Zipments Same Day Delivery Platform Receives Financing From FirstMark Capital and NYCEDC

NEW YORK, Sept. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and FirstMark Capital announced today an investment in Zipments, an online service platform for same day delivery.  This investment came from the New York City Entrepreneurial Fund, which has provided investment to a variety of early stage NYC companies since launching in 2010.  Zipments also received funding from the Windquest Group in Grand Rapids, MI.

Zipments provides businesses with simple online tools for requesting affordable same day delivery service throughout New York City.  Industry experts are calling same day delivery the "holy grail" for both e-commerce and brick and mortar retailers and Zipments joins a group of startups looking to solve the logistical challenges of fast, affordable delivery of local goods.

What makes Zipments unique from other firms in this space is it brings "collaborative commerce" to the same day delivery sector, encouraging better efficiency, higher quality of service, and market driven approach to local logistics.  NYC has proven to be the ideal launch market for this model. 

"Collaboration of resources and transparency of the network are key elements for any local delivery service to be effective on a larger scale," said Garrick Pohl, CEO of Zipments.  "The NYC messenger community exemplifies these qualities, where individuals work together in a collaborative manner to provide fast, reliable deliveries.  We've worked closely with this community to design a solution that not only meets the needs of urban areas like New York City, but is also scalable to other markets around the country."

Zipments provides businesses with a simple solution for getting items delivered within hours at a cost well below traditional standard 2-3 day shipping offered by large carriers.  Zipments also provides an accessible, enterprise grade platform for individual couriers and courier companies, offering innovative tracking, payment processing and dispatching functions. 

"E-Commerce continues to grow significantly.   Zipments provides the bridge between online ordering and offline delivery for both web-based and traditional retailers," stated Rick Heitzmann, founder and Managing Director of FirstMark Capital.

Zipments service is now available throughout NYC with standard same day deliveries available in Manhattan for $9.00 and three-hour deliveries for $10.00.  Businesses can also use Zipments for batched deliveries where multiple items are delivered along designated routes.  A variety of deliveries can be requested through Zipments simply by visiting www.zipments.com.  Requests are dispatched to Zipments couriers throughout the city, based on couriers' locations and whether the items can be delivered via bike messenger or vehicle courier. 

The company and its investors view same day delivery as a primary way for local businesses to provide more value to their customers.  "Businesses, both large and small, are investing in a variety of online tools to help their customers," said Pohl.  "Evidence has shown that local, same day delivery allows businesses to expand their geographic markets and helps to build customer loyalty.  Our platform enables any business to offer 'delivery as a service' to their customers in just a few short steps."

About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation is the City's primary vehicle for promoting economic growth in each of the five boroughs. NYCEDC's mission is to stimulate growth through expansion and redevelopment programs that encourage investment, generate prosperity and strengthen the City's competitive position. NYCEDC serves as an advocate to the business community by building relationships with companies that allow them to take advantage of New York City's many opportunities.

About FirstMark Capital
Based in New York City, FirstMark Capital invests in ground-breaking companies that are creating new markets with innovative technology solutions or fundamentally changing existing markets by applying a fresh approach and new business model. A venture leader with nearly $2 billion in capital commitments, FirstMark's team of investment and operations professionals have decades of real-world experience and leadership in core technology markets, making the firm uniquely qualified to offer industry insight, relationships and the operational expertise to build lasting businesses. For more information, please visit www.firstmarkcap.com.

SOURCE Zipments