Autonomous Vehicles: What are the Top Opportunities for Entrepreneurs

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 17, 2018 -- Autonomous vehicles bring widespread innovation and entrepreneurial opportunity.

As we shift gears to autonomous vehicles, how will society’s concept of mobility change? Which products and business models will rise? Which will fade away? What role will clean technologies play?

What opportunities and challenges will this tectonic shift represent for start-ups?

Fortune estimates fully autonomous vehicles will comprise 95 percent of all new cars sold by 2040, a $3.6 trillion opportunity opening doors to new industry development and entrepreneurial influence. AV’s ubiquity will drive technology advancements in mapping, networking, privacy, safety, intelligent infrastructure and much more. Whether it be saving significant levels of energy or providing transportation for seniors and the disabled to get back and forth to workplaces, the opportunities seem limitless. But, how accurate are these adoption predictions?

On Tuesday, February 6, the MIT Enterprise Forum (MITEF) of Cambridge will bring together some of the foremost thought leaders in the sector to discuss how AVs are likely to upend industries and unlock entrepreneurial opportunities. Set for the MIT Stata Center in Cambridge’s Kendall Square, panelists will address key questions such as: what are the implications of smart technology for vehicles and road systems? How will artificial intelligence and data analytics fit into the picture? Who will provide the financial backing?

Moderated by BostInno Staff Writer, Dylan Martin, the panelist include:

• Dr. Christopher Borroni-Bird, Founder of Afreecar LLC; Research Scientist, MIT Media Lab
• Chris Cheever, Founder and Partner, Fontinalis Partners (Boston office)
• Chris Thomas, Founder and Partner, Fontinalis Partners (Detroit office); nuTonomy Board Member until its October 2017 acquisition by Delphi
• Dr. Jessika Trancik, Principal Investigator, Trancik Lab, Associate Professor in the Institute for Data, Systems and Society (IDSS) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Augustin Wegscheider, Principal, Boston Consulting Group; Project Manager, Future of Urban & Autonomous Mobility, World Economic Forum

“In the automotive mobility industry, there are three key trends underway: ride sharing, autonomous driving and electric power trains,” Wegscheider said on the latest MITEF of Cambridge podcast. “We see a convergence of the three as the most powerful source, creating what we call SAEV – Shared Autonomous Electric Vehicles. There’s a lot of pages in the playbook of shared autonomous mobility that haven’t been written yet, and that’s where start-ups can come in.”

Event Details:
Ubiquitous Autonomous Vehicles: Upending Industries – Unlocking Entrepreneurial Opportunities
Tuesday, February 6, 2018
MIT Stata Center, 32 Vassar Street, Cambridge, MA
5:30 - 6:00 p.m. - Registration & networking (light refreshments served)
6:00 - 8:00 p.m. - Welcome & panel discussion
8:00 - 9:00 p.m. - Beer, wine & networking
Registration and more information is available online.

The evening is made possible by sponsor MassCEC, along with MITEF of Cambridge corporate sponsors CHEN PR, Hamilton, Brook, Smith & Reynolds, Morse Barnes-Brown Pendleton, Withum Audit Tax Advisory and Wolf Greenfield.

About the MIT Enterprise Forum of Cambridge
The MIT Enterprise Forum of Cambridge is the founding chapter and one of 27 worldwide chapters comprising the MIT Enterprise Forum, Inc. Offering more than 40 programs and events annually that inspire innovation, MIT Enterprise Forum of Cambridge initiatives facilitate critical one-on-one mentoring while providing team services that increase the skills and expertise necessary for entrepreneurs to succeed.

MITEF CONTACT:
Katja Wald
MIT Enterprise Forum of Cambridge
617-253-8238
[email protected]

MEDIA CONTACT:
Gabrielle Kondracki
CHEN PR for MIT Enterprise Forum of Cambridge
781-672-3113
[email protected]