scalable, cost-efficient and immersive forklift training simulator called the Real-Forklift Premium.  
• Repowr, an open marketplace and community of private networks that allows logistics companies to lease and share assets in a single, integrated platform.
• Ride-n-Dock, self-balancing, speed limited vehicles that seamlessly move people safely in warehouses and other industrial facilities where covering large distances hinders productivity.
• Slip Robotics, a solution that provides a frictionless robotic implementation while solving the biggest challenges faced in the trailer loading and unloading process.
• Splice, a low-code automation platform connecting logistics and supply chain applications across customers and partners, automating workflows through a cloud-based environment.
• Tive, a leading provider of real-time supply chain visibility insights that help logistics professionals actively manage their in-transit shipments location and condition.  

“We could not have asked for a more innovative and sophisticated cohort of startups to participate in our inaugural batch for this new program,” said SLIC Executive Director Bart Gobeil. “The quality of these startups demonstrates how the Savannah region and Georgia in particular continues to lead and be at the forefront of our global logistics supply chain.”

As one of two cohorts that will be chosen each year, selected startups will have the opportunity for business development, mentorship, partnership and funding.

“Modern ports like Savannah are very efficient at the mechanics and information systems involved in moving cargo on-and off-terminal,” said Georgia Ports Authority Executive Director Griff Lynch. “We are thrilled to see where the accelerator program takes this inaugural group of startups and the ways in which our systems and processes improve because of the solutions they discover.”

Focus areas of the program include freight, warehouse operations, labor and supply chain optimization.

“Georgia Southern University is proud to partner with Plug and Play and the Savannah Logistics Innovation Center as we announce the first group of startup companies that will benefit from this accelerator program,” said Georgia Southern University President Dr. Kyle Marrero. “The education entities in our region play a crucial role in furthering public-impact research and filling talent development needs across all sectors of the logistics and supply chain industry.”

Laying the groundwork for the future

In 2022, SEDA helped facilitate and manage two projects that will mean significant industry success for years to come.

The first project was the completion of the Bloomingdale water/sewer project that will support more than eight million square feet of industrial space. The second was the completion of the new interchange and off-site water at Rockingham Farms, a 10 million square-foot logistics park.

Additionally, the business development team continued to market the Savannah region by attending trade shows and conferences, networking with consultants and brokers, meeting with existing industries and more.