Scaling an autonomous vehicle or EV startup often requires eye-popping amounts of capital that only hedge funds, strategic venture arms and institutional investors have the appetite and funds for.
In the past two years, those capital needs have prompted dozens of mobility startups to turn to either public markets or deep-pocketed hedge funds and venture arms of automakers and suppliers. Arrival, Canoo, Faraday Future, Lucid Group, Luminar Technologies and Nikola are just a few of the companies that went public via mergers with special purpose acquisition companies, while Rivian and TuSimple took the traditional IPO route. Other startups, perhaps not ready for that stage, turned to GM, Toyota’s Woven Capital and BMW Ventures — to name a few — in an effort to lock up partnerships that will help them scale.
But what are these strategic investors, hedge fund managers and institutional investors looking for? We aim to find out at TechCrunch Sessions: Mobility on May 18 and 19, a two-day, in-person event that — like in previous years — will bring the best and brightest minds together to discuss challenges and opportunities in the future of transportation.
We’re turning to some of the most active hedge fund, institutional and strategic investors in transportation to get answers.
With so many market variables at play — not the least of which is the ongoing global pandemic — we could all use a healthy dose of insight and perspective. Which is why we’re thrilled to announce that John Du (GM Ventures), Marcus Greer (Capital Group), Taylor Ogan (Snow Bull Capital) and Trina Van Pelt (Intel Capital) will take the TC Mobility stage for a panel discussion on strategic opportunities for startups.
John Du is a partner at GM Ventures, which has made investments in Envisics, GeoDigital and Nauto, to name a few. Du also serves as GM’s chief technologist for China. Prior to becoming a partner, Du served — from its inception in 2009 — as the director of the China Science Lab, part of GM’s research and development organization. He built a strong, innovative research team and led the research and development in intelligent and connected vehicles, battery, advanced materials and electrified propulsion systems.
Marcus Greer is an equity investment analyst at Capital Group where he oversees research for major automotive OEMs along with the autonomous and electric mobility ecosystem. Prior to joining Capital, Greer served as a public equity investor at Fidelity Investments. Earlier in his career, he worked as a private equity associate at Emerson Collective focused on late-stage VC and early-stage growth companies. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Nevada.
Taylor Ogan is the CEO of Snow Bull Capital, a green and high-tech hedge fund that invests in companies focused on improving the environment through technological advancements and increasing urban efficiencies. His areas of interest include AVs, AI, batteries and EVs.
Trina Van Pelt is the VP and senior managing director of Intel Capital and a voting member of its Investment Committee. Her areas of focus include growth and venture investments in intelligent edge, enterprise SaaS, AI and urban mobility.
Van Pelt, who currently serves as a director on five growth-stage portfolio company boards, has more than 25 years of experience in a broad range of global technology acquisitions and investments.
Don’t miss this essential discussion when these expert VCs will reflect on how investment strategies changed during the pandemic, how they’re shifting today and what startups in the transportation industry should prepare for in the capital markets going forward.
TC Sessions: Mobility 2022 breaks through the hype and goes beyond the headlines to discover how merging technology and transportation will affect a broad swath of industries, cities and the people who work and live in them. Register today and reserve your seat before prices increase next week!
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