At Brilliant Read Media, it is our constant endeavour to identify and share some of the unique and compelling stories from the startup ecosystem. As part of this, we invited Rekha Laur Atri for an interview with Brilliant Read Media. To say further, Rekha is an Entrepreneur and Co-Founder & CEO at iKargos.com. Let’s learn more about her background, inspiring journey so far and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Rekha:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
My professional journey began in 2008, after completing my MBA, when I entered the world of management consulting. Over the next ten years, I had the opportunity to work with clients across India, Australia, and the US, helping solve complex business challenges across diverse industries. These experiences shaped my analytical thinking and gave me a global view of how businesses operate — and where they often fall short.
In 2018, I made a conscious pivot into the logistics space by joining Prashant in his logistics venture. What struck me immediately was the sheer inefficiency embedded in the industry. Global shipping lines and logistics companies — the arteries of global trade — were still running on Excel sheets and disjointed legacy systems. The disconnect between the massive scale of global commerce and the lack of digitisation was impossible to ignore.
Then came the COVID-19 pandemic — and those inefficiencies were laid bare. Essential goods, including life-saving medicines, were delayed or stranded. It wasn’t just border closures that crippled global supply chains; it was the absence of robust, digital systems. The invisible thread connecting production and consumption across continents was fundamentally broken.
It was in the midst of this disruption that the idea for iKargos began to take shape. I saw an urgent need — and a meaningful opportunity — to build a tech-first platform that could bring transparency, speed, and resilience to global logistics. What started as a response to a global crisis has since evolved into a mission to modernise the backbone of international trade.
‘iKargos.com’ is such a unique name; talk us through more about it, please.
The name iKargos stands for “international cargo” — a reflection of our core mission: simplifying cross-border trade through technology.
Founded on 27th May 2020, iKargos.com is a tech-first platform focused on digitally rebuilding the infrastructure of global trade. Our mission is to make international logistics transparent, efficient, and accessible for Indian businesses — whether they’re small startups or large-scale exporters.
What truly sets us apart is this: iKargos is not just a logistics company. We’re a digital transformation engine for global shipping.
We’re reimagining the way international cargo moves by:
a) Automating complex documentation
b) Simplifying freight booking
c) Seamlessly integrating customs compliance
d) Providing end-to-end visibility — all within a single, unified platform
Our goal is simple yet powerful: to empower Indian exporters, importers, and freight forwarders with the tools and technology they need to compete globally — without being slowed down by outdated systems, intermediaries, or opaque processes.
At iKargos, we’re not just moving cargo — we’re moving global trade into the future.
Our audience would also love to know what kind of problem you are solving?
When we started iKargos, we knew international logistics was broken. But as we dug deeper, the true extent of the complexity revealed itself — it was more fragmented, opaque, and outdated than we had imagined.
Take something as seemingly straightforward as importing a shipment of mobile phones into India. The average importer has no idea where to begin. What compliances are required — BIS, WPC, ETA, EPR, LMPC? What licenses need to be secured? How much duty, GST, or freight charges will apply? There’s no single source of truth. No centralised platform. Just a maze of disconnected service providers, regulatory hurdles, and manual processes.
The current supply chain ecosystem is a nightmare.
> No transparency in pricing
> No visibility of cargo
> Almost zero digitisation
> Scattered communication and endless physical documents
> Frequent errors and delays due to non-compliance
> Rampant hidden charges and fragmented services
Shippers, consignees, and even logistics providers are constantly struggling to keep up. That’s the broken system we set out to fix with iKargos.com.
We built a platform that sits at the centre of this chaotic ecosystem and connects the dots. iKargos brings shippers, consignees, and service providers into a single, interoperable digital network. Instead of interacting with 10–12 disconnected players, our users now deal with just three key entities — including iKargos as their end-to-end logistics partner.
Through our platform, users can:
– Get live pricing, slot availability, schedules, and inventory
– Book, track, and manage shipments in just a few clicks
– Automate documentation and compliance
– Eliminate guesswork and surprises
– We’ve transformed what used to be a clunky, manual process into a smooth, tech-enabled experience.
The impact?
a) 15–20% cost savings
b) 100% cargo visibility
c) Up to 70% reduction in manual effort and documentation
At the heart of iKargos is technology — built on three foundational pillars:
i) Fluid interfaces across web and mobile for fast adoption and user-friendly workflows
ii) A global supplier and agent network spanning 158 countries, ensuring operational reach and reliability
iii) AI and data-driven intelligence powering:
~ Optimised rate selection
~ Accurate availability forecasting
~ Smart ETA calculations
~ Proactive risk detection
~ Custom dashboards and insights
Today, iKargos operates in 17 locations across India, with our first international office in Dubai. As we grow, we’re not just expanding operations — we’re bringing structure and scale to the world’s most critical, yet overlooked, infrastructure: global trade.
At iKargos, we’re not just solving logistics problems. We’re rebuilding global trade infrastructure — one shipment at a time.
Could you please share with our audience about your milestones?
At iKargos, our journey has been rooted in solving real, on-the-ground problems in logistics — and that unwavering focus has translated into strong, consistent growth.
To date, we’ve served over 4,000 customers — from nimble MSMEs to large global MNCs — and facilitated the movement of 10,000+ international shipments. Our platform has helped businesses navigate the complexities of global trade with ease, transparency, and confidence.
One of the metrics we’re most proud of:
Zero shipment delays due to compliance issues — made possible by our robust documentation systems and regulatory automation engine.
Our growth has been 3–5x year-on-year, driven almost entirely by word-of-mouth and product-led adoption, with less than 1% spent on sales and marketing. This reflects the depth of the pain point we’re solving — and the strength of the solution we’ve built.
On the financial front, we crossed ₹100 crore in revenue in FY 2024–25, while maintaining a capital-efficient model. iKargos generates significantly higher revenue per dollar of funding compared to others in the space — a testament to our disciplined execution and scalable technology.
Our team now operates across 17 locations in India, and we’ve recently opened our first international office in Dubai. With each new location, our network strengthens, our service quality deepens, and our mission scales further.
What are your future plans?
The next phase of iKargos is all about strategic growth, deeper tech integration, and global scale.
Our revenue trajectory is set to grow exponentially as we expand into new geographies — both within India and internationally. But for us, expansion isn’t just about adding offices. Each new location unlocks an entire logistics ecosystem — new suppliers, trade routes, customer clusters, and service opportunities. Our approach is deliberate and disciplined — every red pin on our map adds measurable value to our network.
On the product front, our focus areas are clear:
– Expanding our commodity portfolio — with a sharp focus on high-regulation sectors like chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and FMCG, where our compliance automation adds the most value
– Opening new trade lanes, enabling customers to access more destinations with better rates, faster transit, and improved service levels
– Leveraging technology to drive efficiency at every step — from intelligent documentation workflows to real-time compliance checks and live cargo tracking
As we scale, the operating leverage of our model becomes increasingly powerful.
With fixed costs absorbing a smaller share of growing revenues, our EBITDA margins are poised to rise steadily. That’s the advantage of building a tech-first, high-margin platform in an industry that’s traditionally low-tech and low-efficiency.
At iKargos, we’re not just scaling a company — we’re modernising global trade infrastructure in a way that’s lean, intelligent, and built for the future.
What would be your advice to aspiring entrepreneurs?
If I had to offer just one piece of advice, it would be this:
Believe in the India story — not just as a market, but as a movement.
We are living in a rare moment of alignment — where innovation, policy, and ambition are coming together like never before. This is our moment to build — not just for ourselves, but for the future of our country.
Let’s work together to make India great once again — a global leader in trade, technology, and entrepreneurship, just as it once was.
Alongside Jai Jawan and Jai Kisaan, this is the era of Jai Vigyaan and Jai Udyami.
Your ideas, your persistence, and your courage to build — these are the forces that will shape India’s next chapter.
So take the leap. There has never been a better time to be an entrepreneur in India.
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
