Tools
This $20M Supply Chain Tool Cuts Climate Disruption Costs for 1,200 Companies
Copy Tive's real-time tracking approach to protect your shipments from weather disasters and build supply chain resilience that saves money.
January 18, 2026
4 Min Read
From efficiency to resilience.
Photo by Arno Senoner on Unsplash
Summary
Lightsmith Group just led a $20 million round in Tive, a Boston company that uses sensors and software to help 1,200 customers across 190 countries track shipments in real-time. The investment signals that climate-proofing supply chains is moving from nice-to-have to business-critical as weather disruptions cost companies billions annually.
Audience Actions
Impact founders: Study Tive's model of combining hardware sensors with AI-powered software. They track temperature, humidity, tilt, and shock across all transport modes. Consider how your product could add climate resilience value to existing business processes.
Impact investors: Climate adaptation deals are heating up. Lightsmith's bet on supply chain visibility follows the money trail as companies face mounting costs from weather disruptions. Look for companies solving the "ground-truthing" problem in other climate-vulnerable sectors.
Supply chain operators: Start with basic shipment monitoring before weather events hit. Tive's approach works because it provides real-time data when disruptions happen, not after. Implement tracking for your most climate-sensitive or high-value shipments first.
The Big Picture
The shift from profit-first to impact-first economics is playing out in real-time across global supply chains. Companies are realizing that climate resilience is not an environmental add-on but core business infrastructure. When Hurricane Ian disrupted Florida ports in 2022, companies with real-time visibility could reroute shipments immediately while others lost millions in delays and spoiled goods.
This represents a fundamental change in how business values prevention over reaction. Companies are finally putting money behind climate adaptation because the alternative costs more.
Why it Matters
Climate events are hammering supply chains with increasing frequency and severity. The 2021 Texas freeze shut down semiconductor plants for weeks. The 2023 Panama Canal drought forced ships to wait months for passage. Each disruption cascades through global networks.
Tive's solution matters because it turns invisible supply chain risks into visible, actionable data. When you can see exactly where your shipments are and what conditions they face, you can make decisions before problems become disasters. The company's circularity program for recycling trackers also shows how climate solutions can embed sustainability throughout their business model.
By the Numbers
$20 million: Latest funding round led by Lightsmith Group
1,200: Companies using Tive's tracking system globally
190: Countries where Tive operates
$184 billion: Annual cost of weather-related supply chain disruptions
100%: Increase in extreme weather events affecting trade routes since 2000
These numbers show that climate adaptation technology is scaling fast. Having 1,200 customers across 190 countries means Tive has proven product-market fit for climate-resilient supply chain tools.
Between the Lines
Lightsmith's investment thesis centers on "ground-truthing" data. This means companies need real-world sensor data, not just weather forecasts or theoretical models. Tive's sensors provide the actual conditions shipments face, which AI can then analyze for patterns and predictions.
The timing is crucial. Supply chain executives who ignored climate risks for years now face board-level pressure to build resilience. Tive benefits from this urgency while competitors are still building their first products.
Watch for consolidation in this space as larger logistics companies acquire climate adaptation startups rather than building solutions in-house.
What's Next
Expect supply chain visibility tools to become as common as GPS tracking within three years. Major retailers and manufacturers will require real-time climate monitoring from all suppliers. Insurance companies will offer better rates to companies using these systems.
Tive's AI development suggests the next phase will predict disruptions before they happen, not just track them in real-time. This predictive capability will separate winners from followers in the climate adaptation market.