Evolution of iCOS LIVE
Welcome to iCOS
iCOS Group was originally founded by Chris Grace and Kathryn Ross, with a vision to build smarter technology for the freight and logistics industry. After Chris’s passing in 2003, Kathryn continued to lead the business forward — determined to honour their shared vision and grow the company’s impact.
The name “iCOS” comes from the original acronym: Integrated Cargo Operating System. In 2009, inspired by a shift in the industry and a moment of clarity, Kathryn reimagined the business for a connected, cloud-based future — and iCOS LIVE was born: an “Internet Cargo Operating Solution” designed to be live, real-time, and fully web-based.
Since then, the company has entered a new chapter — one of innovation, determination, and organic growth. iCOS LIVE has been entirely bootstrapped, grown without outside investors.
About the Founder/CEO
About Kathryn Andrea Ross
I’m the founder behind two New Zealand-grown SaaS logistics platforms: iCOS LIVE and iCOS Global.
After losing my partner in 2003 — the original creator of iCOS Group software — I chose to continue what we started. In 2009, I launched iCOS LIVE, one of the first fully web-based transport management systems (TMS) in New Zealand, built for domestic freight operators. Bootstrapped from the ground up, it grew organically into a trusted, profitable solution still serving the industry today.
Now, I’m leading the build of iCOS Global — a modern, scalable logistics platform written from scratch on Microsoft Azure. Phase one focuses on container management, with freight management to follow. We’re a self-funded team, developing with precision, not pressure. I’ve turned down outside investment because I believe in sustainable growth — and in owning the outcome.
My long-term goal? To build iCOS Global into a world-class logistics SaaS that can scale globally — and then exit when the time is right.