In a significant move for the Indian logistics sector, Shadowfax Technologies, a leading player in hyper-local and on-demand delivery services, is preparing to raise between INR 2,500 – 3,000 crore through an initial public offering (IPO). Post-IPO, the company is anticipated to achieve a valuation ranging from INR 5,000 – 8,000 crore.
Founded in 2015 by Vaibhav Khandelwal and Abhishek Bansal, Shadowfax has established a robust foothold in the logistics market, catering to businesses across India. The company has built strategic alliances with e-commerce giants such as Flipkart and Meesho, further bolstering its market position.
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The IPO announcement follows closely on the heels of Shadowfax’s successful Series E funding round in February 2024, where it secured $100 million, led by TPG NewQuest. This round also saw substantial participation from existing investors, including Mirae Asset Venture Investments (India), Flipkart, International Finance Corporation (IFC), Nokia Growth Partners, Qualcomm, and Trifecta Capital. The round enabled early investor Eight Roads Ventures to achieve a partial exit.
Despite operating in a highly competitive environment, where it contends with players such as Delhivery, Ecom Express, XpressBees, LoadShare, Ripple, and Pickrr, the logistics company has demonstrated impressive growth in terms of revenue. In the fiscal year 2022-2023 (FY23), the company reported a consolidated total operating income of ₹1,415 crore, reflecting a 43% increase from ₹991 crore in the previous year. Moreover, the company reduced its total losses from ₹176 crore to ₹143 crore during the same period, underscoring its improving operational efficiency. Currently, Shadowfax processes 1.5 million orders daily across 2,500 cities and towns in India.
Shadowfax’s ownership structure is a diverse mix of private equity funds, strategic investors, and company founders. Currently, private equity funds hold a 54% stake, with Flipkart owning 16% and the founders controlling around 20%. The remaining equity is distributed among angel investors and employees. Notably, Eight Roads Ventures remains the largest shareholder with a 25% stake, followed by Nokia Growth Partners (6.3%), Mirae Asset (5.9%), IFC (5.5%), NewQuest (3.7%), and Qualcomm (4.1%).
Shadowfax’s decision to go public is not isolated. Its competitors are also setting their sights on the public markets. Ecom Express, another major third-party logistics provider, is reportedly planning a ₹3,000 crore IPO. The company, backed by US private equity giant Warburg Pincus, which holds a 33.76% stake, is already in talks with bankers to facilitate the process. Other shareholders in Ecom Express include Switzerland-based Partners Group (17.57%) and British International Investment (6.48%).
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Similarly, XpressBees, a direct competitor founded the same year as Shadowfax, has garnered substantial backing from global investors like Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, Malaysian sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional Bhd, Blackstone, TPG, ChrysCapital, Norwest Venture Partners, and Alibaba Group Holding. XpressBees has raised approximately $356 million to date and was valued at $1.5 billion in its last funding round.
The impending IPOs of Shadowfax and its competitors signal a pivotal moment for India’s logistics industry, driven by the rapid expansion of e-commerce and the surging demand for efficient delivery services. As these companies continue to scale and expand their reach, the competition for market dominance will likely intensify, making the logistics sector a key area of focus for investors in the coming years.
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