Student Startup Revolutionizes Freight Shipping

Share this content

Published:
May 18, 2016

Freight handling operations spend a lot of money to obtain the required picture, dimension and weight data for every piece of cargo they move. But their data transmission systems for tracking this information is either outdated or expensive. With the International Maritime Organization’s new Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) mandates starting in July 2016, verifying the exact weight of cargo is more important than ever.

To fill this need, WNCG student Todd Goodall and his team have cofounded Cargo Spectre, a startup that uses infrared technology to scan and measure any package, parcel or piece of freight to within a 0.5in accuracy. The device, which is easy and inexpensive to install, scans and exports the data required by the federal government automatically and is compatible with most software.

Cargo Spectre cofounders include: CEO Jason Joachim, CTO Jeremy Joachim, Software Engineer Michael Glombicki, CPO Shai Bernstein, and Visual Systems Analyst Todd Goodall.

“We started working on this project in 2014 after Jeremy graduated from UT Austin with a masters in electrical and computer engineering,” Goodall states. “Jeremy and his older brother Jason discussed the need for a device that could scan 3D objects from a distance while remaining affordable. Jeremy formed the Cargo Spectre team based on what everyone could contribute toward that goal and we’ve had biweekly meetings ever since.”

According to Goodall, Cargo Spectre is selling the product to warehousing companies, and any company where freight must be measured and weighed. The federal government now requires that all shipments contain a precise weight. The Cargo Spectre product will be certified by the National Type Evaluation Program, which certifies that measuring and weighing devices meet US standards.

“Our product is the solution to avoiding additional cost when the SOLAS requirements come into effect,” Goodall states.

Based on his experience with cofounding a startup over the last few years, Goodall had some advice for current students hoping to one day start their own company as well.

“Don’t be afraid to take on new challenges,” Goodall states. “Certain ideas will inevitably fall along the way and change the face of the product. Get insight from potential customers to see what they have to say. If you spend a year developing a feature no one wants, that’s wasted development time that could have been avoided by just talking to consumers.”

For more on Cargo Spectre, visit their website at: http://www.cargospectre.com/

 

Update: This article was edited on June 1, 2018 to update information about the startup team as well as update the link to the company website.