Glīd Technologies has raised $3.1 million in an oversubscribed pre-seed funding round to accelerate development of its autonomous freight technology designed to improve first-mile container transport by bridging road and rail systems. The round was led by Outlander VC, with support from Draper U Ventures, Antler, The Veteran Fund, M1C, and climate- and infrastructure-focused angel investors.
The funding supports Glīd’s effort to streamline logistics through its proprietary dual-mode vehicles—Glīders—which eliminate the need for terminals or cranes by transferring containers directly between road and rail systems. These innovations are targeted at reducing congestion, cutting emissions, and simplifying multimodal transport, particularly in high-density logistics corridors.
Glīd recently unveiled two key technologies: Rāden, described as the world’s first unmanned hybrid-electric road-to-rail vehicle, and EZRA-1SIX, an AI platform for orchestrating real-time autonomous operations. These systems are designed for deployment in challenging or off-grid environments and include features like LPG power for extended range and multimodal dispatch capabilities.
The company plans to use the capital to launch GliderM—a manned hybrid-electric vehicle capable of handling heavy container loads—in field trials across California and Washington. Additional goals include scaling engineering and business development teams and strengthening collaborations with port authorities and rail infrastructure operators.
Glīd Technologies’ business model centers on a subscription-based Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) platform, making its automation solutions scalable across commercial and defense applications. The company aims to modernize static rail corridors into dynamic freight networks, offering logistics stakeholders greater flexibility, reduced operational costs, and enhanced supply chain visibility.