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Supply Chain Ventures
Supply Chain Ventures launched in 2001 when Dave Anderson exited Accenture, leveraging his decades in global operations and IT consulting to start a...
Supply Chain Ventures
Supply Chain Ventures launched in 2001 when Dave Anderson exited Accenture, leveraging his decades in global operations and IT consulting to start a venture shop focused exclusively on supply-chain technology. Partner Dan Dershem, a former Global CSCO at Brambles, joined in 2016 after his own company, LeanLogistics, was the firm's first investment and eventual exit target. The partnership remains small, centered in Boston, and draws its identity from the operators' networks rather than a sprawling institutional platform. The firm writes minority checks into early- and late-stage companies generating between $5 million and $100+ million in revenue, targeting the software layer that coordinates global logistics. A broad deployment spans AI-driven supply-chain design tools like Optilogic and FirstShift, real-time visibility platforms like Tive, digital-freight networks including Loadsmart and Leaf Logistics, and deep-technology bets in autonomous vehicles and robotics, such as ISee. Co-investments run alongside names like Uber Freight and Amazon, while a dense list of realized exits — Llamasoft to Coupa, Macropoint to Descartes, Kiva Robotics to Amazon — underscores a repeatable playbook of operator-led sourcing in North America and Europe. Team size remains undisclosed and the firm operates from a single Boston base; adjacent vehicles or philanthropic arms are not publicly surfaced. In recent public moves, Supply Chain Ventures' portfolio company Lineage Logistics completed its IPO on Nasdaq (per the firm, 2024), converting a long-held logistics position into one of the most visible outcomes in supply-chain venture. What distinguishes the firm structurally is its co-invest-only posture: it does not lead rounds, relying instead on the deal flow that Anderson and Dershem generate through board memberships at companies like Descartes, Transporeon, Capstone Logistics and Llamasoft. That governance density inside the supply-chain sector gives the firm an origin of proprietary access that a generalist operation could not replicate.
General information
Firm type
Private Equity
Year founded
2001
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Boston
Corporate office
Boston, MA, United States
Principals
Dave Anderson
Founder
Dan Dershem
Partner
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at Supply Chain Ventures?
Founder Dave Anderson and Partner Dan Dershem are the two identified decision-makers. Anderson built a 35-year career at Accenture before founding the firm in 2001. Dershem joined in 2016 after founding LeanLogistics, Supply Chain Ventures' first portfolio company, and later serving as Global CSCO of Brambles.
How does Supply Chain Ventures source proprietary deal flow?
The firm sources through deep operator networks. Both partners hold public and private board seats across major supply-chain organizations — including Descartes, Transporeon, Capstone Logistics, and Llamasoft — giving them visibility into emerging logistics technologies and founder teams long before a formal process begins.
Is Supply Chain Ventures structured as a single family office or does it operate more like a venture firm?
It operates as a venture capital partnership, not a family office. The firm takes third-party investor capital and co-invests alongside leading venture and private-equity firms, with no disclosed single-family funding source.
Does Supply Chain Ventures participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?
The available record describes only direct-deal activity, taking minority stakes without leading rounds. There is no public mention of investing in third-party venture or private-equity funds.
What investment stages does Supply Chain Ventures typically target?
The firm operates as a hybrid investor, covering both early-stage revenue-producing startups and later-stage established companies. Its stated revenue-range focus spans $5 million to $100+ million, which means it engages across Seed, Series A, and growth stages.
Which sectors does Supply Chain Ventures explicitly avoid?
The firm does not list explicit negative sectors. However, the entire portfolio is concentrated on information technology applications for supply-chain design, planning, execution, visibility, and logistics automation; generalist software sectors such as consumer internet or traditional biotech appear absent.
What is Supply Chain Ventures' known posture on co-investments alongside external GPs?
Co-investing alongside other firms is central to its model — the firm states this explicitly and does not lead rounds. Its realized exits involve acquirers like Amazon, Uber Freight, Descartes, and Coupa, indicating a pattern of partnering with GPs and strategic acquirers across the logistics ecosystem.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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