Trava

What do they actually do

Trava provides automated audits of U.S. customs entries for importers to find misclassifications, overpaid duties, and other filing errors. They pull data from an importer’s ERP/PLM or via file upload/SFTP and run AI checks across shipments and SKUs. Findings are validated by trade compliance specialists and licensed brokers on edge cases before results are delivered to the customer site.

Outputs are defensible audit reports with flags (overpayments, underpayments, risky classifications) and suggested corrective actions. Trava does not replace brokers or file with CBP; they hand brokers the documentation needed to pursue corrections or refunds. They say a first audit can be delivered within 72 hours, and they support ongoing monitoring after onboarding FAQ.

The company is early-stage (YC W25) and running limited audits/pilots; importers request a demo or join a waitlist for access YC profile, site.

Who are their target customer(s)

• US importer — head of finance/CFO: Margins are hit by misclassified shipments and overpaid duties, and refunds are hard to find and document reliably. They want clear, defensible audits that translate into broker-filed refunds site, YC profile.
• Trade compliance manager at an importing company: They spend many hours checking HTS classifications and worry about penalties or retroactive fixes. They need automated audits with expert validation to reduce manual work and keep findings defensible FAQ, site.
• Customs broker (partner-facing): They need clean evidence from clients to file corrections/refunds; messy client data wastes billable time. Trava aims to hand brokers organized audit documentation while leaving filings to the broker FAQ.
• Product/PLM owner (operations/engineering): Inconsistent product master data causes wrong tariff codes when new SKUs launch, creating surprise duty costs. Trava is piloting a Classification Copilot to propose HTS codes with citations for faster broker handoffs site.
• Trade consultants or trade attorneys: They need defensible audit trails and evidence to support rulings and advice, but client data assembly is slow and error-prone. Trava’s AI plus human review produces documented findings they can rely on site, FAQ.

How would they acquire their first 10, 50, and 100 customers

• First 10: Hands-on, no-cost pilots with high-duty U.S. importers sourced via YC/founder networks; deliver a human-validated audit within 72 hours to prove refund opportunities and a clean broker handoff FAQ, YC profile.
• First 50: Turn early wins into case studies and referrals; add a few broker partnerships to co-sell audits and share filing-ready evidence. Run targeted outbound to high-duty categories and show ERP/PLM onboarding in short demos site, FAQ.
• First 100: Expand broker/consultant reseller channels and launch lighter self-serve onboarding for smaller importers. Productize the Classification Copilot and continuous monitoring to cut manual validation and support scalable inbound via SEO/content site.

What is the rough total addressable market

Top-down context:

U.S. imports are roughly $3.1–3.3T annually and CBP collected about $92.3B in customs duties in FY2023, defining a large duty-related spend pool Census 2023 profile, CBP FY2023 fact sheet. The top ~2,000 importers account for most import value, concentrating opportunity Census 2023 profile.

Bottom-up calculation:

Focus on the top ~2,000 U.S. importers; if Trava lands ~1,000 of them at an average $40k/year, that implies a near-term SAM of ~$40M, with brokers enabling an additional ~2,000 SMB clients at ~$10k/year adding ~$20M (illustrative) Census 2023 profile. Even a 0.5–1% recoverable slice of the $92.3B duty pool underscores the potential ROI for buyers CBP FY2023 fact sheet.

Assumptions:

• U.S.-only focus; concentration on top ~2,000 importers who control most import value.
• Average contract values of ~$40k (large importers) and ~$10k (SMB via brokers); figures are illustrative, not price quotes.
• Adoption via direct enterprise sales plus broker channels; recovery-rate figures referenced only to show economic headroom.

Who are some of their notable competitors

• Avalara: Broad tax/tariff platform that offers automated HS/HTS classification and ERP integrations; overlaps where buyers want automated code suggestions over specialist post-entry audits Avalara automated tariff code classification.
• Descartes (CustomsInfo / Customs & Regulatory Compliance): Incumbent trade platform with HTS lookup, duty determination, drawback, and post-entry tools; competes on breadth and broker integrations vs. Trava’s AI-audit plus human validation workflow classification & duty determination, duty drawback.
• iCustoms: AI-first customs platform for classification and declarations with human review; overlaps on automated classification and document processing, positioned closer to end-to-end filing iClassification, iDP.
• Zonos (Classify): Automated HS/HTS classification geared to cross-border e-commerce and marketplaces; overlaps on fast, bulk classification but is less focused on post-entry audits and broker handoffs Zonos Classify.
• MIC (MIC Customs Solutions): Enterprise trade compliance suite with an AI-assisted HTS classifier and audit trail; competes on automated classification plus auditability for corporate teams MIC AI-assisted classification.