Every startup has a founding date on paper. But the real beginning? That's when the vision starts to ripple outward.
For Swotzy, 2023 was that moment. Although we officially incorporated in 2022, this was the year our dreams began taking shape – when late-night strategy sessions turned into product launches, when "what if" became "here's how," and when securing the right financial backing gave us the fuel to build something truly ambitious.
This is the story of how we went from an idea to a platform that's changing the way businesses ship internationally.
In March, we achieved our first major milestone: securing €90,000 in initial funding and earning a spot in the Firstpick accelerator program. This initial boost was not just about the funds; it was a stepping stone towards our next goal: raising a substantial pre-seed round.
By June, against the odds and exceeding our own expectations, we had closed an impressive €500,000 pre-seed round. In the challenging landscape of startup financing, this achievement was a testament to the potential and promise of what Swotzy could become. It also gave us validation that our vision for simplifying international shipping resonated with people who understood the market.
With funding secured, it was time to build.
We launched our product in Latvia first, establishing a strong home base and testing our platform with local e-commerce businesses who understood the pain of managing multiple shipping carriers.
The feedback was immediate and invaluable. Sellers loved the simplicity of having all their shipping options in one place, and we knew we were taking the right direction.
But we didn't stop there. By the end of the year, we had expanded into Lithuania, bringing 6 active carriers onto the platform – with many more in the pipeline. Each new carrier meant more options for sellers, more competitive rates, and more flexibility to scale internationally.
By the end of 2023, we had grown to 11 people – a diverse group of problem-solvers, builders, and logistics experts who brought in fresh perspectives. We made a deliberate choice early on to bring in talent from outside the traditional shipping industry, and it's one of the best decisions we've made.
Our team includes experts from companies like Printful, Nordigen, Longinesis, DPD, and Accenture – people who've built products at scale, navigated complex logistics challenges, and understand what it takes to create something that actually works for customers. But more importantly, they brought curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to challenge the status quo.
Initially, our founders envisioned building the company in their hometown, Liepāja, a coastal city far from the hustle of the capital. However, the developers, designers, and logistics experts were all mostly based in the capital, Riga. That's where the ecosystem thrived.
So the founders left their hometown and made the move, finding a cozy office in the heart of Riga's city center. This was the place where late-night brainstorming sessions turned into breakthroughs, where the team gathered to celebrate wins (and learn from losses), and where the spirit and ambition of Swotzy truly took shape.
2023 was also a year of significant strides in our marketing efforts. We launched a new website and initiated the development of a revamped platform with enhanced design and functionality.
Our marketing achievements have been a source of immense pride, especially as Swotzy gained coverage in publications like Forbes, Labs of Latvia, Dienas Bizness, and several other European media outlets. This exposure has been crucial in amplifying our brand and mission.
Since launching our platform in August, we've helped 88 customers ship 9,000 parcels to 64 countries worldwide. That's 88 businesses – from solo entrepreneurs to growing brands, who trusted us to handle one of the most critical parts of their operations: getting products into their customers' hands.
But what we're most proud of is the relationships we've built along the way. Our customer support team has handled over 1,000 email exchanges, responding to inquiries in an average of just 35 minutes. Because when a shipment is delayed or there’s a mishap with a carrier, hours feel like forever – and we know that.
We had an 89.7% customer satisfaction rating. Not perfect, but we're getting there. And every piece of feedback, positive or constructive, pushes us to build something better.
Above all, the friendships and connections we've made this year have been invaluable. The late-night
conversations at Slush, the unexpected partnerships formed at Tech Chill, the inspiring founders we met at Startup Fair. These events amplified our presence and reminded us why we're building Swotzy in the first place.
This year taught us something important: building a startup isn't really about the funding rounds or product launches. It really is about the people. The customers who took a chance on us when we were still figuring things out. The team that showed up every day, ready to tackle problems we'd never seen before. The random conversations that turned into real partnerships months later.
We've built something solid this year – €500,000 in funding, a team of 11 incredible people, 88 customers shipping
to 64 countries, and thousands of parcels moving through our platform. But we're just getting started.
Next year, Swotzy is expanding to new markets. We're proving that Swotzy can make international commerce accessible to everyone, whether you're running a solo operation from your apartment or scaling a growing brand.We're grateful to our customers, our team, and everyone who's believed in us from the beginning.
Thank you all for being with us!
Every startup has a founding date on paper. But the real beginning? That's when the vision starts to ripple outward.
For Swotzy, 2023 was that moment. Although we officially incorporated in 2022, this was the year our dreams began taking shape – when late-night strategy sessions turned into product launches, when "what if" became "here's how," and when securing the right financial backing gave us the fuel to build something truly ambitious.
This is the story of how we went from an idea to a platform that's changing the way businesses ship internationally.
In March, we achieved our first major milestone: securing €90,000 in initial funding and earning a spot in the Firstpick accelerator program. This initial boost was not just about the funds; it was a stepping stone towards our next goal: raising a substantial pre-seed round.
By June, against the odds and exceeding our own expectations, we had closed an impressive €500,000 pre-seed round. In the challenging landscape of startup financing, this achievement was a testament to the potential and promise of what Swotzy could become. It also gave us validation that our vision for simplifying international shipping resonated with people who understood the market.
With funding secured, it was time to build.
We launched our product in Latvia first, establishing a strong home base and testing our platform with local e-commerce businesses who understood the pain of managing multiple shipping carriers.
The feedback was immediate and invaluable. Sellers loved the simplicity of having all their shipping options in one place, and we knew we were taking the right direction.
But we didn't stop there. By the end of the year, we had expanded into Lithuania, bringing 6 active carriers onto the platform – with many more in the pipeline. Each new carrier meant more options for sellers, more competitive rates, and more flexibility to scale internationally.
By the end of 2023, we had grown to 11 people – a diverse group of problem-solvers, builders, and logistics experts who brought in fresh perspectives. We made a deliberate choice early on to bring in talent from outside the traditional shipping industry, and it's one of the best decisions we've made.
Our team includes experts from companies like Printful, Nordigen, Longinesis, DPD, and Accenture – people who've built products at scale, navigated complex logistics challenges, and understand what it takes to create something that actually works for customers. But more importantly, they brought curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to challenge the status quo.
Initially, our founders envisioned building the company in their hometown, Liepāja, a coastal city far from the hustle of the capital. However, the developers, designers, and logistics experts were all mostly based in the capital, Riga. That's where the ecosystem thrived.
So the founders left their hometown and made the move, finding a cozy office in the heart of Riga's city center. This was the place where late-night brainstorming sessions turned into breakthroughs, where the team gathered to celebrate wins (and learn from losses), and where the spirit and ambition of Swotzy truly took shape.
2023 was also a year of significant strides in our marketing efforts. We launched a new website and initiated the development of a revamped platform with enhanced design and functionality.
Our marketing achievements have been a source of immense pride, especially as Swotzy gained coverage in publications like Forbes, Labs of Latvia, Dienas Bizness, and several other European media outlets. This exposure has been crucial in amplifying our brand and mission.
Since launching our platform in August, we've helped 88 customers ship 9,000 parcels to 64 countries worldwide. That's 88 businesses – from solo entrepreneurs to growing brands, who trusted us to handle one of the most critical parts of their operations: getting products into their customers' hands.
But what we're most proud of is the relationships we've built along the way. Our customer support team has handled over 1,000 email exchanges, responding to inquiries in an average of just 35 minutes. Because when a shipment is delayed or there’s a mishap with a carrier, hours feel like forever – and we know that.
We had an 89.7% customer satisfaction rating. Not perfect, but we're getting there. And every piece of feedback, positive or constructive, pushes us to build something better.
Above all, the friendships and connections we've made this year have been invaluable. The late-night
conversations at Slush, the unexpected partnerships formed at Tech Chill, the inspiring founders we met at Startup Fair. These events amplified our presence and reminded us why we're building Swotzy in the first place.
This year taught us something important: building a startup isn't really about the funding rounds or product launches. It really is about the people. The customers who took a chance on us when we were still figuring things out. The team that showed up every day, ready to tackle problems we'd never seen before. The random conversations that turned into real partnerships months later.
We've built something solid this year – €500,000 in funding, a team of 11 incredible people, 88 customers shipping
to 64 countries, and thousands of parcels moving through our platform. But we're just getting started.
Next year, Swotzy is expanding to new markets. We're proving that Swotzy can make international commerce accessible to everyone, whether you're running a solo operation from your apartment or scaling a growing brand.We're grateful to our customers, our team, and everyone who's believed in us from the beginning.
Thank you all for being with us!
