When it comes to connecting warehouse systems, few companies are tackling the challenge as directly as TrackStar. In this episode of The New Warehouse Podcast, Kevin chats with Jeremy Schneck and Daniel Langer, Co-Founders of TrackStar, about how they’re simplifying integrations across the fragmented WMS landscape.
The discussion explores TrackStar’s journey from a startup pivot to a Y Combinator-backed company, the growing role of APIs in supply chain connectivity, and how universal APIs are driving the next wave of warehouse innovation.
From Startup Pivot to Industry Problem Solver
Every big idea starts with an unexpected problem. For Jeremy and Daniel, that moment came while working on a completely different software concept for eCommerce brands. As Daniel explained, “We uncovered this ourselves, building software, wanting to integrate with all these WMS, but not wanting to go do all these one-off integrations.” What began as a side frustration became the foundation for TrackStar’s mission: to unify data from hundreds of disparate warehouse management systems through a single, normalized API.
That pivot led them to Y Combinator, where they embraced the difficult path rather than avoiding it. “We realized we should be running towards this hard challenge of this universal API for warehouse management systems—not running away from it because it’s hard, but actually running towards it,” said Daniel. Today, TrackStar connects to more than 85 WMS platforms, adding new integrations weekly.
Connecting Warehouse Systems in a Fragmented Ecosystem
The WMS market is notoriously fragmented, comprising both off-the-shelf solutions and decades-old custom-built systems that are still held together by “duct tape.” Jeremy explained, “They are a highly, highly fragmented ecosystem. They’re hard to integrate with, but they hold really valuable data.” TrackStar’s universal API helps solve this by aggregating those systems into a unified data model, giving software providers a single point of connection rather than building dozens of individual integrations.
That simplicity is transforming how new supply chain software gets built. “Instead of having to build integrations into each WMS one after another—which is a huge slog—they connect once to our product and now are pre-integrated to all the different systems out there,” Jeremy said. This streamlined approach removes the friction that has long stifled innovation in logistics tech, allowing startups and established players alike to focus on optimizing warehouse operations instead of wrestling with legacy systems.
Why Timing Matters for Warehouse Connectivity
One reason universal APIs, such as TrackStar’s, are thriving now is due to the timing. Daniel pointed out that even five years ago, “our product could not have existed.” The difference today is the rapid digitization of warehouse data and growing expectations for interoperability. “For so long, the data inside the WMS was locked away as something that was untouchable,” Daniel noted. “It was really Shopify that helped set the standard for, ‘Hey, this data actually needs to be able to pass back and forth between systems. Figure it out.’”
With supply chain disruptions—from COVID-19 to port strikes—exposing the importance of visibility, software companies are now racing to connect systems more quickly and efficiently. Jeremy drew a parallel to Plaid’s role in fintech: “Venmo really couldn’t exist if it didn’t integrate with banks. However, this universal API made it extremely easy, removing the integration challenge from the equation. We’re seeing the same thing happen in the supply chain.”
Key Takeaways
- TrackStar connects over 85 warehouse management systems through a single API, simplifying software integrations across the entire supply chain.
- The company’s founders discovered the problem firsthand while trying to build eCommerce software that required dozens of separate warehouse connections.
- Fragmentation in the WMS market stems from decades of custom-built systems and specialized solutions across industries.
- Digitization, driven by eCommerce and API adoption, has made connecting warehouse systems and warehouse data more accessible and actionable than ever before.
- Universal APIs are fueling a new generation of supply chain innovation, enabling faster development of ERP, forecasting, and tariff automation tools.
