Highlights from TechCrunch Sessions: Mobility (also known as Sam's First Tech Conference)

By Sam Rupel

I’m a mobility nerd. I commute on my bike, I like the wind in my face, the freedom and the human connection you get outside of a personal car. I am giddy with excitement about new modes of transportation - especially digging into real life implementation, tracks to changing social stigmas, and improving urban infrastructure. So when my team asked if I would like to go with them to TechCrunch Sessions: Mobility, my first tech conference, I said yes before they could finish the question.

I took the light rail to the California Theater in San Jose, grabbed a soy latte at Caffe Frascati, picked up my badge and perused the booths  while sipping my coffee as exhibitors were finishing their setup. I’m that fresh blood that gets to the conference early.

Sitting in the front row of the theater on red crushed velvet seats, I was ready to watch panelists take the stage by storm - including founders of three Key clients: May Mobility, Refraction and Skip Scooters.

• I made sure to have a seat in the theater for the first panel where micromobility operators and government officials took the stage to discuss best practices for building mobility first cities. Seleta Reynolds, General Manager, Los Angeles Department of Transportation, schooled representatives from INRIX and Udel in a hot discussion of what it means to build mobility-first cities.

• I sat with my mouth gaping as a vision for a future of “friction free” mobility was described. Arrive designs autonomous and connected vehicles that they say are progressing at a rapid rate; President and COO, Dan Roarty, shared his thoughts on how he thinks we can get there - which included Alexa-style smart tech listening and giving suggestions for transportation, routes, and scheduling to create a friction free experience.

*PAUSE FOR POKE BOWL*

• I watched as the first-of-its-kind AV robot delivered Cheetos on stage. Our client Refraction showed off their autonomous delivery vehicle that can safely operate in all weather conditions, with and by relying on cheaper navigation technology, all on a micromobility-size footprint instead of designing the usual car scale vehicle.

When you really get to talk to someone, you are able to get a better feel for their idea and their energy behind it. You have an opportunity to talk through the challenges they face and hear out creative solutions. You never know when a conversation will spark ideas for thought leadership that wouldn’t have otherwise jumped to mind. Being able to take a day to break down those walls, sip mediocre coffee, and chuckle with everyone makes developing relationships MUCH easier.

She came, she learned, she conquered.