Rider raises $3.1m in second seed round.

KARACHI -- Logistics start-up Rider, which aims to create an Amazon-like next-day delivery service for e-commerce businesses, has raised $3.1 million in a seed round, a press statement said on Monday.

It announced the funding from American technology startup accelerator Y Combinator and new investors, including i2i Ventures, Flexport, Soma Capital and Rebel Fund. The round also included existing investors such as Global Founders Capital, Fatima Gobi Ventures and TPL E-Ventures along with the notable angel investor Arash Ferdowsi, co-founder of Dropbox.

With this seed round, Rider has now raised a total of $5.4m since September 2021.

Founded in 2019, Rider has been building a network of sorting hubs, urban delivery centres and a digitised fleet, offering online sellers in Pakistan a next-day delivery service. The platform offers route optimisation for delivery agents, live tracking and scheduling for buyers, and a digitised warehousing function for sellers.

The company is led by Salman Allana, a former UPS Pakistan executive and son of Habib Bank Ltd chairman Sultan Ali Allana.

Since their...