Forto
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2016
- HeadquartersBerlin, Germany
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
Forto firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Forto
- Legal name
- Forto Logistics SE & Co. KG
- Website
- https://forto.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2016
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Forto industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Digital Freight Forwarding
- NAICS
- Freight Transportation Arrangement (488510), Marine Cargo Handling (48832), Navigational Services to Shipping (488330), Other Support Activities for Water Transportation (48839)
- SIC
- Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ocean Container Visibility (Vessel, Container, Demurrage/Detention) (TLAEADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Carrier Sales & Capacity Sourcing Platforms (TLAEAJAD), Cargo Visibility, Track & Trace & Port Analytics (ETA/ETD, Dwell, Predictive) (TLAHAOAH)
Keywords
Where Forto is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berlin
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
Forto business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Freight Forwarding Services (Sea, Air, Rail): Core revenue stream: Forto earns transaction-based fees on freight forwarding bookings across sea freight (FCL/LCL), air freight, and rail freight. Customers book via the platform or directly with account managers using pre-negotiated or spot rates from 100+ carriers.
- Additional Logistics Services: Revenue from pre- and on-carriage, customs clearance, insurance, and buyers' consolidation services bundled with freight forwarding.
- Sustainability Services (Climate Visibility, Biofuels, Ocean Plastic Prevention): Revenue from climate visibility reporting (verified emissions data), sustainable transportation (book & claim biofuel/SAF), and Ocean Plastic Prevention — typically priced as a percentage add-on or per-shipment contribution.
- FortoLabs SaaS (AI Logistics Software): External SaaS revenue from FortoLabs, an AI-powered platform launched in 2026 offering Forto's internally-built AI capabilities (e.g., Intelligent Document Processing) to the broader logistics industry.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Custom freight forwarding quotes (per shipment) |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels11 records
Forto product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Forto is a digital freight forwarder that provides sea, air, and rail freight forwarding services to B2B shippers through its proprietary Transport Management System "Faro" and the customer-facing "Ship by Forto" platform. The offering bundles international freight booking, real-time shipment visibility, customs clearance, insurance, and pre- and on-carriage with integrated sustainability services (biofuel/SAF, Ocean Plastic Prevention, Climate Visibility reporting). The platform connects to 100+ carriers, integrates with major ERPs via APIs/EDI, and leverages AI agents (Flash by Forto, FlashDoc) to automate booking, vessel selection, and document processing.
Product overview
Forto is a digital-first freight forwarding and supply chain platform built around its proprietary Transport Management System called Faro. The core offering is the Ship by Forto platform, which orchestrates end-to-end freight management across Sea Freight (including FCL and LCL), Air Freight, and Rail Freight, complemented by Additional Services such as customs, insurance, and pre- and on-carriage. On top of this platform, Forto layers its AI capabilities through Flash by Forto — an AI-powered Transport Management Agent that automates booking, vessel selection, and document processing — and FlashDoc, a Gen-AI document processing tool. These internal AI capabilities are externalized through FortoLabs, a SaaS platform for AI-powered logistics solutions launched in June 2026. Sustainability modules — Climate Visibility, Ocean Plastic Prevention, and Sustainable Transportation (biofuels and SAF) — complete the offering. The platform integrates with major ERPs (Oracle, Microsoft, NetSuite, SAP) via public APIs and EDI.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Ship by Forto: Forto's digital platform for quoting, booking, tracking, and managing shipments across transport modes.
- Flash by Forto
- FlashDoc
- FortoLabs
Products and services
- Sea Freight
- Air Freight Fast, easy, and reliable global air transport with access to spot and long-term rates from over 100 carriers, offering Premium (1-3 days), Standard (3-5 days), and Deferred (6-8 days) services, plus full and partial charters, with warehousing hubs in major European, Chinese, and Vietnamese airports.
- Rail Freight
- Full Container Load (FCL) Reliable and cost-effective sea freight solution for large-volume, recurring shipments, providing real-time tracking, pre- and on-carriage, customs, and insurance support, available for 20' and 40' containers.
- Less than Container Load (LCL)
- Additional Logistics Services
- Climate Visibility
- Ocean Plastic Prevention
- Sustainable Transportation (Biofuel & SAF)
- Ship by Forto (Digital Platform)
- FortoLabs (AI SaaS Platform) External SaaS platform launched in June 2026 that brings Forto's internally-built AI capabilities to the broader logistics industry as agentic AI solutions, including Intelligent Document Processing.
Quantifiable outcome
- Up to 80% transport emissions reduction on sea and air freight using Biofuel Max / SAF
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Forto
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Forto technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
AI capability9 records
Feature8 records
Forto partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Plastic FischercorePlastic Fischer is Forto's implementation partner for the Ocean Plastic Prevention initiative. For every booking with Ocean Plastic Prevention, Plastic Fischer funds the retrieval and processing of plastic in rivers (operations in India and Indonesia, ~1,800 tons collected since inception).
- EcoVadisminorEcoVadis rated Forto "Bronze" in its Sustainability Rating in May 2024; the EcoVadis badge and methodology link is featured on Forto's Ocean Plastic Prevention and Sustainability pages.
- OraclecoreOracle is listed as one of the systems Forto is "compatible with" for integration purposes. Forto's Public APIs and EDI integrations allow Forto data to flow into Oracle-based ERP environments.
- MicrosoftcoreMicrosoft is listed as a compatible system for Forto integrations. Forto's platform integrates with Microsoft-based environments for shipment data exchange.
- NetSuitecoreNetSuite is listed as one of the systems Forto is compatible with for integration. Integration options allow seamless data exchange with NetSuite ERP environments.
- SAPcoreSAP is listed as one of the systems Forto is compatible with for integration. Forto offers standard APIs and EDI integrations to connect with SAP environments.
- Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) partnerscoreForto works with selected partners to perform the biofuel/SAF fuel switch that delivers up to 80% emissions reduction on sea and air freight. The "Our trusted partners" section on the Air Freight page states partners are "carefully selected" for advanced biofuel and certified reductions.
- VHSP (Verband Hamburger Spediteure)minorForto displays a VHSP logo in its website "Memberships" footer section, indicating an industry association membership.
- Neutral Air PartnerminorForto displays a Neutral Air Partner logo in its website "Memberships" footer section, suggesting an air-freight network partnership.
- AEO (Authorized Economic Operator)minorForto displays an AEO logo in its website "Memberships" footer section, indicating its status as an Authorized Economic Operator for customs/trade compliance.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Forto competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Flexport: Flexport is the largest US-based digital freight forwarder, offering end-to-end ocean, air, and trucking forwarding through a proprietary software platform. It is Forto's most direct competitor in the digital-first freight forwarding category, serving a similar B2B shipper base with a similar technology-led model.
- Zencargo: Zencargo is a UK-headquartered digital freight forwarder providing digital ocean, air, and road freight forwarding with a tech-led platform approach. Like Forto, it targets mid-market and enterprise B2B shippers and is positioned as a peer in industry reports on digital forwarders.
Broad incumbents
- Maersk (A.P. Moller-Maersk): Maersk is the world's largest container shipping line and integrated logistics provider, offering ocean freight plus end-to-end supply chain management and digital platforms (Maersk Spot, TradeLens legacy). It is a broad incumbent that overlaps with Forto's forwarding, customs, and end-to-end visibility offerings at much greater scale.
- Kuehne+Nagel: Kuehne+Nagel is one of the world's largest global freight forwarders with leading positions in sea freight and air freight, plus contract logistics. It competes with Forto across all three of Forto's transport modes and is investing in its own digital platform (myKN, etc.).
- DSV: DSV is a top-3 global freight forwarder with significant air, sea, and road freight operations plus a growing digital/IT footprint. It overlaps with Forto in international forwarding and is acquiring scale (e.g., Schenker) that further expands its competitive footprint.
- DHL Global Forwarding: DHL Global Forwarding is a leading global air and ocean freight forwarder with an extensive international network. It competes with Forto in international forwarding, particularly for enterprise customers, and has been investing in its own digital platforms (e.g., mySupplyChain).
- Uber Freight: Uber Freight operates a digital freight marketplace and managed transportation services across trucking, intermodal, and ocean/air forwarding. While initially focused on road, it has expanded into international forwarding, putting it in partial competition with Forto's broader platform play.
Emerging players
- Freightos: Freightos operates a digital freight marketplace (WebCargo) plus managed ocean and air forwarding services. It overlaps with Forto in online ocean/air freight booking and pricing transparency for B2B shippers, with a comparable self-serve technology approach.
- Turvo: Turvo provides a cloud-native TMS platform for shippers, 3PLs, and brokers with strong shipment visibility and collaboration features. It is an adjacent/emerging peer to Forto on the technology side — both target digitization of logistics with an AI-enabled platform.
- Sennder: Sennder is a Berlin-based European digital road freight forwarder connecting shippers with carriers via a proprietary platform. While primarily road-focused, it shares Forto's Berlin/DACH digital-forwarder DNA and overlapping enterprise shipper base.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Forto social profiles
Digital presenceForto compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Forto financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Forto leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Forto subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Forto funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds6 records
Investors18 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Forto M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Forto
What does Forto do?
Forto is a digital freight forwarder that provides sea, air, and rail freight forwarding services to B2B shippers through its proprietary Transport Management System "Faro" and the customer-facing "Ship by Forto" platform. The offering bundles international freight booking, real-time shipment visibility, customs clearance, insurance, and pre- and on-carriage with integrated sustainability services (biofuel/SAF, Ocean Plastic Prevention, Climate Visibility reporting). The platform connects to 100+ carriers, integrates with major ERPs via APIs/EDI, and leverages AI agents (Flash by Forto, FlashDoc) to automate booking, vessel selection, and document processing.
Is Forto a public or private company?
Forto is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Forto founded?
Forto was founded in 2016. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Forto based?
Forto is headquartered in Berlin, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Forto make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Freight Forwarding Services (Sea, Air, Rail) is the primary driver. The others are additional Logistics Services, sustainability Services (Climate Visibility, Biofuels, Ocean Plastic Prevention) and fortoLabs SaaS (AI Logistics Software).
Who are Forto's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Flexport and Zencargo. Broad incumbents are Maersk (A.P. Moller-Maersk), Kuehne+Nagel, DSV, DHL Global Forwarding and Uber Freight. Emerging players are Freightos, Turvo and Sennder.
Does Forto have an API?
Yes. Forto offers public APIs and standard EDI integrations for booking, milestone tracking, and document exchange. Three integration paths are available: out-of-the-box public API for instant data exchange, predefined EDI integration for core functionalities, and customized integration for unique needs. The public API enables automated transfer of high-quality Forto data over 30 transport milestones. Developer portal available at https://developers.forto.com/. Developer documentation is at developers.forto.com.
What industry is Forto in?
Forto's product category is Digital Freight Forwarding. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAEADAF, Ocean Container Visibility (Vessel, Container, Demurrage/Detention), with a secondary code of TLAEAJAD, Carrier Sales & Capacity Sourcing Platforms. Its NAICS code is 488510 and its SIC code is 4731.