Coworking is a weekly segment where we spotlight Tech Brew readers who work with emerging technologies. Click here if you’d like a chance to be featured.
How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in tech?
I launch mobility startups that help people and goods get from point A to point B in faster, cleaner, and safer ways. My team and I work with leading corporations that are looking to solve core strategic challenges they can’t solve internally or externally. In most cases, our corporate partners become the startup’s first customer, allowing us to create immediate strategic and market value.
Once the startup has matured and proven product-market fit, our corporate partner is able to acquire it, bringing new capabilities and talent into the organization. As an entrepreneur, I am inspired by mobility challenges that I face in my own life, and I believe that working with relevant corporates is the fastest route to solving them at scale.
What’s the most compelling tech project you’ve worked on, and why?
As a member of Porsche’s “driven females” customer segment, I am thrilled to partner with Porsche to transform a heritage brand that has excelled in the internal combustion engine space into a software and data-driven company. My team and I are working on a number of ventures with Porsche, but a top priority is to improve their supply chain by creating transparency through the entire automotive ecosystem—from lower tiers all the way up to Tier 1. This will be critical as battery shortages become the next semiconductor crisis. Any ripples at the lower tiers can create a bullwhip effect, causing yearslong delays off the production line. We’re already working with nearly 100 suppliers on a proof of concept.
What technologies are you most optimistic about? Least? And why?
I am really excited about bidirectional charging and its ability to expand grid capabilities, drastically reducing energy outages and costs at scale. We’ve already seen players like Rivian, Ford, and Volkswagen offer this technology, allowing customers to charge their homes and other vehicles. As energy consumption continues to be a critical issue, batteries can act as a virtual power plant that reduces peak needs and charges. We know that the consumer is ready to do their part to reduce the stress on the grid—during the heatwave in California in September, residents received daily text alerts to limit energy usage and acted accordingly to minimize rolling blackouts.
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I remain less optimistic about Level 5 autonomy becoming a reality anytime soon. Level 5 refers to vehicles that do not require any human attention. Sensor hardware limitations combined with difficulty integrating these vehicles into urban infrastructure have pushed this technology farther on the horizon. I do, however, see a ton of near-term value in levels 1 to 3 autonomy, with Level 3 as an exciting nearer-term goal. Level 3 refers to vehicles that have environmental detection capabilities and can adjust according to the environment around them but still require human override. The delivery space has been paving the way for autonomous vehicles that will someday transport humans.
What’s the best tech-related media you read/watch/listen to?
I’m a big fan of Reilly Brennan’s FoT (future of transportation) newsletter. He’s great at synthesizing the mobility space as a whole from media sources you might not read day to day. My team uses this newsletter as a resource to stay up to date and draw inspiration on all things mobility.
What’s something about you we can’t guess from your LinkedIn profile?
I’m a visual artist who has recently rebooted my painting practice. I minored in visual arts as an undergraduate and enjoy painting in oils across a variety of subjects.
What do you think about when you’re not thinking about tech?
Progressing my private pilot license! The Up.Labs office is based at Hangar 7 at the Santa Monica Airport. We offer free flying lessons to our employees as a perk and will soon have an office full of pilots.