Built by operators, _for operators._
UPWELL · Company
Built by operators,
for operators.
We've lived freight AR firsthand: the chasing, the disputes, the manual work. Upwell exists because we got tired of waiting for someone else to fix it.
The best freight tech is built by people who've actually moved freight.
The Origin Story
Born from a broken back-office
Upwell was founded on a simple, frustrating truth: freight runs on relationships, but the back office runs on spreadsheets, manual follow-ups, and unanswered emails. Time bleeds away on documents, rekeying data, and disconnected systems. Meanwhile, millions sit in unpaid invoices while billing teams burn out chasing them.
Our founders spent years inside freight, watching the same cycle repeat: late nights chasing short-pays, disputes that spiraled, cash tied up for months on a missing document, and talented teams buried in manual work.
They built the tool they always wished they'd had: an intelligent AR platform that makes freight finance work the way operations does.
Mission
"To eliminate the cash flow uncertainty that holds freight companies back, so operators can focus on moving freight, not chasing money."
Operator First
Every feature starts with a real problem from a real billing team. We build for people with deadlines, not demos.
Speed Is Respect
In freight, time is money, literally. We move fast, ship fast, and help our customers collect fast. Slow is the enemy of cash flow.
Data Transparency
Every carrier and 3PL deserves a clear picture of their AR. No black boxes, no surprises: just honest, actionable data.
Customer Obsessed
Our customers' success is our only scorecard. We show up, listen, and make sure Upwell earns its place in their stack every day.
High Standards, Low Ego
We hold each other to the highest bar on product, service, and communication, while keeping egos firmly out of the room.
Freight Runs Deep
We're industry insiders, not outsiders disrupting. We speak freight, respect the complexity, and we're here for the long haul.
The founders
Deep freight roots, a shared obsession with great software, and a belief that AR can be fixed.
Charley Dehoney
CEO & Co-Founder
Charley spent 20+ years inside freight, not just selling to it. He’s built and sold multiple logistics and trucking companies, run LTL and truckload operations, and led sales at logistics technology companies including ShipHawk and Cargomatic.
Before founding Upwell, Charley worked at two of the world’s largest logistics companies, CMA CGM Group and Man Capital, where he built deep relationships across the carrier, broker, and shipper landscape. That combination of hands-on operator experience and global industry network made the problem impossible to ignore: freight finance was broken, and no one was fixing it the right way.
Charley built Upwell so freight leaders can focus on moving freight, winning customers, and growing. Not chasing invoices.
Aaron Freeman
CTO & Co-Founder
Aaron is a veteran engineering leader with a track record building software that scales. Before co-founding Upwell, he served as CTO of ShipHawk, where he automated and unified shipping infrastructure for large-scale eCommerce. Earlier, he was a Big 5 consultant advising the Department of Defense on enterprise security, system architecture, and data integrity, giving him an instinct for building systems operators can trust with their most sensitive financial data.
At Upwell, Aaron designed the AI orchestration layer and portal automation framework at the platform's core. His philosophy: great software is invisible. You just get paid faster, with less effort, and no surprises. That belief is in every line of code Upwell ships.
Kris Gjemre
VP of Solutions
Kris brings 17 years of logistics and supply chain expertise and a rare ability to translate complex operational problems into software that sticks. He's held leadership roles at Echo Global Logistics, CarrierDirect, and Airspace, giving him credibility on both the carrier and technology sides.
At Upwell, Kris leads onboarding and solution delivery, making sure every customer sees results fast. He bridges customers and product, turning real-world feedback into roadmap priorities. Kris owns the full customer journey from implementation through ongoing success.
The Team
People who get it done
A lean, high-output team with deep roots in freight, finance, and product, united by a belief that better tools change the industry.
Why Upwell?
"An upwelling is a natural ocean phenomenon where deep waters rise to the surface, carrying nutrients, energy, and momentum, a vital force in how marine ecosystems thrive."
The name is personal. Our founders lived on the California coast before relocating to Nebraska, close enough to know the biggest swells build long before you ever see them.
The value is already there: in your cash flow, your team's time, your operational clarity. We just help bring it to the surface.
Investors
Backed by the best in freight.
Notable Investors
Category-defining founders and operators who've built the most important companies in freight, and chose to bet on Upwell.
We're Hiring
Come build with us
A small team doing big things in an industry that's ready for it. If you're energized by hard problems, real customers, and shipping things that matter, you'll fit right in.
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