ECourier

ECourier operates as a technology-focused logistics firm based in London, providing a suite of delivery services. The company was established in 2003 by Tom Allason and Jay Bregman. The founding was prompted by a negative personal experience when event tickets were misplaced by a different motorcycle courier, highlighting a gap in the market for a more reliable and efficient service.

The founders leveraged technology from the outset to disrupt the traditional courier industry. They collaborated with academics to create a proprietary algorithm for intelligent dispatch, which assigned orders to couriers in real-time based on factors like GPS location, traffic, and weather. This system, known as "Larry", was designed to enhance efficiency and scalability by removing the need for manual human allocation of jobs. Allason, a serial entrepreneur, later founded other ventures including Shutl and Residently, drawing on his experiences with eCourier. Bregman also went on to found other tech companies, Verifly and Thimble.

The company's business model centers on offering on-demand and scheduled delivery solutions to a diverse client base, including blue-chip companies in sectors such as banking, media, and retail. Its service portfolio includes time-critical same-day deliveries, UK overnight services, and international shipping. It also provides specialized logistics for the medical field and final-mile retail deliveries. Revenue is generated by charging for these courier and logistics services, with clients able to book online and track their deliveries in real-time.

A significant milestone in the company's history was its acquisition by Royal Mail Group in November 2015, which integrated eCourier into one of the UK's largest courier fleets. Prior to this, the company had secured a Series A funding round of $2.96 million in September 2006. The business demonstrated substantial growth, ranking 6th on Deloitte's list of the UK's 50 Fastest Growing Technology Businesses in 2009.

Keywords: same-day delivery, logistics technology, courier services, last-mile delivery, intelligent dispatch, inventory management, medical couriers, B2B logistics, fleet management, international shipping