Relay

What Relay does

Relay is a UK-based, technology-enabled last-mile and middle-mile delivery network purpose-built for e-commerce retailers. The company replaces the legacy hub-and-spoke middle-mile model with a distributed, hyperlocal architecture, operating depots in London, Birmingham, and Nottingham and coordinating work through three purpose-built mobile applications: Relay Copilot for couriers, VanGo for van drivers, and the Pitstop app for store partners. Relay's proprietary dynamic routing algorithm optimizes dispatch and routing in real time, and the company integrates into retailer systems via an API-first platform, reporting 99% on-time delivery and sub-0.5% customer contact rates.

The core product portfolio spans next-day parcel delivery, pick-up/drop-off (PUDO) collections through a network of partner convenience stores branded as "pitstops," and label-free returns processed via the same pitstop locations. Relay generates revenue primarily through per-parcel transaction fees charged to e-commerce retailers across volume tiers (<1m, 1-5m, 5m+ parcels annually), with courier and van-driver earnings (£14-17/hr and £17-20/hr respectively) deducted from that gross revenue, and pitstop commissions paid out to store partners. Named enterprise customers include ASOS, THG, TikTok Shop, Temu, Vinted, Glossybox, MyProtein, Holland & Barrett, Cult Beauty, and WanB.

The company was founded in 2021 and is led by co-founders Jonathan Jenssen (CEO) and Nicole Mazza (CCO). Relay has raised approximately $45 million to date across a $10 million seed round in November 2023 (Project A Ventures and Prologis Ventures) and a $35 million Series A in February 2025 (led by Plural Platform with Project A and Prologis reinvesting), funding UK-wide geographic expansion and operational scaling.

Name

Relay

Legal name

Relay Technologies Limited

Website

https://relaytech.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Relay is a UK-based, tech-enabled e-commerce delivery network operating a hyperlocal courier, van, and pitstop store network with proprietary real-time routing software to serve enterprise online retailers across last-mile, PUDO, and returns.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Last-Mile Delivery Services

NAICS

Couriers and Express Delivery Services (492110), Local Messengers and Local Delivery (4922)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

PUDO/Parcel Locker Networks for E-commerce (OOH Delivery) (TLAAAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Retail Partner PUDO Networks (In-Store Pickup/Dropoff) (TLAAAMAB), Third-Party / Independent PUDO Network Operators (Multi-Carrier) (TLAAAMAC)

Keywords

• Last-mile delivery
• E-commerce logistics
• Hyperlocal delivery
• Parcel delivery network
• Delivery management platform

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Parcel Delivery Fees (B2B): Relay charges retailers a fee per parcel delivered through its network. The retailer enquiry form shows volume tiers (<1m, 1-5m, 5m+ parcels per year), suggesting volume-based pricing. Revenue is derived from providing last-mile and middle-mile delivery services to e-commerce retailers.
2. Courier Earnings Reimbursement: Relay pays couriers and van drivers on a per-delivery/hourly basis (£14-17/hour for couriers, £17-20/hour for van drivers), deducting these costs from revenue earned from retailers. Weekly or on-demand payments to couriers via Flexipay.
3. Pitstop Fees (B2B2C): Store owners earn commissions for holding parcels for couriers and customers, serving as pick-up points, and handling returns. Relay pays stores for every check-in and check-out of items per month.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Relay provides an AI-powered, tech-driven hyperlocal parcel delivery network for e-commerce retailers, replacing the traditional hub-and-spoke middle-mile model with real-time dynamic routing, dedicated courier and van driver mobile apps, and a pitstop store network. Its core services include next-day delivery, PUDO collections, and label-free returns, integrated with retailers via an API-first platform.

Product overview

Relay is a final-mile e-commerce delivery company operating a tech-driven hyperlocal network designed for speed, sustainability, and efficiency. The core Relay Platform connects retailers, couriers, and customers through real-time data and a proprietary routing algorithm. The product portfolio includes three mobile apps for different user segments: the Relay Copilot App for couriers (earning £14-17/hour with routes 8AM-7PM), the VanGo App for van drivers (earning £17-20/hour with morning shifts finishing by 1PM), and the Pitstop App for store partners managing parcel collection points. Retailers access the Customer Portal for real-time tracking and SMS updates, with integration available via the API-first platform. Core delivery services include next-day delivery, PUDO (Pick-Up Drop-Off) collections, and label-free returns through the pitstop network. The hybrid fleet combines different vehicle types to optimize both speed and sustainability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Relay Copilot: Mobile application for couriers to manage deliveries, navigate routes, and access earnings.
• Pitstops
• VanGo

Products and services

• Relay Platform Core tech-driven hyperlocal delivery network platform for e-commerce, connecting couriers, stores, and customers through real-time data and a proprietary dynamic routing algorithm to deliver parcels with reduced touchpoints and improved sustainability.
• Next-Day Delivery Standard next-day parcel delivery service for e-commerce retailers, delivered through Relay's hyperlocal courier and van driver network across the UK.
• PUDO Drop-off and Collections Pick-Up Drop-Off service providing end customers with the choice to collect and drop off parcels at participating Relay pitstop retail locations across the network.
• Label-Free Returns Returns service enabling e-commerce customers to drop off returns at Relay pitstop locations without needing to print a label, streamlining the returns process.
• Relay API Integration API-first integration platform that allows enterprise e-commerce retailers to embed Relay's delivery, tracking, and returns services directly into their checkout, OMS, and customer-facing systems without disrupting core workflows.
• Customer Tracking Portal Customer-facing web portal where end customers can track parcels in real time, view live location and ETA, update delivery details, schedule returns, and contact support.
• Relay Copilot App Mobile application for couriers providing pre-bookable routes, real-time navigation, on-demand earnings withdrawals via Flexipay, and live chat support during shifts. Available on iOS App Store and Google Play.
• VanGo App Mobile application for van drivers providing shift pre-booking up to two weeks in advance, full route details each morning, weekly payment withdrawals, navigation, and live support during shifts.
• Relay Pitstop App Mobile application for store partners enabling QR code and parcel scanning for courier and customer handovers, real-time inventory tracking of parcels, team management, and live support.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% attempted on-time deliveries
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• parcelLabminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 April 2026parcelLab was cited alongside Relay as an industry expert in a ShipStation article discussing delivery as a customer experience. Both companies are positioned as thought leaders in proactive delivery communication and reliability in e-commerce logistics.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DPD UK: DPD is one of the UK's largest parcel carriers and directly competes with Relay for e-commerce retailer last-mile contracts. Both compete on next-day delivery, real-time tracking and retailer integration — though DPD operates a denser incumbent hub-and-spoke network.
• Evri: Evri (formerly Hermes UK) is the UK's largest dedicated e-commerce parcel carrier, operating a doorstep and PUDO delivery model similar to Relay's. Both target the same fashion, beauty and general-merchandise e-commerce clients and compete on cost, returns handling and customer experience.
• Yodel: Yodel is a UK parcel carrier serving e-commerce retailers with doorstep delivery and a Click&Collect PUDO network — directly comparable to Relay's retailer-facing last-mile and pitstop PUDO offering.
• Stuart: Stuart operates an urban same-day and next-day delivery network for e-commerce and on-demand retail in the UK and EU, using a similar courier-app-based model to Relay. Both compete for time-sensitive retailer volumes in dense metros.
• Gophr: Gophr is a UK on-demand same-day courier platform serving retailers and B2B customers via a courier-app model closely paralleling Relay's Copilot app. Both target enterprise retailers needing fast, flexible last-mile capacity in UK metros.
• InPost UK: InPost operates the UK's largest automated parcel locker network, directly overlapping with Relay's pitstop-based PUDO service for e-commerce drop-off and returns. Both compete for retailer PUDO volumes and the same consumer convenience narrative.

Broad incumbents

• Royal Mail: Royal Mail is the UK's universal postal operator and dominant parcel carrier for e-commerce — a much broader incumbent offering letter, parcel, tracked and international services. Competes with Relay for retailer volume but at national scale with a very different cost structure.
• Amazon Logistics: Amazon Logistics handles last-mile for Amazon orders and increasingly external B2B customers in the UK. It is a broad incumbent with incomparable scale, and its expansion into third-party delivery is a structural threat to Relay's enterprise retailer pitch.

Emerging players

• ZigZag Global: ZigZag is a UK-based returns management platform that orchestrates parcel carriers on behalf of retailers — overlapping with Relay's pitstop-based label-free returns proposition. Both target fashion and lifestyle retailers seeking streamlined returns experiences.

Others

• Parcel2Go: Parcel2Go is a UK parcel delivery comparison and aggregator marketplace connecting shippers with carriers — an indirect competitor and potential partner to Relay in routing SMB and consumer volumes through its network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/relay-tech
• Facebookfacebook.com/Relay-Technologies-100087905274827

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Relay