In May 2024, academics from Harvard Business School began working on the case study titled “KLog.co – Charting the Course Ahead”, which became the first study of a Chilean logistics startup to be published by the prestigious American institution. For Janan Knust, founder and CEO of the company, “it’s a source of pride for the Chilean logistics industry and something that deserves recognition,” he said in a conversation with MundoMarítimo, where he shared details about the experience, his vision of the sector, and the challenges they are now facing in Mexico—currently the company's main focus for growth.

The resulting case study spans approximately 15 pages and begins by analyzing the dilemmas the company faces after more than a decade of growth without external funding. “We’ve always been known as a company that, despite its explosive growth, did things differently from other Chilean startups—we did it through the value we provide to our customers, and that drew a lot of attention,” he noted, comparing their approach with that of major players in the industry that have raised hundreds of millions in capital (Flexport, Nowports, among others). “We had the opportunity to raise capital and we turned it down, against all odds,” he added, pointing out that this decision raised questions in the case study about the pros and cons of their chosen strategy.

Traditional Freight Forwarder vs. Digital Platform

The study also highlights the dilemma of continuing to operate as a traditional freight forwarder or focusing on strengthening their SaaS (Software as a Service) digital platform. On this point, Knust emphasized: “We understand that we are a freight forwarder—that’s the core of our business. But we also understood that we didn’t want to remain part of the industry in the state it was in. That’s where we had to be bold and fully convinced that the value we needed to bring had to come from within, from a deep understanding of the business and the process of digitizing it.”

He admitted that this transformation “causes a lot of pain,” but it must be done with the conviction that “manually handling paperwork has little to no value for people. I’ve always believed in helping people reach their full potential by breaking paradigms—with a clear vision that, over time, delivers results. And we see that today in the more than 5,000 clients we serve, including major names like Casideas, Concha y Toro, and Tresmontes Lucchetti—many of whom are now using our technology to make their processes more efficient.”

However, he clarified that the real tension doesn't lie in the question of how to develop new digital products to make supply chains more efficient and transparent, but rather in how users—importers and exporters—would embrace these changes, having been part of a traditionally analog industry with almost no innovation.

He also acknowledged that, when implementing this vision with clients, they knew it would require a great deal of work as “evangelists,” and that they would also need validation from the industry itself. “If we dismissed the important achievements of the logistics sector, we’d be going down the wrong path,” he pointed out. This, he said, had to set them apart from other players with deep pockets who “believe they have the tickets to say or do whatever they want. That’s made the industry very sensitive and critical of those kinds of companies.”

Aware of this constant tension, Knust emphasized a concept that has practically become their motto: “systematize the predictable and humanize the exceptional.” Breaking it down, he explained: “Systematizing the predictable means that in this industry, we know what happens after A, B, and C. That can be systematized with technology. Why? So that we can dedicate more time to making every human interaction truly exceptional.”

Organizational Culture

KLog.co is shaped by an internal culture that developed alongside its growth, summarized in the acronym AFIRE: Alegría (Joy), Foco (Focus), Incomodidad (Discomfort), Resiliencia (Resilience), and Estudio (Study)—a driving force behind innovation and differentiation. This cultural pillar was also highlighted in the Harvard study, as it helped maintain internal motivation and commitment while enabling the company to move with agility in a competitive environment.

Specifically, the value of Discomfort was particularly praised in the study as a rare example, since it promotes the idea that stepping out of one’s comfort zone and challenging the status quo are essential for growth. Knust also values the principle of generosity—caring for others, understanding their essence—which he sees as fundamental when connecting with customers. “People are indeed looking for emotional connection, for human interaction over corporate distance,” he said.

Expansion in Mexico

Currently, along with Janan Knust, three of KLog.co’s top executives are based in Mexico—proof of the company’s strategic commitment to that market. In just two years, Mexico already represents 35% of KLog.co’s total revenue—a figure that took nearly a decade to reach in Chile. Although the company is still operating with just 30 people there, Knust sees the potential for a 200-person team and an operation three or four times larger than the Chilean one.

Regarding the challenges stemming from U.S. trade policy—particularly its impact on Mexico—Knust emphasized the resilience of Latin American economies: “In Latin America, we’re used to adapting—we’ve seen it in Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. The talent here understands how to navigate these cycles.” He added that the U.S. economy heavily depends on Mexico, which reduces the risk of disruption. The relocation of the executive team, including himself, is a clear demonstration of their confidence in the market and its potential for meaningful impact.

By MundoMarítimo