Globally, the logistics sector has seen a surge of investments over the last year. These have been driven by the significant and rapidly increasing demand for home delivery not only of consumer goods, but also of food and grocery items. Investments are being made across the value chain, from order taking apps and last mile delivery services to autonomous robots. For retailers, ensuring a smooth and satisfactory last mile delivery is now more significant than ever. A superior last mile experience engages and retains consumers, with the research showing almost 25 percent of consumers are willing to pay significant premiums for the

privilege of same day or instant delivery. This share is likely to increase, given that younger consumers are more inclined to choose same day and instant delivery over regular delivery.

This includes pharmaceuticals and food delivery where customers want a window of delivery within a few hours. By the time the order comes in, it has to be processed and ready to go, to meet that very narrow window. This has opened cracks in the space and presented a significant opportunity for last mile delivery startups to emerge. Thankfully, there are many new age companies who are working to streamline this process using the latest tech and methodology. These delivery startups are rethinking the last step in the supply chain to include drones, electric vehicles, robots, driverless cars and more. Smart solutions are the way forward.

In our current edition, we have featured a list of "10 Best Delivery Services Startups". The list features some of the best innovations in the delivery services space that helps businesses stand out from the competition. We also recommend you to read our cover story on Shyplite, enabling e-retailers automate their logistics and increase efficiency in shipments by providing a single window shipping platform integrated with multiple carriers.