Trade Forward

What Trade Forward does

Trade Forward LLC is a woman-owned small business headquartered in Huntersville, North Carolina, founded in 2020, that provides global trade compliance software and services to enterprises engaged in international supply chains. The company's core product is TradeScope, a proprietary cloud-based analytics platform composed of three integrated modules — Global Trade Analytics, Tariff Impact Analyzer, and Sourcing Impact on Duty Spend — that deliver tariff modeling, trade analytics, duty optimization, supplier visualization, and entry-data anomaly detection. Trade Forward monetizes through tiered SaaS subscriptions (Starter at $1,500/month with three user licenses and standard data integration; Pro at $15,000/year with ten user licenses and custom data integration; Enterprise with unlimited users and custom pricing) supplemented by professional services including Global Trade Managed Services (product classification, FTA management, import/export operations), Trade & Supply Chain Consulting (process mapping, software selection, industry training), and System Design & Implementation (requirements definition, data integration, end-to-end project management). The company operates with a team of 6, serving enterprise customers across aerospace (Spirit Aerosystems), information management (Iron Mountain), precision manufacturing (Nordson), healthcare logistics (Cardinal Health 3PL), consumer electronics (Harman), and as a strategic implementation partner for global trade management software provider e2open.

Name

Trade Forward

Legal name

Trade Forward LLC

Website

https://tradeforward.io

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Trade Forward is a woman-owned trade compliance firm offering the TradeScope cloud analytics platform alongside consulting and managed services to help enterprises navigate tariffs, FTAs, and import/export operations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Global Trade Management Software

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Customs Brokerage Workflow & Case Management Software (TLAEAOAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sanctions, Embargo & Export Controls (EAR/ITAR) Compliance Tools (TLAEAOAI)

Keywords

• Global trade analytics
• Tariff modeling software
• Trade compliance services
• Duty optimization
• Supply chain consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Huntersville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. TradeScope SaaS Subscriptions: Cloud-based analytics platform sold through tiered subscription plans (Starter, Pro, Enterprise). Provides recurring revenue through monthly or annual billing cycles with user license and data integration levels varying by tier.
2. Global Trade Managed Services: Professional services including product classification, free trade agreement management, import/export operations management, and compliance audits. Provided as ongoing managed service engagements.
3. Trade & Supply Chain Consulting: Consulting engagements covering process mapping and benchmarking, software solutions and automation, and tailored industry training programs.
4. System Design & Implementation: Project-based services including requirements definition, data integration from critical business systems, and comprehensive project management for system implementations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Trade Forward sells the TradeScope cloud-based global trade analytics platform, providing tariff modeling, trade analytics, and duty optimization for organizations managing international supply chains. They complement this software with professional services including Global Trade Managed Services (product classification, FTA management, import/export operations), Trade & Supply Chain Consulting (process mapping, automation, training), and System Design & Implementation (requirements, data integration, project management).

Product overview

Trade Forward offers a unified software and services portfolio centered on the TradeScope cloud analytics platform. TradeScope provides three integrated analytical modules—Global Trade Analytics (core platform), Tariff Impact Analyzer, and Sourcing Impact on Duty Spend—that work together to deliver tariff modeling, trade analytics, and duty optimization. These software products are complemented by three professional service offerings: Global Trade Managed Services (product classification, FTA management, import/export operations), Trade & Supply Chain Consulting (process mapping, software selection, industry training), and System Design & Implementation (requirements documentation, data integration, project management).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TradeScope: Comprehensive global trade analytics platform including Tariff Impact Analyzer, Trade Analytics, and Duty Optimization modules

Products and services

• TradeScope Global Trade Analytics Cloud-based analytics platform providing tariff modeling, trade analytics, and duty optimization capabilities for organizations managing global trade operations. Sold through tiered subscription plans (Starter, Pro, Enterprise).
• Global Trade Managed Services Professional services including product classification, free trade agreement management, and import/export operations oversight with compliance auditing for clients.
• Trade & Supply Chain Consulting Consulting services covering process mapping and benchmarking, software solutions and automation identification, and tailored industry training programs.
• System Design & Implementation Project-based services including defining functional and technical requirements, integrating data from critical business systems, and comprehensive end-to-end project management.

Quantifiable outcome

• Enable smarter pricing decisions and maintain profitability amid tariff uncertainties
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• e2opencoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTrade Forward serves as a strategic implementation partner for e2open, a global trade management software provider. Their team is described as highly knowledgeable, reliable, and adds immediate value to e2open customers' global trade operations. Trade Forward allows the e2open Professional Services team to focus on growth while providing support for implementation efforts.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Livingston International: Livingston provides customs brokerage, trade compliance consulting, and managed services for North American importers and exporters — directly comparable to Trade Forward's managed services and consulting offerings.
• Integration Point: Integration Point is a trade compliance and global trade management software provider offering classification, FTA management, and analytics capabilities — directly comparable to Trade Forward's TradeScope platform and managed services portfolio.
• Descartes Visual Compliance: Descartes Visual Compliance provides export compliance, denied-party screening, and trade content solutions, overlapping directly with Trade Forward's export compliance and international documentation services.

Broad incumbents

• Avalara: Avalara is a large, publicly traded tax compliance platform that has expanded into trade and customs content, overlapping with Trade Forward's duty optimization and tariff analytics offerings as part of a much broader compliance portfolio.
• Oracle Global Trade Management: Oracle GTM is an enterprise trade management module embedded in Oracle's supply chain suite, serving the same large multinational importers and exporters that Trade Forward targets via its TradeScope platform.
• SAP Global Trade Services (GTS): SAP GTS is an enterprise global trade management suite covering customs management, compliance, and preference processing — a broad incumbent that competes for the same enterprise RFPs Trade Forward's customer base issues.

Others

• KPMG Trade & Customs Services: KPMG's Trade & Customs practice provides customs advisory, FTA optimization, and trade compliance transformation consulting, overlapping with Trade Forward's consulting and trade compliance work.
• Crowe LLP Global Trade Advisory: Crowe's Global Trade Advisory practice offers trade compliance consulting, FTA management, and customs audit services, comparable to Trade Forward's consulting and managed services lines.

Emerging players

• Flexport: Flexport is a digital freight forwarder that has built customs brokerage and trade compliance software, intersecting with Trade Forward's customs and trade compliance analytics and operations work.
• Michelsons International Trade Services: Michelsons provides customs brokerage, tariff classification, and trade compliance services to mid-market importers, comparable in size and service profile to Trade Forward's managed services portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/trade-forward-llc
• Instagraminstagram.com/trade.forward

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 Trade Forward