CEO of FreightPOP Named EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 Finalist

Entrepreneurs play a critical role in transforming industries, challenging outdated systems, and building the companies that shape how business gets done. That’s why we’re proud to announce that Kurt Johnson, founder and CEO of FreightPOP, has been named a finalist for the Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2026 Pacific Southwest Award by Ernst & Young LLP (EY US).

As one of the most prestigious business awards for entrepreneurs, the Entrepreneur Of The Year program has long recognized leaders who drive innovation, growth, and long-term value. Past honorees include influential founders and executives across industries, making this recognition a significant milestone for any business leader.

For Kurt Johnson, this moment represents both continued momentum and a proven track record. He was previously named an Entrepreneur Of The Year award winner in 2005 for his leadership at Horizon Technology, highlighting a long history of building and scaling successful companies.

Building FreightPOP to Solve Modern Supply Chain Complexity

Founded in 2015, FreightPOP provides a unified supply chain software platform with embedded AI across order, warehouse, and transportation management. The company serves manufacturers, distributors and retailers and has grown to support hundreds of companies and thousands of shippers across North America.

FreightPOP was built to address a fundamental challenge: supply chains were becoming more complex, but the technology supporting them remained fragmented. By consolidating critical systems into a single platform, FreightPOP enables businesses to streamline operations, reduce costs, and gain real-time visibility across their supply chains.

Under Kurt Johnson’s leadership, the company has achieved significant growth while helping customers improve efficiency and operate at scale.

Recognition Among Top Entrepreneurs

Finalists for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2026 program are selected by an independent panel of judges based on their entrepreneurial spirit, company performance, and ability to create long-term value.

“Being recognized again by EY is incredibly meaningful, especially given the caliber of entrepreneurs in this program,” said Kurt Johnson. “When we started FreightPOP, the goal was simple: bring clarity and control to an increasingly complex supply chain. Today, we’ve built a platform that helps companies operate smarter and more efficiently at scale. This recognition really belongs to our team and our customers who believed in the vision early and continue to push us to innovate every day.”

- Kurt Johnson, CEO of FreightPOP

We’re honored to see Kurt recognized alongside so many ambitious business leaders across the Pacific Southwest region.

What Is the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Award?

The Entrepreneur Of The Year award, founded by Ernst & Young, is one of the most prestigious business awards recognizing entrepreneurs who demonstrate innovation, growth, and leadership. The program evaluates founders and executives based on their ability to build scalable businesses, create long-term value, and impact their industries.

Regional award winners will be announced on June 6, 2026, in Orange County. Winners will then be considered for national recognition later this year.

Who Is Kurt Johnson?

Kurt Johnson is the founder and CEO of FreightPOP. He is a serial entrepreneur with a track record of building and scaling technology companies, including Horizon Technology, where he previously received the Entrepreneur Of The Year award in 2005.

About FreightPOP

FreightPOP is an AI supply chain software platform that unifies order management (OMS), warehouse management (WMS), and transportation management (TMS) into a single system. The platform helps manufacturers, distributors, and retailers streamline logistics operations, reduce costs, and gain complete visibility across their supply chains.

Follow the Journey

We’ll be sharing updates as we head toward the regional awards announcement in June.

 Request a demo to learn more about FreightPOP and how companies are improving their supply chain operations.