Company
Empowering airlines to capitalize on global e-commerce growth
Focused on innovation
and excellence.
The SmartKargo team is a powerhouse of air cargo knowledge and technological innovation. With decades of experience in software development and large-scale deployments, and a deep understanding of commercial aviation, we are well-positioned to lead the way.

SmartKargo was founded at MIT in 2006, as a class project that became a finalist in the school’s $100K Entrepreneurship Competition
The original focus was RFID-based solutions with many use cases, including express logistics; the project goal was to build “FedEx-like” technology for logistics providers.

Saw a need at Kingfisher Airlines and helped to launch a brand Kingfisher Express
Acquired a global customer base of 25+ Airlines using SmartKargo SaaS

Deployed SmartKargo e-commerce solution for Azul Airlines in Brazil to launch Azul Express
Industry’s first Airline centric express parcel solution in the world










Engaged with large global airlines to replicate the success with Azul and engage in more areas than just SaaS to accelerate adoption and multiply revenue streams
Our People
Meet our team

Brian Shortsleeve
Board Member
United States
Brian Shortsleeve is passionate about helping founders and CEOs win in their markets by applying his experience driving operational excellence and executing strategic acquisitions.
Prior to founding M33, Brian served as the Chief Administrator and Acting General Manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). He was handpicked by Governor Charlie Baker in 2015 to develop a plan to put the MBTA on the path to long-term fiscal sustainability. During his tenure, Brian led efforts to reduce the operating deficit, leverage technology and industry partnerships to modernize business processes and accelerate the pace of state-of-good-repair capital investment.
Before the MBTA, Brian spent 14 years in strategy consulting and investing at Bain & Company, H.I.G. Capital, and most recently, General Catalyst, where he served as a managing director and led investments in software and technology-enabled services companies. Brian served on the boards Axium Software (acquired by Deltek), CLEAResult (acquired by General Atlantic), Envoy Global, Oceans Healthcare, Oceans Healthcare, and OGSystems (acquired by Parsons).
Brian is a Massachusetts native, graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Business School, and served as a Marine officer in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the Persian Gulf. He has been named one the 50 Most Influential People in Boston by the Boston Business Journal and The Boston Globe named him to the “2016 Game Changers” list, which recognizes leaders doing extraordinary things to reshape life and work in the greater Boston area.

Chris Cheever
Board Member
United States
Chris is a determined company builder, who works tirelessly with founders, management teams, and the boards of Fontinalis portfolio companies to make them successful. He has been rolling up his sleeves since the very beginning, co-founding Fontinalis over a decade ago. Chris believes first in extraordinary people and second in big ideas, bringing the best of both together throughout his career.
Chris has broad interests and has worked with the boards of companies in weather tech, microlocation, advanced materials, cargo software, industrial drones, industrial robotics, metal additive manufacturing, location based social networks, telematics, autonomous vehicles, and mobile payments. Chris currently serves on the Board of Directors of ClimaCell, Humatics, Nano-C, SmartKargo, and Verity Studios and serves as a Board Observer for Vecna Robotics and VulcanForms. Previously, Chris served as a Director of Life360 (IPO in May of 2019) and Synovia Solutions (acquired by CalAmp in April 2019). Chris also served as a Board Observer of nuTonomy (acquired by Delphi/Aptiv in November 2017) and Parkmobile (acquired by BMW Group in January 2018).
Prior to Fontinalis, Chris worked for LaunchCapital, an early stage venture capital firm, where he evaluated and executed early-stage principal investments. Previously, Chris worked at Highbridge Principal Strategies (now known as “HPS”), a multi-billion-dollar private equity and mezzanine investment business. Prior to business school, Chris worked at UBS in New York.
Chris earned his Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Yale School of Management and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Harvard University. Chris works in Boston and is a happy father of three. He loves outdoor activities and the mountains and the societal benefits of the Fontinalis investment strategy.

Ron Tilles
Board Member
United States
Ron has been taking investment positions in public and private companies for over twenty years. He specializes in life sciences but is also involved in technology, cryptocurrencies, fashion and real estate. Ron earned his Master’s degree in Business Administration from Columbia University in New York and his Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude from Middlebury College in Vermont.

Milind Tavshikar
Chief Executive Officer
United States
Milind is responsible for leadership, integration, and strategy. He has over 25 years of experience in envisioning and creating technology products and solutions for the world’s most critical business challenges. He possesses a unique combination of deep skills in information technology, broad experience in business management, and champions best practices in global leadership.
At SmartKargo, Milind is hands-on, involved in all aspects of the business and assisting the teams that grow the company. He works with the product architecture group to design new features to keep pace with rapid industry change. He works with the support team to understand customer requirements and resolve customer issues. He works with the accounting team to ensure company financials remain in good order. He enjoys being in the field and interacting directly with customers, and helps the sales team to close new business and write SmartKargo success stories.
Milind is a speaker at industry conferences and has co-authored a paper published by MIT’s Center for Digital Innovation. Milind holds a B.S. in Computer Engineering, and graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a MIT Sloan Fellow.

Pras Gogwekar
Chief Operating Officer
United States
Co-founder and Strategy architect of the company, pivoting the company from an RFID based edge systems and services provider to a Cloud-based ERP leader in Air cargo & logistics space with the SmartKargo brand. Playing a key role between 2017-2020 to influence strategies for Airlines in South America and North America to move from pure-play air cargo to embracing direct connectivity with eCommerce and expand their solution offering to cover end-to-end logistics with minimal CAPEX. As a person who drives data-driven management, designed core management dashboards for Real-time Revenue Vs Cost management and forecasting to enable vital cost control and influence revenue generation strategies and minimize DSO during the COVID-19 timeframe. Reorganized Azure governance strategies, policies, auto-scaling and storage techniques with an effective 20% impact on the bottom line. Added latest Azure DR and security strategies including Azure front door/application gateway with web application firewalls.
Enhanced information intelligence strategies from pure-play Tableau based descriptive and diagnostic models to Azure ML predictive models. These are designed as additional product offerings to bring efficiencies and additional business insights for customers. Azure BOT framework (luis.ai &QnAmaker.ai) is integrated with the ML solutions and is made available to customers to enhance their business efficiencies as needed. Enhanced the SmartKargo Product and made it multi-lingual to include business processes in Portuguese and Spanish in addition to English. Built a Centers of Excellence in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and hired and built cross-functional teams to execute and support logistics initiatives in South America. Established a COE in Philippines grounds up and hired and groomed up a local team in Manila Philippines. In one case, brought independent cargo organizations across 9 airline subsidiaries under a standardized digital business process and best practices platform.

Milind Tavshikar
Chief Executive Officer
United States
Milind is responsible for leadership, integration, and strategy. He has over 25 years of experience in envisioning and creating technology products and solutions for the world’s most critical business challenges. He possesses a unique combination of deep skills in information technology, broad experience in business management, and champions best practices in global leadership.
At SmartKargo, Milind is hands-on, involved in all aspects of the business and assisting the teams that grow the company. He works with the product architecture group to design new features to keep pace with rapid industry change. He works with the support team to understand customer requirements and resolve customer issues. He works with the accounting team to ensure company financials remain in good order. He enjoys being in the field and interacting directly with customers, and helps the sales team to close new business and write SmartKargo success stories.
Milind is a speaker at industry conferences and has co-authored a paper published by MIT’s Center for Digital Innovation. Milind holds a B.S. in Computer Engineering, and graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a MIT Sloan Fellow.

Pras Gogwekar
Chief Operating Officer
United States
Co-founder and Strategy architect of the company, pivoting the company from an RFID based edge systems and services provider to a Cloud-based ERP leader in Air cargo & logistics space with the SmartKargo brand. Playing a key role between 2017-2020 to influence strategies for Airlines in South America and North America to move from pure-play air cargo to embracing direct connectivity with eCommerce and expand their solution offering to cover end-to-end logistics with minimal CAPEX. As a person who drives data-driven management, designed core management dashboards for Real-time Revenue Vs Cost management and forecasting to enable vital cost control and influence revenue generation strategies and minimize DSO during the COVID-19 timeframe. Reorganized Azure governance strategies, policies, auto-scaling and storage techniques with an effective 20% impact on the bottom line. Added latest Azure DR and security strategies including Azure front door/application gateway with web application firewalls.
Enhanced information intelligence strategies from pure-play Tableau based descriptive and diagnostic models to Azure ML predictive models. These are designed as additional product offerings to bring efficiencies and additional business insights for customers. Azure BOT framework (luis.ai &QnAmaker.ai) is integrated with the ML solutions and is made available to customers to enhance their business efficiencies as needed. Enhanced the SmartKargo Product and made it multi-lingual to include business processes in Portuguese and Spanish in addition to English. Built a Centers of Excellence in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and hired and built cross-functional teams to execute and support logistics initiatives in South America. Established a COE in Philippines grounds up and hired and groomed up a local team in Manila Philippines. In one case, brought independent cargo organizations across 9 airline subsidiaries under a standardized digital business process and best practices platform.

Olivier Houri
Executive Vice President
United States
Olivier leads SmartKargo’s high-growth strategy as EVP and Chief Revenue Officer, overseeing strategic corporate initiatives including Business Development, Marketing, and Global Account Service. Prior to joining the executive team at SmartKargo, Olivier spent over 20 years serving the Air Transport industry, first by leading the Global Air Transport Consulting Practice at Cap Gemini Ernst & Young and more recently as the President and General Manager of Unisys Global Travel & Transportation business.
With his background in the Aviation industry and Management Consulting, Olivier gained first-hand experience from the many prominent executives he worked with. At SmartKargo, Olivier works with other SmartKargo Management Team members to coordinate initiatives in Finance, Product Roadmap and with Global Delivery teams to ensure SmartKargo continues market leadership in product innovation and stays ahead of industry trends.

Hayden Condon
Chief Financial Officer
Greater Boston
Responsible for managing the financial, and administrative functions of the company. He supervises all invoicing and collections, manages expenses, coordinates tax and payroll-related activity with external agencies, and reports results to the team and the board. He has over 20 years of experience with both small and large organizations.

Mohan Kash
Managing Director
United States
Mohan is responsible for the overall Product Architecture, Development, Delivery, and periodic Releases for all global customers. As part of the executive team, he is responsible for the complete India Operations and P&L as a full-time Director.
Before QID, Mohan spent 8 years in an investment role at a Family Investment Office and at a startup Merchant Banking firm. Prior to investment roles, Mohan has 10+ years of leading software product management, design, development, and delivery teams for various companies including Microsoft.
Mohan holds a Master’s in Business Administration from MIT Sloan School of Management and a Bachelor of Engineering from Nagpur University.

Guanshan Tong
Senior Vice President, eCommerce Business Development and AI Strategy
United States
Dr. Tong is responsible for growing eCommerce business, especially in Asia. He also plays a key role in driving strategic initiatives especially those leveraging AI technologies, fostering innovation, and ensuring we continue to deliver outstanding value to our clients and stakeholders.
Guanshan brings an impressive array of experience and accomplishments to our team. With two decades in the industry, he consistently demonstrated exceptional technical leadership, strategic vision, and a commitment to driving excellence. Guanshan holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Chicago and an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management.

Kedar Paricharak
VP - Delivery
India

Kedar Paricharak
VP - Delivery
India
Kedar boasts an impressive three decades of industry experience, enriched by his expertise in Airline Cargo, Logistics, and BFSI, complemented by advanced technical skills in software development. His profound knowledge in Air Cargo logistics, coupled with a robust technical background, fuels innovation and enhances efficiency in every project. As the Vice President of Delivery, Kedar oversees customer success across India, Asia Pacific, Africa, and Europe. Additionally, he serves as the whole-time director of our India subsidiary, ensuring excellence in all operations.

Felippe Feitosa
VP - Delivery
Brazil

Felippe Feitosa
VP - Delivery
Brazil
Felippe Feitosa, VP of Delivery at SmartKargo, plays a pivotal role in ensuring the success of Azul Cargo Express in both air cargo and e-commerce delivery. With a wealth of expertise in streamlining operations and leveraging innovative logistics solutions, Felippe has helped drive Azul Cargo Express to become a leader in the dynamic e-commerce landscape. His strategic oversight and commitment to operational excellence have cemented his reputation as a forward-thinking leader in the air cargo industry.
Felippe's career journey is rooted in a strong foundation of technology and logistics. He previously honed his skills at Especialista em TI and Gol, where he gained valuable experience in integrating technological solutions with logistics operations. A graduate of Colégio Adventista de Vila Alpina, Felippe combines a deep understanding of e-commerce and air cargo with a passion for driving growth and innovation. His dedication to optimizing delivery solutions continues to make a lasting impact on the industry.

Aleena Arco
Subject Matter Expert – Head
Philippines

Aleena Arco
Subject Matter Expert – Head
Philippines
I oversee customer success in the Asia-Pacific region, with a primary focus on fostering strong client relationships through ongoing support and regular communication. My role centers on two key areas: providing best industry practices and clarifying business impacts regarding their system change request.
I also internally act as point of contact and reference for any inquiries or questions from our QA and Dev Team regarding air cargo business process.
Have also authored SK UI training documents (User Guides) that were shared with clients.

Simon Elmore
VP - Delivery
United Kingdom
Simon has worked within Air Cargo for over 25 years and specifically within Air Cargo software development for over 20 years. Holding various positions from tea boy to COO and with deep experience within product management, business analysis, and project delivery, Simon has managed teams, delivered complex solutions and directed change management programmes in over 30 countries.
I have a strong belief in the importance and wellbeing of the people behind the software coupled with the need for pragmatism and empathy within project and product leadership. When people make true, lasting connections, then anything is possible and in many cases, the day to day interaction of stakeholder teams has a much bigger influence on the outcome than a bug-free system or a perfect feature set.

Kaustubh Tavshikar
Sr. Director - Business Development, Sales, and Key Accounts Management
Asia, Middle East, and Africa

Kaustubh Tavshikar
Sr. Director - Business Development, Sales, and Key Accounts Management
Asia, Middle East, and Africa
With over 16 years of unwavering dedication to SmartKargo, Kaustubh serves as the Sr. Director of Business Development, Sales, and Key Accounts, overseeing operations across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. A trusted leader and industry expert, Kaustubh has been instrumental in driving SmartKargo's growth in these regions, building high-impact client relationships, and delivering innovative air cargo solutions tailored to meet diverse customer needs.
Throughout their tenure, Kaustubh has demonstrated an exceptional ability to identify new market opportunities, negotiate strategic partnerships, and implement scalable sales strategies that have consistently exceeded performance targets. Their commitment to excellence and a customer-first approach have solidified SmartKargo's reputation as a leading provider of cutting-edge cargo management solutions.
Kaustubh's leadership extends to mentoring dynamic sales teams, fostering collaboration, and navigating complex market challenges with agility and foresight. Their deep understanding of the air cargo and logistics landscape has been critical in SmartKargo's mission to deliver value-driven solutions for its clients worldwide.
Kaustubh is passionate about leveraging technology, innovation, and SmartKargo’s robust platform to empower businesses and drive sustainable growth across the regions they serve.

Darryl Horzelenberg
Sr. Business Solutions
Canada

Darryl Horzelenberg
Sr. Business Solutions
Canada
Darryl Horzelenberg has been in the air cargo business for over 20 years, specializing in operations, process development, and business development. Since joining SmartKargo in 2020, Darryl has grown exponentially in his role as the Senior Architect of Business Solutions, focusing on app development and optimizing operational processes. Always driven to find better and more efficient ways to work, Darryl brings innovation to his field. He resides in Ontario, Canada, with his wonderful family, enjoying traveling, skiing, and spending quality time together.

Trine Nygaard
Director - Norway Aircargo & Ecommerce
Norway

Trine Nygaard
Director - Norway Aircargo & Ecommerce
Norway
An experienced professional with extensive expertise in air cargo spanning airlines, revenue accounting, training, dangerous goods (DG), sales, operations, systems, general cargo, express services, eCommerce small parcel delivery, and logistics partnerships. Currently working with SmartKargo since December 2020, Trine has been instrumental in driving cargo solutions for customers, including Norwegian. A key highlight includes leading the implementation of Widerøe's general cargo and eCommerce operations, demonstrating a deep commitment to innovation and operational excellence in the cargo, logistics, and eCommerce sectors.

Ibrahima
Customer Success
Senegal

Ibrahima
Customer Success
Senegal
Ibrahima Talla is an accomplished Business Analyst with a strong foundation in Economics, Supply Chain, and Logistics. With over two decades of experience spanning various industries—including energy, mining, telecommunications, consulting, and retail—he brings a multidisciplinary approach to problem-solving and innovation.
At SmartKargo, Ibrahima plays a pivotal role in the company’s expansion into African markets, leveraging his deep understanding of the region to establish strategic footholds, particularly through Senegal. His expertise in local market dynamics and regulatory frameworks will be instrumental in driving SmartKargo’s growth across the continent, enhancing its ability to deliver innovative digital solutions tailored to the unique needs of African clients.
In addition to his corporate achievements, Ibrahima is a sought-after speaker at international conferences, sharing insights on local content development, supply chain optimization, and emerging trends in business process management. He also serves as a lecturer in Business Process Management at the African Institute of Management in Dakar, Senegal, mentoring the next generation of professionals.
Ibrahima’s commitment to excellence and innovation aims to position SmartKargo as a leader in digital logistics solutions and a trusted partner in Africa’s growing cargo and logistics industry.

Nishant Gawand
VP HR & Admin
India

Nishant Gawand
VP HR & Admin
India
Nishant Gawand is a dynamic leader who plays a pivotal role in shaping organizational growth and culture. As a key driver behind the company’s success, he has expertly managed the recruitment of top talent, ensuring that the organization is staffed with the best professionals to achieve its ambitious goals. Nishant's strategic leadership extends to corporate administration, where he oversees critical functions that support seamless business operations. His expertise has been instrumental in setting up over six global offices, establishing a strong international presence that enables the company to thrive in competitive markets.
In addition to his operational achievements, Nishant is deeply committed to employee engagement and fostering a culture that aligns with the company’s vision and values. He works tirelessly to create an environment where employees feel valued, motivated, and connected to the organization’s mission. By championing initiatives that promote collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity, Nishant ensures that the workplace remains dynamic and future-focused. His dedication to building a cohesive and purpose-driven culture continues to position the company as an employer of choice and a leader in its industry.

Vladimir Camacho
Vice President of Cargo Solutions & Customer Success
United States

Vladimir Camacho
Vice President of Cargo Solutions & Customer Success
United States
Vlad is a visionary leader with a deep passion for driving innovation and excellence in the air cargo and logistics industry. With over 15 years of experience spanning technology, operations, and supply chain management, he has built a reputation for transforming challenges into opportunities and delivering exceptional results. Vlad's expertise lies in blending strategic foresight with hands-on execution, ensuring the seamless integration of technology and business processes to optimize air cargo operations and logistics. His approach fosters collaboration across teams, empowering organizations to achieve growth, efficiency, and enhanced customer satisfaction.
Throughout his career, Vlad has led diverse, cross-functional teams to success in high-pressure environments. His ability to anticipate market trends in air cargo and logistics, adapt strategies, and implement cutting-edge solutions has been instrumental in driving revenue growth and operational excellence. Committed to mentorship and continuous learning, Vlad not only elevates the performance of those around him but also sets a standard of integrity and innovation. He remains a trusted partner to stakeholders, consistently delivering impactful solutions that align with long-term business objectives and advancing the air cargo industry.

Javier Cano Abundez
AVP - Accounts & Business Development
United States

Javier Cano Abundez
AVP - Accounts & Business Development
United States
Javier has over 10 years in the Cargo Airline industry – His career started at Mas Air / Latam Cargo in Mexico City taking care of the import operations and management of cargo (operation, customs, transit cargo, and warehouse). During his tenure there he moved into Ground Handling Ops management in Miami where he managed revenue management for North America. He then took over as the of Head of Cargo Handling Services, for Mas Air where he developed and established all the warehouse processes and SLAs to meet Mas’s procedures.
In 2020 he joined SmartKargo as AVP - Accounts & Business Developmentand has responsibility for accounts in the Latam region (Mas, Copa Airlines, Aerolineas Arg and Amerijet International). Javier has a bachelor’s degree from the Industrial Engineering by Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico and a Master of Business Administration from the City University Miami. He resides in the Miami regions with his family.

Edward Burek
VP of Marketing and Partnerships
United States

Edward Burek
VP of Marketing and Partnerships
United States
Edward Burek, currently serving as Vice President of Marketing and Partnerships at SmartKargo, brings over two decades of expertise in marketing, martech, and CRM, with a focus on industries including retail, banking, and logistics. Over the past four years with SmartKargo, he has been instrumental in driving marketing strategies and fostering partnerships that enhance the company’s global presence and innovation in e-commerce logistics.
Prior to his tenure at SmartKargo, Edward led product marketing initiatives for Pega AI, spearheaded IBM’s social analytics solutions, and held Head of Marketing roles at various startups, where he played a pivotal role in driving growth and brand development. Edward holds undergraduate degrees from Rutgers University and an MBA from Northeastern University, exemplifying a strong foundation in both business and academic excellence.

Chris Grey
VP - Business Development
United States

Chris Grey
VP - Business Development
United States
With a diverse background in leading both small teams within large companies and driving brand development in startups, I specialize in building strong brands and executing sales strategies that deliver results. My experience spans from navigating corporate structures to launching successful products in agile, entrepreneurial environments.

Natasha Gupta Dugrakoti
Director - HR
India

Natasha Gupta Dugrakoti
Director - HR
India
Natasha is a strategic and agile HR leader with over 15 years of diverse experience in multiple aspects of employee experience, having led the Business HR function at tech-led global SIs. Known for aligning people strategies with business objectives, she fosters trust and builds strong relationships through innovative OD interventions and a collaborative, empathetic approach.
She is an MBA graduate with dual specialization in Human Resources and Marketing ,HR Analytics enthusiast and a certified Professional life coach.
As the Director of People Success at SmartKargo, Natasha is a strategic partner who drives transformative HR initiatives that enhance employee experience, foster a positive workplace culture, and enables organizational success. Her expertise spans talent management, communication, HR analytics, and process optimization, underscoring her commitment to continuous improvement and embracing change.
Natasha exemplifies emotional intelligence and ethical leadership and plays a pivotal role in advancing the HR function as a key enabler of business growth.

Rodney Small
VP E-commerce Business Development
United States

Rodney Small
VP E-commerce Business Development
United States
Vice President of E-commerce Business Development joins SmartKargo with an impressive background in e-commerce and business development, having held leadership roles at Pandion, Acutan, and Buy Postage Online, Print USPS Stamps and Shipping Labels. With a wealth of experience in building strategic partnerships and driving growth, Rodney’s expertise is instrumental in advancing SmartKargo’s e-commerce initiatives and fostering strong relationships with key stakeholders.

Bill Tavares
Vice President Operations
United States

Bill Tavares
Vice President Operations
United States
Vice President of Operations has over 25 years of comprehensive experience in transportation management, Bill brings an exceptional blend of expertise, leadership, and innovative thinking to the SmartKargo team. Bill has a proven track record of driving operational excellence, optimizing supply chain efficiency, and leading transformative solutions to complex transportation challenges. His strategic approach has consistently delivered substantial improvements in cost management, process optimization, and service quality throughout his distinguished career.
Prior to joining SmartKargo, Bill served as Vice President of Transportation Operations at Pitney Bowes E-Commerce. Additionally, during his eight-year tenure at Amazon.com. Spend less. Smile more. , Bill held several key positions that further honed his skills in logistics management and operational strategy.
Meet the innovators we have partnered with
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Our Expertise
Our industry certifications demonstrate our commitment to quality, security, and compliance. These certifications validate our expertise and ensure our clients can trust us to deliver reliable and trustworthy solutions.