The Hub will convene leading mobility companies, entrepreneurs, policymakers and thought leaders to advance sustainable transportation solutions
The Massachusetts Mobility Innovation Hub (the Hub) – a Cambridge-based collaborative, multi-stakeholder working advisory group with the goal of accelerating innovation to enable the movement of people and goods in a smarter, safer, more sustainable and more resilient way – has announced its founding board members and executive director. The announcement comes as the Hub continues to expand its outreach to the region’s transportation ecosystem, build additional partnerships and prepare for a formal launch in the coming months.
The Hub, an initiative driven by the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership (MACP), CIC and Zipcar, aims to convene leading mobility companies, entrepreneurs, policymakers and thought leaders to advance sustainable transportation solutions. Through a dynamic ecosystem, it envisions moving towards a cleaner, more efficient and more equitable transportation system for all by fostering collaboration, innovation and economic growth in the Commonwealth.
Located in Cambridge’s Kendall Square, the Hub will be the “connective tissue” across key stakeholder groups (startups, corporates, investors, the public sector, academics, and nonprofits) to enable sharing and growth in pivotal resource areas for mobility innovators. The Hub, through the support of the CIC, will be able to immediately offer office space to mobility startups. The Hub also will provide its members expert resources, testing and other equipment, quality programming, staff support, and more.
The Hub’s Founding Board includes: Chair Tim Rowe, founder and CEO of CIC; Vice Chair Rebecca Davis, COO of MACP; Gretchen Effgen, director of Global Automotive Partnerships, Platforms and Ecosystems at Google; Justin Holmes, head of Marketing and Public Policy (Vice President) at Zipcar; John Moavenzadeh, executive director of the MIT Mobility Initiative; Aakash Arora, managing director and partner at Boston Consulting Group; Joshua Aviv, CEO of SparkCharge; and Jamey Tesler, former Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation and former Registrar of the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. Tesler will also serve as the Mobility Innovation Hub’s Executive Director.
“The Mobility Innovation Hub will drive forward the development and deployment of cutting-edge technologies and services that support a cleaner, more efficient and more equitable transportation system for all,” said Jamey Tesler.
“Massachusetts can be a national leader in discovering, manufacturing and delivering next-generation mobility technology breakthroughs while reaping the economic and societal rewards that come with them,” said Justin Holmes. “It’s time to get us moving again, and this new Mobility Hub will lead the way.”
“Cleaner transportation can mitigate climate impact through vehicle electrification, enhanced public transit, and shared mobility.” said Rebecca Davis. “But it will not happen without the public-private partnership that is required for success. While entrepreneurs and governments often have the same goals, they speak very different languages. The Hub will help translate while connecting ideas and stakeholders.”
“When you bring the brightest minds from every corner of a field of innovation under one roof, and provide an environment that allows them to collaborate, amazing things happen,” said Tim Rowe. “Here in Massachusetts this “innovation hub” approach has already led our state to boast the world’s largest and most successful clusters of startups in life sciences, robotics, and clean-tech, respectively, at LabCentral, MassRobotics, and Greentown Labs. Mobility is a fundamental need of all societies. I’m thrilled to serve as Board Chair of the Massachusetts Mobility Innovation Hub and for CIC to provide the venue to move this forward.”
Innovation hubs serve as connectors – bringing together various ecosystems, motivating entrepreneurship and spurring economic growth and societal progress. Massachusetts already has a track record of fostering innovation hubs that have improved our economy and quality of life including in life sciences, clean tech, robotics, ocean sustainability and technologies on aging.
To learn more about the Massachusetts Mobility Innovation Hub, go to www.massmobilityhub.com or reach out at letsgo@massmobilityhub.com.
