Overview
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
We are very pleased to announce our 10th annual Mobility Tech Workshop, to be held on November 12th in Santa Cruz and Bonny Doon! Registration is now open and we hope you sign up!
Over the past couple of years the venture/startup world has been in turmoil — money flows have withered and many startups have struggled to raise funding. Some of my VC friends are only supporting their best companies or investing in down rounds of other companies, on the theory that those are the best deals. But many really good startups are still managing to get funded, and then of course there is AI . . . .
The mobility world has not been exempt from these macro trends, especially since EV adoption has decelerated in the US. But US companies are also aided by industrial policy and geopolitical tailwinds. US agencies (and in response, foreign governments) are now a big funding factor, both thru IRA and related commercial programs, and thru the DOD. Because so many mobility technologies are potentially dual use, they are benefiting. The cost of clean power continues to decrease, another stimulus. So mobility is not doing so badly.
Thus, at our Workshop you will see many optimistically minded startups coming to present. We expect a lineup of 10+ excellent startups from across the spectrum of mobility and from many geographies. We will be announcing the first batch of startups soon, but we have room for more so if you have suggestions please let us know. We generally like to look at earlier stage startups, usually (but not always) pre-A but with some traction or other validation. We like compelling companies that illustrate and predict future technology trends in mobility.
As usual, the other half of our program will consist of presentations by large strategics, investors and technologists. Our two discussion panels this year will be on:
"Headwinds to EV Adoption and Scaling"
and
"From Private Placement to IPO: The New Path for Mobility Tech"
This year we are cutting back on the number of conventional discussion panels, and reweighing towards more "Something On My Mind" (SOMM) mini-sessions. SOMMs are short interactive sessions on themes proposed by prominent persons in the industry on a topic of importance that has been weighing on their minds. We expect to feature about 12 SOMM sessions this year. See our program below for more details.
One particular SOMM session I want to call out for your attention. Given that the impending US Presidential election will happen just one week before our Workshop and the probability that the outcome may have a significant impact on US policies, our friend Justin Savage of Sidley, who has been a frequent speaker at our retreats, will be leading a session entitled "What does the US Election mean for Mobility?".
Another change — this year will be slightly expanding our footprint by moving the day program to the Cocoanut Grove, a scenic meeting facility overlooking the beach in Santa Cruz. At the end of the day we will provide shuttles for attendees to come to Bonny Doon for a plush bash — a wine reception, walk around the pond, music and dinner. So you will get both the ocean and the mountains! This will permit us to accommodate up to 100 attendees, but still retain the intimate vibe of Bonny Doon.
One other bonus this year: On November 13, the day after our mobility workshop, we will also be hosting a "Manufacturing for Mobility in Mexico" Workshop. Our goal is to highlight the growing importance of Mexico as a near-shoring location in light of the benefits of USMCA, Mexican government promotional policies, Mexico's low cost environment and built infrastructure, and more. We are inviting a large delegation of policymakers, industrialists and investors to come to Santa Cruz to speak.
More details can be found at the event website below. If you're interested in attending both workshops, we have a two-day ticket option available. We will be providing simultaneous translation services via Wordly at both workshops.
Manufacturing for Mobility in Mexico: Workshop at Bonny Doon - Nov. 13th.
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Register now to secure your seat at MobilityTech 10!
Very much looking forward to seeing everyone in Santa Cruz and Bonny Doon!
Warm Regards,
Howard Chao
Doon Insights
