Glīd is building an autonomous shortcut to move freight from road to rail — catch it at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025

Kevin Damoa, the founder of Glīd Technologies, first encountered the complexities of freight logistics at just 17 while serving in the U.S. Army, where he was responsible for loading military vehicles onto trains. This formative experience ignited his passion for logistics, which continued during his 13 years in the U.S. Air Force National Guard and various roles in the private sector, including notable companies like SpaceX and Northrup Grumman. In 2022, while working on Harley-Davidson's e-bike venture, Damoa revisited the challenges of transferring freight from road to rail. "I had my come-to-Jesus moment," he shared, reflecting on the congested state of railways and roads and the alarming number of road fatalities. He realized that the difficulty of moving goods from road to rail was a significant barrier to utilizing rail transport more effectively. Damoa identified the cumbersome multi-step process involved in moving containers from ships to freight trains as the core issue. This realization led to the establishment of Glīd Technologies, a startup focused on improving this logistics bottleneck. Competing in the Startup Battlefield at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025, Glīd aims not to replace trains but rather to enhance the initial mile of transportation—from port to railroad—especially within large industrial areas. Damoa highlighted, "The first mile is where all your problems happen. It’s where containers are unloaded and sorted, a process that remains inefficient and complicated." Currently, when a ship docks, cranes and hostler trucks are employed to handle containers, which are then transported to stacks before being loaded onto freight trains, often requiring multiple equipment changes. Glīd has introduced innovative hardware and software solutions to streamline this process. Their flagship product, GliderM, is a hybrid-electric vehicle designed to directly transport containers to railheads, eliminating the need for traditional forklifts and hostler trucks. Additionally, they are developing logistics software and a unique platform known as Rāden, capable of autonomously navigating between road and rail. Damoa described their system as akin to a baton race, emphasizing the importance of maximizing container movement within the first mile to optimize costs. By bypassing the need for multiple vehicles, Glīd offers a more cost-effective mobility-as-a-service model. Customers pay an annual subscription of $300,000 for access to GliderM or Rāden, along with their logistics software, at a significantly lower cost per ton-mile compared to current industry standards. With a focus on short rail systems and industrial parks, Glīd has secured partnerships with four short line railroads and various transport facilities. The startup has attracted substantial investor interest, raising $7.1 million, with a post-money valuation of $35 million, following a successful pre-seed funding round led by Outlander VC. For those eager to learn more about Glīd and explore other innovative startups, TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 will take place from October 27 to 29 in San Francisco, featuring engaging pitches and discussions.