What the business is
A platform that pulls procurement, forecasting and ERP data from the many clunky systems behind supply chains into one interface for companies and governments.
Starting capital
$100 million from venture firm Oak HC/FT.
How it started
Clark joined Amazon's operations division in 1999 and rose to head of global consumer in 2020, then left in 2022 to run Flexport — a stint that ended with his abrupt September 2023 resignation amid founder Ryan Petersen's claims of overspending and overhiring, which Clark contested with documents and sources. He spent a year deciding what came next and 'kept coming back to, this should not be a problem for companies with the technology that exists in the world'.
What happened
Based in Bellevue, Washington to draw on Seattle's tech talent, Auger planned to grow to about 20 employees and launch a 'V1' product within nine months. Amazon's own supply-chain management service, rolled out the year before, serves only marketplace sellers using its fulfilment network — leaving the broader market open.
What has to be true
Mid-market brands like Nike and Lululemon still stitch procurement, forecasting and ERP data together in Excel or Smartsheet, per Clark.
Amazon's competing supply-chain service covers only sellers on its own marketplace, leaving most of the market unserved.
Supply-chain-tech VC had grown three straight quarters to $2.4 billion even as total venture funding contracted.
Clark's record — building Amazon's logistics, then watching the software mess from Flexport — supplies both the credibility and the network.
What can be applied
A founder's scar tissue is the pitch: the person who watched the problem up close knows exactly which dozen systems to replace.
Aftermath
As of 8 October 2024 Auger had no product in the market: a V1 was promised within nine months, headcount around 20, backed by Oak HC/FT's $100 million.
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