Freightmate AI seeks dismissal of Flexport copyright lawsuit

Freightmate AI has filed a motion to dismiss Flexport’s copyright infringement lawsuit against it.

The motion, filed on April 22, argues that Flexport’s claims for trade secret misappropriation and copyright infringement lack a sufficient legal basis.

Freightmate AI’s attorneys contend that the complaint fails to demonstrate any direct involvement of the company in the alleged misappropriation acts carried out by former Flexport employees now affiliated with Freightmate.

“Flexport never should have named Freightmate as a defendant in this case,” Freightmate stated in the motion. “While the allegations … contain some detail regarding supposed exfiltration of its materials by [Jason] Zhao, they say virtually nothing about Freightmate.”

Zhao is a former Flexport employee and a founder of Freightmate AI.

The motion says the timeline of events does not support Flexport’s claims, stating that Freightmate AI was incorporated after the alleged unauthorized actions by Zhao, who left Flexport in early June 2024. 

The filing states that Freightmate’s founders, Zhao and Bryan Lacaillade, only began substantial work on their company’s product after this date, without reliance on Flexport’s proprietary information.

“None of the work leading to Freightmate’s product was developed during its founders’ employment with Flexport,” the motion stated.

Flexport had initially accused Freightmate AI of using its proprietary information, allegedly lifted by Zhao and Lacaillade, to develop a competing product. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, seeks remedies for alleged trade secret misappropriation, copyright infringement and breach of contract.

Freightmate AI maintains that its technology presents “a unique product distinct from Flexport.” The hearing for the motion to dismiss is scheduled for early June 2025.

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