OpenBorder Shipping

What OpenBorder Shipping does

OpenBorder Shipping is an online freight forwarder and licensed customs broker headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, founded in 2020. The company operates a digital platform that enables shippers to obtain instant quotes from multiple carriers, book shipments, track cargo via a global map interface, and clear customs in minutes through its Canada and US customs brokerage. The platform aggregates a multi-carrier roster — including DHL Express, YRC Freight, Forward Air, ABF Freight, Fastfrate, Day & Ross, and several regional Canadian carriers — connected via API integrations or electronic templates for carriers without APIs. Its primary customer segments are SME importers and exporters, with secondary use by logistics providers and carriers; the company pairs automated workflows with human expert review of every shipment.

The business is built on transaction-fee economics across three streams: freight forwarding and booking fees, customs brokerage clearance and compliance service fees, and carrier-side platform access fees paid under usage-based ("Pay As You Go") or credit-based monthly billing. Go-to-market blends a digital self-serve channel for smaller shippers with a demo-based enterprise sales motion, supported by a website-driven inbound funnel and organic social presence on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. Distribution is direct: the platform sells to shippers and onboards carriers without an intermediary reseller network, and pricing is opaque (quote-based rather than publicly listed).

Operationally the company is small — six employees with three named executives (CEO Kevin Wong, Director of Logistics Sam Woods, CTO Colin Weber) — and is privately held with no disclosed institutional funding, parent entity, M&A activity, or regulatory actions. Its competitive positioning is the combination of a licensed customs broker credential with a digital UX layer, contrasting against traditional brokerages that still operate phone- and email-driven quote cycles.

Name

OpenBorder Shipping

Legal name

Open Border

Website

https://openbordershipping.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

OpenBorder Shipping is a Calgary-based online freight forwarder and licensed Canada/US customs broker whose digital platform lets SME importers and exporters compare instant carrier quotes, book shipments, track cargo globally, and clear customs in minutes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Freight Forwarding & Customs Brokerage

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (48851)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Cross-Border Freight Marketplaces (Customs-Aware Matching) (TLAEAJAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Export/Import Documentation Preparation (Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Shipper’s Letter of Instruction) (TLACAHAD), Cross-Border Parcel Security, Screening & Compliance (Sanctions/Restricted Goods) (TLACAKAL)

Keywords

• Freight forwarding services
• Customs brokerage
• Online logistics platform
• Cross-border shipping
• Shipment tracking

Headquarters

HQ city

Not specified

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Freight Forwarding Services: Facilitates shipping transactions between shippers (importers/exporters) and carriers; derives revenue from freight booking and forwarding fees
2. Customs Brokerage Services: Licensed customs brokerage for Canada and US providing clearance services, compliance audits, and customs compliance services
3. Platform Access for Carriers: Carriers gain access to customer orders through platform membership; 'Pay As You Go' option with upfront payment available, with credit terms for frequent shippers

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

OpenBorder Shipping operates an online freight forwarding and customs brokerage platform that enables importers and exporters to instantly obtain quotes from multiple carriers, book shipments, visually track cargo on a global map, and clear customs in minutes. The platform also provides licensed Canada and US customs brokerage, compliance audits, and system integration services to connect carriers and shippers' workflows.

Product overview

OpenBorder Shipping operates as an online freight forwarder and customs broker offering a unified platform for booking shipments, obtaining instant carrier quotes, and clearing customs. The product portfolio consists of the core OpenBorder Platform combined with three complementary services: Freight Shipping Services for North American trucking and intermodal needs, Canada & US Customs Services for licensed customs brokerage and compliance, and Technology Services for system integrations. The platform serves importers, exporters, carriers, and logistics providers through a centralized interface that enables instant quoting, visual shipment tracking on a global map, integrated online chat support, and streamlined customs clearance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• OpenBorder Platform An online freight forwarder and customs broker platform enabling users to book shipments instantly, compare quotes from multiple carriers, track shipments visually on a global map, and clear customs within minutes through a consolidated interface. Designed for importers, exporters, carriers, and logistics providers across North America.
• Freight Shipping Services Trucking and intermodal shipping services for importers and exporters shipping anywhere in North America, handling all freight transportation needs.
• Canada & US Customs Services Licensed Canada and US customs brokerage services including compliance audits, clearance services, and customs documentation handling.
• Technology Services Integration services enabling connections between OpenBorder and customer systems, allowing real-time schedule and rates synchronization and adaptable workflows.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduce logistics administrative burden to a few simple clicks
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DHL ExpresscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor international express carrier providing shipping services through the Open Border platform. Displayed as prominent carrier logo on the platform homepage, indicating active integration for freight forwarding services.
• YRC FreightcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor US trucking carrier featured on the Open Border platform for domestic and cross-border freight services in North America.
• Forward AircoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTransportation services company providing ground expedited freight services through the Open Border platform.
• ABF FreightcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational freight carrier subsidiary of ArcBest Corporation, featured on the Open Border platform for Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) shipping services.
• FastfratecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCanadian transportation and logistics company providing freight services through the Open Border platform for cross-border shipping.
• Day & RosscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCanadian trucking and logistics company featured on the platform for domestic and cross-border shipping services.
• OverlandminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional carrier providing transportation services through the Open Border platform.
• Mustang ExpressminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCarrier partner featured on the Open Border platform for shipping services.
• Rosenau TransportminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpecialized local carrier partner on the Open Border platform offering regional shipping services.

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• ClearCustoms: Digital customs brokerage platform offering automated cross-border clearance, particularly for US-Canada trade. Highly comparable to the customs brokerage layer of OpenBorder's offering.
• Loadsmart: Digital freight brokerage and transportation management platform offering instant truckload and intermodal pricing plus API integrations. Comparable marketplace-plus-tech proposition targeting shippers and carriers.
• Freightos: Operates an online freight marketplace for instant comparison of international freight rates, including customs and booking workflows. Directly comparable digital-forwarding model to OpenBorder's instant-quote approach.
• GoShip: Online LTL and freight shipping marketplace aggregating multiple carriers for instant quote comparison and booking. Closest direct competitor to OpenBorder's SME-focused, multi-carrier instant-quote model in North America.

Emerging players

• Shippo: Shipping API and dashboard platform enabling SMBs and platforms to access multi-carrier rates, labels, and tracking. Partial overlap with OpenBorder's instant-quote and tracking functionality for the SME segment.
• FreightPop: Cloud-based TMS offering rate shopping, booking, and tracking across multiple carriers. Comparable multi-carrier rate comparison and digital forwarding features for SMB and mid-market shippers.
• Chain.io: API-driven integration platform connecting shippers, brokers, and carriers across logistics workflows. Comparable to OpenBorder's API-first approach and embedded integration value proposition.
• Pallite: Emerging player operating in adjacent logistics technology with comparable digital workflows for SMEs; included as a thematic comp for the broader digitization-of-freight thesis underpinning OpenBorder's value proposition.

Broad incumbents

• Uber Freight: Digital freight marketplace and managed transportation offering from Uber, providing instant quoting, booking, and tracking across North America. A well-capitalized incumbent in the same digital brokerage category as OpenBorder.
• Flexport: A global digital freight forwarder offering ocean, air, and trucking services with customs brokerage capabilities. Operates at significantly larger scale than OpenBorder and competes across similar SME-to-enterprise cross-border use cases.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/openbordershipping
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/openborder

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 OpenBorder Shipping