The Logistics of Logistics From Deal Flow to Data Flow: Investing in the Freight Market with Ben Gordon
In “From Deal Flow to Data Flow: Investing in the Freight Market”, Joe Lynch and Ben Gordon, Founder and Managing Partner of Cambridge Capital, discuss the evolution of investment in the supply chain sector, highlighting the shift from traditional deals to a focus on leveraging data and technology for strategic growth.
About Ben GordonBenjamin Gordon is the Founder and Managing Partner of Cambridge Capital. He draws on a career building, advising, and investing in supply chain companies. Benjamin has led investments in outstanding firms including XPO, Grand Junction, Bringg, Liftit, and others. As CEO of BGSA Holdings, Benjamin has spent his career investing in and helping to build supply chain and technology companies. Benjamin led the firm’s efforts, advising on over $1 billion worth of supply chain transactions. Benjamin has worked with firms such as UPS, DHL, Kuehne & Nagel, Agility Logistics, NFI Logistics, GENCO, Nations Express, Raytrans, Echo Global, Dixie, Wilpak, and others. Prior to BGSA Holdings, Ben founded 3PLex, the Internet solution enabling third-party logistics companies to automate their business. Benjamin raised $28 million from blue-chip investors including Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, BancBoston Ventures, CNF, and Ionian. 3PLex was then purchased by Maersk. Prior to 3PLex, Benjamin advised transportation and logistics clients at Mercer Management Consulting. Prior to Mercer, Benjamin worked in his family’s transportation business, AMI, where he helped the company expand its logistics operations. Benjamin received a Master’s in Business Administration from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale College.
About Cambridge CapitalCambridge Capital is a private equity firm investing in the applied supply chain. The firm provides private equity to finance the expansion, recapitalization or acquisition of growth companies in our sectors. Our philosophy is to invest in companies where our operating expertise and in-depth supply chain knowledge can help our portfolio companies achieve outstanding value. Cambridge Capital was founded in 2009 as the investment affiliate of BG Strategic Advisors (www.bgsa.com), the advisor of choice for a large, growing number of supply chain CEOs. Cambridge Capital leverages BGSA’s unique approach to strategy-led investment banking for the supply chain. BGSA is known for its work helping companies achieve outsized returns via targeted acquisitions and premium sales processes, and has worked with category leaders such as UPS, DHL, Agility Logistics, New Breed, NFI, Genco, Nations Express, Raytrans, and others. Our relationship with BGSA gives us deep market expertise, access to outstanding deal flow and people flow, transactional capabilities, additional resources, and a powerful core competency in the supply chain sector. The Partners and Advisory Board members of Cambridge Capital have diverse backgrounds with complementary technical, operating, and financial expertise. The Cambridge Capital team has spent their careers building, growing, and advising outstanding companies in the supply chain sector. They include former leaders of UPS Logistics, Ryder Logistics, ATC Logistics, APL Logistics, Kuehne + Nagel, and other globally recognized firms. Cambridge Capital’s professionals know what it takes to build great companies.
Key Takeaways: From Deal Flow to Data Flow: Investing in the Freight Market- In “From Deal Flow to Data Flow: Investing in the Freight Market”, Joe Lynch and Ben Gordon, Founder and Managing Partner of Cambridge Capital, discuss the evolution of investment in the supply chain sector, highlighting the shift from traditional deals to a focus on leveraging data and technology for strategic growth.
- A Career Built on Supply Chain Expertise: Ben Gordon's career is defined by his deep involvement in the supply chain sector. He has a history of building, advising, and investing in companies, starting with his family's transportation business and continuing through his work at Mercer Management Consulting, his own company 3PLex, and now with BGSA Holdings and Cambridge Capital.
- Strategic Private Equity in the Applied Supply Chain: Cambridge Capital is a private equity firm with a specialized focus on the "applied supply chain." This means they're not just providing capital, but are actively involved in helping their portfolio companies grow by leveraging their operational expertise and industry knowledge.
- Investing in Data and Technology: The podcast title, "From Deal Flow to Data Flow," highlights a key theme. This is exemplified by the acquisition of Greenscreens.ai by Triumph Financial. Greenscreens.ai specializes in using machine learning to provide freight market pricing intelligence. The deal shows a shift from traditional deal-making to a focus on acquiring companies with valuable data and technology.
- BGSA Holdings as a Strategic Partner: Cambridge Capital is the investment affiliate of BG Strategic Advisors (BGSA Holdings). This relationship provides Cambridge Capital with unique advantages, including deep market expertise, access to deal flow, and a powerful core competency in the supply chain sector.
- Data as a Competitive Advantage: The Greenscreens.ai acquisition is a perfect case study for this theme. Triumph Financial acquired Greenscreens.ai to transform data into actionable intelligence for the freight industry. The synergy between Greenscreens.ai's pricing models and Triumph's transaction data creates a "virtuous cycle," leading to more accurate pricing and further data generation.
- Combining Operational and Financial Expertise: The teams at both Cambridge Capital and BGSA are composed of professionals with diverse backgrounds, including former leaders from globally recognized firms like UPS Logistics and Ryder Logistics. This mix of operational and financial expertise allows them to not only identify promising companies but also to actively assist in their growth and value creation.
- Building Billion-Dollar Businesses: Ben Gordon and Cambridge Capital have a clear objective: to build billion-dollar businesses in the supply chain sector. Their investment strategy is focused on identifying and nurturing companies that have the potential for significant growth and value.
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