Fusing crowdsourcing, e-commerce, and automated parcel terminals. How the Ukrainian startup YARD works

In our recurring segment Who Are These People, Vector offers founders the opportunity to discuss their projects, covering topics like such as their products, marketing strategies, monetisation, investments, and business plans. The focus this time is on the Ukrainian startup YARD Delivery. The team developed a mobile app to facilitate express delivery between automated parcel terminals throughout the city. The service relies on crowdsourced couriers and existing parcel locker infrastructure.

Editor-in-chief Yuliia Tkach interviewed YARD Delivery’s CEO and co-founder Oleksandr Korniichuk about the product’s features, promotion, investments, and further plans.

Conception

YARD Delivery has two co-founders:

• Oleksandr Korniichuk, CEO. With more than a decade of experience in global B2B sales, team building, and startup development, Korniichuk has also launched his own business projects, including last-mile logistical solutions. Oleksandr provides mentorship in several startup accelerators.
• Serhii Tarasiuk, CPO. Tarasiuk brings more than five years of development experience and has contributed to the launch of multiple projects. He worked as a full-stack developer.

The co-founders started developing the business in 2022, with the product making its market début in March 2024. As stated by Oleksandr: «Before YARD, we worked with multiple international companies, delivering last-mile solutions in Poland, the UK, and the US. We discovered through this experience the critical role of fast and convenient delivery for our customers. We decided to make same-day delivery accessible to all, ensuring it is as seamless and quick as the standard next-day delivery from key players like Nova Poshta in Ukraine.

At YARD, we aim to integrate crowdsourcing, e-commerce, and automated parcel terminal networks to redefine the landscape of online shopping. With the integration of APTs, customers can receive their orders conveniently, without the need to meet a courier. This allows businesses to expedite their delivery processes and foster greater customer loyalty. We like to joke within the team that ‘it’s essential that e-commerce warehouses supply us with packages at the same speed we deliver them».

The team currently has over 10 specialists: «Initially, there were three co-founders, but the startup journey is full of uncertainties. One founder was overwhelmed by the pressure and left without explanation. We humorously speculated that he might have gone off to establish his own delivery service on Mars. 

We were joined by Oleksii Yukhymchuk and Stanislav Dmytryk, the former co-founders of Rocket delivery service, which sadly did not outlast the competition. They provide their insights, helping us to sidestep the pitfalls they personally experienced. Our application is being developed by IT Space, a technology company based in Lutsk, our hometown».

Product and audience

YARD Delivery is a mobile app that facilitates express delivery between automated parcel terminals throughout the city. The service relies on crowdsourced couriers and existing parcel locker infrastructure. According to Korniichuk, sending a parcel P2P only takes 20 to 30 seconds and a few clicks. 

«We also have direct integrations with e-commerce platforms. While it may look like a conventional delivery to customers, the “magic” takes place behind the scenes through our YARD Intelligence system, managing route optimisation, tracking, and coordination.

During our short time in MVP mode, we have already managed to deliver thousands of packages monthly. We have connected 32 online stores (businesses) and currently have 1,232 active users. We have 28 couriers who are always on our team. For our testing, we opted for Riga, Latvia, a major European city that proved to be a real challenge.

We cater to an audience of active people who want to receive their purchases ‘here and now’ instead of waiting for days. YARD Delivery resolves the issue of slow delivery for:

• B2C and B2B e-commerce businesses. We support stores in increasing their service speed while enhancing customer loyalty;
• private individuals acting as senders and recipients in C2C transactions. We ensure that sending parcels is easy and convenient, without the hassle of queues or delays.

“Why bother with post office visits when you can handle everything from your smartphone?”, — we ask».

Business model and marketing strategy

«The startup operates on a combination of B2C and B2B models, charging for each delivery. Customers pay for delivery with no subscriptions or hidden fees. City delivery charges:

• Two-hour express delivery: 4.5–5.5 euros per package.
• Same-day delivery: 3.5–4.5 euros per package.

«We have implemented a multi-channel strategy combining tried-and-true methods with innovative practices. We partner with local marketing agencies to tailor our campaigns to local markets and enhance brand visibility.

We proactively assess new promotion channels and improve our marketing strategy to increase reach and engagement», — says Korniichuk.

Investments 

«We kicked off our venture using our own funds, along with the backing of investors who believed in our potential during the early stages. So far, we have secured $200,000 from investors and contributed approximately $200,000 of our own capital. We collaborate with investors from Ukraine and the Baltic region, focusing primarily on logistics.

We have opened a new round of seed funding to support our scaling and exploring new market opportunities. We welcome partners who share our vision and are willing to support us».

Plans

After a successful MVP rollout and steady traction, we are now set to scale our business. Our goal is to create a global platform that facilitates instant delivery in every major city around the world.

We have received offers for a potential exit, underscoring the market’s interest in our approach. We are confident that our business model has a long runway for growth. We aim to extend our operations to new cities and countries. 

YARD is dedicated to establishing itself as a significant player in the fast last-mile delivery market through the integration of crowdsourcing, e-commerce, and automated parcel solutions. Our mission is to create a convenient infrastructure that addresses the needs of today’s customers globally», — summarises co-founder Oleksandr Korniichuk.