Liquid8 Secures Pre-Seed Funding to Tackle Indonesia’s E-Commerce Waste

Indonesian recommerce startup Liquid8 has received pre-seed investment from SPIL Ventures, the venture arm of PT Salam Pacific Indonesia Lines (SPIL), a key player in the shipping and logistics sector. This is the startup’s first external funding since its inception in 2023, though the financial details remain undisclosed.

The investment will be used to enhance Liquid8’s e-commerce solutions, which focus on reducing overstock waste while providing support to Indonesia’s micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). The funding aims to strengthen the startup’s recommerce efforts, contributing to more sustainable practices and economic growth in the country.

Founded in 2023, Liquid8 was established by Mike Roosevelt, a former executive at Lazada Logistics Indonesia, and Niko Abdulrahman, an expert in local distribution. The longtime friends, who have known each other for over two decades since their college years in Seattle, saw a chance to enhance inventory management, minimize waste, and drive economic growth through recommerce.

Liquid8 aims to address inefficiencies within Indonesia’s e-commerce logistics, especially the challenges caused by the widespread use of cash-on-delivery (COD) payments, which are common in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. According to Roosevelt, over 20% of shipments fail to reach customers, exacerbating inefficiencies in the sector.

As an end-to-end liquidation company, Liquid8 focuses on managing failed deliveries and returned items primarily from e-commerce platforms and logistics companies. The company has built an online platform that sources discounted products from various retailers, offering them for bulk purchase by resellers and businesses. Buyers can access inventory at lower prices than traditional retail, benefiting small businesses with affordable product sourcing and resale opportunities.

Liquid8 has made notable progress since its founding. In 2024, it reported processing over 2,700 tons of overstock. The company redirects unsold inventory to the wholesale market, enabling small businesses to access cost-effective stock. The platform supports the circular economy and ensures sustainability by properly disposing of corporate waste through incineration and treatment plants, especially when handling AWB labels to avoid landfills.

The recent pre-seed funding from SPIL Ventures will help the company expand its ability to handle more overstock while offering better inventory management for small businesses in Indonesia. With the backing of SPIL Ventures, Liquid8 is expected to enhance its platform and further its mission of reducing waste, improving e-commerce logistics, and supporting the country’s micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises.

Liquid8 also collaborates closely with businesses to acquire surplus inventory, dead stock, and used equipment in bulk. By offering corporate solutions to address supply and process flow bottlenecks, the startup helps companies optimize their operations. Through its recommerce model, Liquid8 is not only contributing to waste reduction but also adding value for corporate partners, ensuring that surplus goods are efficiently redirected to businesses in need of affordable inventory.