Freightos’ decision to cut up to 15% of its workforce is more than a simple cost-saving exercise – pointing instead to a deeper shift in how the digital freight platform sees its future.
It’s a future increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, tighter cost control and a move closer to the decision-making layer of global logistics.
The Nasdaq-listed company said the restructuring would support its target of reaching adjusted EBITDA breakeven by the end of 2026, with the cuts expected to affect around 50–60 roles globally.
But in an interview with The Loadstar, chief executive Pablo Pinillos made clear the changes go beyond a one-off reset.
“Product engineering, due to the AI approach, has been affected… it’s the majority of the team, but not the only team,” he said, confirming AI-driven efficiency is already reshaping headcount.
The reductions span teams and regions, including go-to-market, operations and product, reflecting a business recalibrating after falling short of earlier growth expectations.
“We were set up for a type of company that was supposed to grow at certain levels. The reality… is that we are not there,” he said.
That reset now appears to be as much about redefining Freightos’ role as it is about cutting costs.
Historically a booking platform, the company is now seeking to embed itself deeper into customer workflows, rather than just facilitating transactions.
“It’s not about WebCargo on one side, marketplace or e-bookings on the other. It’s about how we combine all of that into a single value proposition, using our network effect to become the platform where decisions are taken, from pricing and quoting through to procurement and tendering,” said Mr Pinillos.
Rather than replacing transport management systems, Freightos is positioning itself alongside them, providing pricing, procurement and increasingly AI-driven decision support at the point where choices are made.
“It’s how we combine all of that to provide better value,” he said.
Artificial intelligence sits at the centre of that shift. “All of that is built through agentic AI,” he said, describing efforts to automate decisions. At the same time, AI is expected to keep costs in check.
“AI will help us to not massively grow our cost structure,” he said, adding that costs in 2026 would not increase and could fall.
That cost discipline is central to Freightos’ path to profitability, although the plan remains broadly framed.
“If you look at how we plan to deliver our numbers this year, 50%… comes from our revenue growth… and 50%… from our ability to maintain our operating costs,” he said.
Beyond that, the strategy relies on continued usage growth, higher-value “solutions” customers and improved execution, rather than a single clearly defined lever.
The company continues to grow – revenue rose some 20% last year to roughly $29m – but remains loss-making, with net losses exceeding $17m.
Mr Pinillos insisted the restructuring should be a one-off. “This should be a one-off… we reset for the stage that we want,” he said, while acknowledging performance would be closely monitored.
He also rejected the idea that the cuts reflect weakening demand.
“It wasn’t about demand slowing… we’re actually seeing much stronger usage and expansion. It’s more about focus and efficiency,” he said.
Instead, the changes appear tied to a broader repositioning under way for some time, including governance changes and a shift towards deeper customer integration and higher-value services.
“The data tell us that… a paying solutions customer books three times more on the platform,” he said.
If successful, that would position Freightos not just as a marketplace, but as a critical layer in the digital infrastructure of global freight.
The changes follow a leadership shift. Founder Zvi Schreiber stepped down from the board earlier this year, citing differences over the company’s direction, with former chief financial officer Mr Pinillos taking over as CEO. Mr Pinillos declined to expand on those differences, saying only that Dr Schreiber’s departure was his own decision, but pointed to a broader reset in governance and strategy. The lack of detail leaves open questions about how closely the company’s previous growth trajectory aligns with its current focus on cost discipline and execution.
For now, however, the company remains in transition – cutting costs, reshaping its product and leaning on AI to drive efficiency, while the precise contours of its future model, and its path to sustainable profitability, are still taking shape.
Comment on this article