In January 2025, Seattle-based startup Pipe17, a leading provider of AI-powered composable order operations, announced the successful completion of a $15.5 million Series A funding round. This significant investment underscores the company’s rapid growth and its strategic vision to revolutionize commerce operations.
Leadership Team
- Mo Afshar: Co-Founder and CEO. Pipe17
- Dave Shaffer: Co-Founder and Head of Product. Pipe17
- John Shao: Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer. Pipe17
- Kelly Goetsch: Chief Operating Officer. Pipe17
Funding Details
The Series A round was led by LFX Venture Partners, with participation from existing investors GLP and others, including convertible note funding. This infusion of capital is poised to accelerate Pipe17’s mission to transform commerce operations, particularly as businesses navigate the complexities of modern, omnichannel retail environments.
Appointment of Kelly Goetsch as COO
In conjunction with the funding announcement, Pipe17 appointed Kelly Goetsch as its first Chief Operating Officer. Goetsch brings a wealth of experience from his previous role as Chief Strategy Officer at commercetools, where he was instrumental in scaling the company to over $100 million in annual recurring revenue. He also co-founded and led the MACH Alliance, an industry consortium advocating for composable MACH (Microservices, APIs, Cloud, and Headless) technologies.
Goetsch’s decision to join Pipe17 reflects his confidence in the company’s potential to pioneer the future of composable order operations. He stated, “Joining Pipe17 feels like history repeating itself. When I joined commercetools, I saw a massive market opportunity to redefine how businesses power ecommerce via headless and composable commerce infrastructure—and we did exactly that. Now, with Pipe17, I see the same potential—this time in pioneering the future of composable order operations.”
Pipe17’s Innovative Approach to Order Operations
Traditional order management systems (OMS) have struggled to keep pace with the evolving demands of modern commerce, often leading to inefficiencies and increased costs as businesses expand into direct-to-consumer, B2B, and dropshipping models. Pipe17 addresses these challenges by offering an AI-powered Order Operations platform that provides a seamless, MACH-based solution. This platform integrates systems and synchronizes data flows with speed and precision, all without the need for extensive coding or developer resources.
A standout feature of Pipe17’s platform is its AI Order Operations Agent, Pippen. Pippen assists users with tasks such as order routing, administration, and exception handling, enhancing operational efficiency and accuracy.
Market Context and Future Outlook
The e-commerce landscape is increasingly fragmented, with consumers shopping across a multitude of channels—from social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram to established marketplaces like Amazon. This diversification necessitates real-time synchronization of order, pricing, and inventory data across various systems, including ERPs, 3PLs, commerce platforms, marketplaces, and physical stores. Pipe17’s solutions empower businesses to meet these demands, enabling them to sell across channels with greater agility, reduced operating costs, and improved customer experiences.
The recent funding and strategic leadership appointments position Pipe17 to expand its capabilities and continue its trajectory of growth. As the company leads the movement toward composable commerce operations, it is well-equipped to help businesses navigate today’s dynamic market landscape.
About Pipe17
Founded in 2019 by Mo Afshar and Dave Shaffer, Pipe17 has rapidly established itself as a key player in the e-commerce logistics sector. The company’s cloud-native solutions are designed to be easily scalable, featuring plug-and-play connectivity and enterprise-grade security. Pipe17’s platform supports a diverse range of customers, including retailers like Allbirds, Made In Cookware, Orthofeet, and MaryRuth Organics, as well as logistics providers such as Ryder, UPS, and FedEx.
With the latest funding and the addition of seasoned industry leaders like Kelly Goetsch, Pipe17 is poised to further its mission of revolutionizing commerce operations, providing businesses with the tools they need to succeed in an increasingly complex and competitive environment