July 2018 Gap Funding: PartRunner
Improving processes, driving operational efficiency, and increasing productivity are just some of the things Yoshua Rozen, Founder and CEO of PartRunner is passionate about. Developing startups is another one, but his focus now lies solely on this business, which launched just 5 months ago and is ready to continue growing full steam ahead. PartRunner is an on-demand delivery service for contractors looking to save time and money by having parts and material delivered to their sites in a matter of minutes. By leveraging a network of vehicles, PartRunner is able to serve professionals in the plumbing, electric, construction and HVAC industries, and is looking to expand aggressively in the coming months.
PartRunner started in early 2017 as a simple idea: bring a last mile delivery service into the trade industry. Working in conjunction with IDEA and the Sherman Center, Northeastern’s Center for Engineering Entrepreneurship, Rozen was able to slowly evolve his idea into a full-blown venture. By January 2018, the company had incorporated and, in May 2018, it launched after having gone through the ready, set, go stages of IDEA in a record three months. All of this was possible thanks to Rozen’s hard work and dedication — he even dedicated his third and final co-op cycle to developing PartRunner full time. Unsurprisingly, the venture has now become one of the recipients of IDEA’s Gap Funding grant, which is awarded to ventures that have a significant gap that needs to be addressed in order to continue development and expansion.
When asked how the venture intends to use the funding, Rozen highlighted the company’s need for a more aggressive go-to-market strategy, one which focuses on targeting industry associations and trade shows in order to boost clientele, particularly in the medium-sized service industry. Other plans for the gap funding include making necessary updates to the platform and other operational investments needed to keep the business performing strongly.
As for the IDEA process, Rozen had nothing but appreciation for the organization, and recounted his positive experiences with other members of the greater MOSAIC organization. His advice for other ventures going through the process was extensive, focusing on the values he believes are necessary for success: being customer centric, hardworking, persistent and willing to accept advice from those who are more experienced while still remaining true to your beliefs and making decisions that will only ultimately benefit your business.
Where will PartRunner be three years from today? Rozen sees it being a regional disrupter in the service provider industry, tailoring logistics services for B2B companies and helping them have more productive and efficient processes — we’ll make sure to check in then to see how far they have come!
To learn more about PartRunner, click here. You can also reach out to Yoshua Rozen directly at y.rozen@getpartrunner.com or by phone at (831) 704–1519.
If you are interested in starting your own venture and being part of the IDEA process, please visit this page to sign up for an upcoming New Venture Orientation.
IDEA Gap Funding is a non-equity educational grant available to ventures in the GO stage of IDEA’s process. Applicants may apply on a bi-monthly basis where their business plans are reviewed by IDEA’s student Investment Committee upon being selected to pitch plans to IDEA’s Advisory Board. Applicants may receive up to $10,000 in funding.
