Optimal Dynamics is trying to solve trucking’s most expensive problem: deterministic planning in a volatile market. With operating costs above 2 dollars per mile and empty miles often exceeding 18 percent, OD’s probabilistic engine aims to reduce uncertainty, improve utilization, and reshape how carriers make decisions at scale.

Baton did not fail because the relay model was flawed. It proved the math works. The challenge was density, coordination, and timing in a fragmented trucking market. This analysis examines the economics Baton uncovered and why the relay concept remains one of the most important unsolved problems in modern freight.

Gather AI is not just building drones. It is attacking one of the most expensive failures in warehousing: poor inventory visibility. With accuracy above 99 percent and cycle counting up to 15 times faster than humans, the company’s model shows why autonomous scanning may become the next major shift in distribution economics.

Pickle Robot is quietly attacking one of the most costly manual jobs in logistics: unloading trailers. With parcel volumes rising toward 30B units and warehouse turnover exceeding 40%, Pickle’s high-throughput robotic systems offer a direct path to higher dock productivity, lower labor spend, and safer warehouse operations.