Antler India Leads Rs 5 Crore Pre-Seed in Dispatch Network

Antler India has led a Rs 5 crore pre-seed round in Dispatch Network, a Pune-based last-mile delivery startup building a foundation AI model for intracity logistics. Angels Krishi Fagwani, founder of Thrive, Yashin Mahadevia and Parth Modwadhia also joined the round.

The company disclosed the deal in a press release. It will spend the fresh capital on expanding the artificial intelligence team behind its proprietary Large Logistics Spatio-Temporal Model, or LLSTM — a foundation AI model built for intracity logistics and mobility.

Rajit Arya and Navneeth Kannan founded Dispatch in 2023. The startup, operated by Artem Network Private Limited, entered the last-mile delivery segment in 2026 and went live in Pune in June. Arya has worked in electric mobility since 2009. Kannan brings a decade of experience in mobility systems as a product architect and engineer.

What does the AI model actually do?

Dispatch runs a delivery network that uses AI to optimise three things: order allocation, rider productivity and delivery routes. The model sequences orders across multiple platforms. It decides which order a rider should take next and where that rider should wait for the following pickup.

That sequencing is where the economics change. By batching orders and positioning riders ahead of demand, the system cuts the distance riders travel without cargo. Dispatch said its model has reduced empty kilometres by two-thirds.

How big is the operation?

The numbers are small but moving fast. The network has processed over 100,000 deliveries since launching in June 2026, according to the company. Monthly volumes climbed from 3,014 in June to 55,000 in October. Dispatch currently handles around 3,500 deliveries per day.

The company now plans to scale to 50,000 orders per day across five cities. It will take the first step in November 2026, when it expands from Pune to Mumbai.

Who are the customers?

Dispatch serves food delivery and quick-commerce platforms, including Zomato, Swiggy, Zepto, Instamart and BigBasket. It also connects with restaurants and stores directly through APIs and through the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), India's government-backed open commerce network.

That multi-platform posture matters. Riders on Dispatch's network carry orders from several platforms at once, which is exactly what the LLSTM model is built to coordinate.

What does it mean for riders?

Dispatch reports two rider-side metrics it says beat industry averages. Riders earn approximately 55% more per month than the industry norm. Rider retention runs 80% higher than the industry average, the company said.

Higher earnings and better retention feed each other. Riders who stay longer learn the network, complete more batched orders and waste less time idling between jobs — the mechanism the empty-kilometre reduction captures.

Why did Antler India write the check?

Antler's bet is on the model, not just the fleet. Foundation models trained on spatio-temporal logistics data are rare in India's crowded delivery market, where most players optimise operations with conventional software. Dispatch claims a proprietary AI asset that improves with every delivery it processes.

The Rs 5 crore gives the startup runway to hire the AI talent that asset requires. Scaling from 3,500 daily orders to a 50,000-order target across five cities will test whether the model holds up as Pune's density gives way to thinner demand in new markets — starting with Mumbai in November.