Strategic use of data boosts revenue
Daniil Sergunin
Daniel Teixeira/Divulgação
Created in 2014 to simplify e-commerce logistics management in Brazil, Intelipost has reinvented its role in the segment over the past three years by investing R$50 million in technology and hiring data scientists. Under new management since 2023, the company repositioned itself as a logistics intelligence platform, achieved about 30% annual growth, and posted revenue of R$200 million in 2025.
With a database encompassing about 1,500 carriers and 900 retail clients, Intelipost spent nearly a decade selecting shipping options based on two variables: price and delivery time. After reorganizing and integrating its available data, the company expanded its operations to monitor the entire delivery process, from when a product is shipped until it reaches the consumer. In the event of a delay, for example, an artificial intelligence system identifies the issue, contacts the carrier to report what happened, and informs the retailer of the reasons for the revised delivery date.
“This spares our clients’ internal teams from having to contact carriers. With this information, our client can also act in advance and impress its own customer,” said Leandro Gravena, Intelipost’s chief operating and financial officer. The service is used by companies including Kabum, Alpargatas, L’Occitane, Leroy Merlin, Decathlon, Dafiti, Grupo SBF (Fisia-Nike/Centauro) and Petlove.
By transforming operational data into answers to complex business questions, midsize companies such as Intelipost have expanded their markets and increased revenue. Computer science experts view technology that extracts insights from data as an ally for management. When information is no longer static and is no longer merely recorded in reports, it can be used for predictive analysis.
Matheus Pinheiro, a consultant with a degree in computer science from the Federal University of São Carlos and additional studies at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Canada, said the first step toward turning data into a truly strategic asset is to look inside the company and understand its current situation. This practice is even more important for midsize businesses, which have leaner teams.
“Most organizations contend with fragmented information. The commercial department operates through a customer relationship management system, finance relies on spreadsheets, and human resources uses a separate database. Mapping this entire environment means breaking down these silos and tracking information from the simplest departmental controls to the most complex transactional tables,” noted Pinheiro, a partner at Auge and head of the technology team at Stage Consulting.
After managing technology and data teams at global logistics companies, including Amazon, Ross Saario accepted an invitation to become Intelipost’s CEO in 2023, drawn by the breadth of Brazilian logistics market information the company had amassed. One of his first challenges at Intelipost was cleaning up its databases.
“It took us nearly two years of investment in time, money and people to build the database we have today. This data cleanup marked the beginning of the company’s turnaround. Globally, large technology companies have data to support their decisions,” Saario said.
In the mobility sector, a strategic approach to the data generated by the business was crucial to Rhino’s expansion, an app launched in 2023 that operates in São Paulo using only armored vehicles and its own team of drivers. Rhino has 400,000 individual customers, who account for 90% of its client base, and tripled net revenue in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year, according to CEO and co-founder Daniil Sergunin. The company entered the corporate segment this year and now serves clients including Banco Safra, Terminal BTG Pactual, Vivo, Azul and Genial Investimentos.
Sergunin, who has a degree in business administration, said mathematics is in his DNA and takes pride in the strong foundation he acquired in the subject at schools in his native Russia. He lived in Europe for years before settling in São Paulo in 2020 to take a position at an agribusiness multinational.
“In Brazil, I realized that many executives like me needed to travel safely and comfortably. I saw an opportunity to launch a company that could provide this service,” Sergunin said. “Analyzing the data from a statistical perspective was very important in determining an appropriate investment in the fleet for our customers.”
During Rhino’s first year of operation, it tested 15 vehicle models with market values ranging from R$100,000 to R$500,000. Sergunin said the statistical results, based on several metrics—including conversion, satisfaction, and retention—showed no difference when the most expensive vehicle was used. Regardless of the model, Rhino operates exclusively with Level III-A armor, considered the highest level permitted for civilian use in Brazil.
In Rhino’s case, statistical analysis showed that customer satisfaction and loyalty were not tied to higher-priced vehicle models. A strategic assessment of the metrics determined the amount invested and the company’s expansion plans. “It is very important to distinguish between genuine data intelligence and data that tells you nothing. Sometimes you have to wait months for the data to mature and provide enough information,” Sergunin said.
Translation: Todd Harkin
