# Ryan Petersen

> Ryan Petersen is the founder and CEO of Flexport, the technology-driven freight forwarding company he built from a Y Combinator batch into an $8 billion global logistics giant. A serial entrepreneur who started importing goods from China at 17, he previously co-founded ImportGenius and has become one of the most influential voices in supply chain and trade policy - most famously by renting a boat to tour the LA port congestion in 2021 and posting a viral Twitter thread that prompted California's governor to call him directly. He is also a venture partner at Peter Thiel's Founders Fund.

- **Role:** Founder & CEO at Flexport; Venture Partner at Founders Fund
- **Organizations:** Flexport, Founders Fund, ImportGenius, Y Combinator (alumni)
- **From:** Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** BA in Economics, University of California, Berkeley, MBA, Columbia Business School
- **Known for:** Founded Flexport and grew it to $8 billion valuation with $3.3B+ annual revenue, Built ImportGenius into the leading provider of international shipping transaction data, Viral 2021 Twitter thread on LA port congestion prompted direct call from California Governor Gavin Newsom

## Career timeline

- **1997** — Co-founded import-export business with brother David at age 17, buying goods from China to sell on eBay
- **2005** — Relocated to China to manage the import-export business
- **2007** — Co-founded ImportGenius with brother David and Michael Kanko, providing international shipping transaction data
- **2008** — Earned MBA from Columbia Business School; ImportGenius attracted Steve Jobs' attention after tracking Apple shipments
- **2013** — Founded Flexport to modernize global freight forwarding and supply chain management
- **2014** — Flexport accepted into Y Combinator accelerator
- **2021** — Rented a boat to tour the LA/LB port backlog, posted a viral Twitter thread with solutions; California Governor Gavin Newsom called him directly
- **2022** — Flexport raised $935M Series E at $8B valuation; Petersen stepped down as CEO, appointing Amazon's Dave Clark as successor
- **2023** — Dave Clark resigned; Petersen returned as CEO; joined Founders Fund as venture partner
- **2025** — Warned that 145% tariffs on Chinese imports could bankrupt 80% of small US importers; Flexport partnered with BlackRock for $250M supply chain financing; company on track for profitability
- **2026** — Flexport expanding to six additional countries, targeting profitability through organic growth

## Achievements

- Founded Flexport and grew it to $8 billion valuation with $3.3B+ annual revenue
- Built ImportGenius into the leading provider of international shipping transaction data
- Viral 2021 Twitter thread on LA port congestion prompted direct call from California Governor Gavin Newsom
- Flexport handled $26 billion of merchandise in 2022
- Raised $2.3 billion total for Flexport including $935M Series E
- Columbia Business School Early Achievement Award
- Started first business at age 17, generating early entrepreneurial experience in global trade
- Venture partner at Founders Fund (Peter Thiel's firm)
- Flexport customs brokerage gross profit up 99% year-over-year in 2025

## Latest updates

- **2026-04** — Flexport expanding into six new countries in 2026, targeting organic profitability
- **2025-10** — Spoke at TechCrunch Disrupt 2025 on the Builders Stage
- **2025-09** — Commented on potential tariff refunds if courts rule against IEEPA tariffs
- **2025-05** — Warned in Fortune interview about tariff impact on small US importers from China
- **2025-04** — Flexport partnered with BlackRock for $250M supply chain financing facility
- **2025-04** — Customs brokerage gross profit up 99% year-over-year due to trade policy shifts

## Links

- Website: https://www.flexport.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rpetersen/
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/typesfast

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/ryan-petersen
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-04-22