The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch

20VC: Why Self-Driving Is Still Under-Hyped in The Medium To Long Term, What Will The Ownership Mechanism Be Both In Physical Assets & Data and How To Assemble A World Class Exec Team As A Young Founder with Alex Rodrigues, Founder & CEO @ Embark

Jul 5, 2019
In this engaging discussion, Alex Rodrigues, the Founder and CEO of Embark, shares his journey from winning a World Robotics Championship to leading in self-driving truck technology. He argues that self-driving is still under-hyped, citing insights gained from top public market investors. Alex explores the potential for self-driving vehicles as public utilities and discusses future ownership models for data and assets. He also provides valuable tips on assembling a top-notch executive team, emphasizing the significance of mentorship and team morale for young founders.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
ANECDOTE

From Waterloo to Embark

  • Alex Rodrigues transitioned from the University of Waterloo to founding Embark, a self-driving truck company.
  • His robotics background, including winning a World Robotics Championship in middle school, prepared him.
ANECDOTE

FIRST Robotics Experience

  • FIRST Robotics provided Alex Rodrigues with more relevant experience for Embark than university.
  • Running a FIRST team taught him valuable skills in team management, budgeting, and engineering.
ADVICE

Encouraging STEM Engagement

  • Encourage children interested in STEM to participate in programs like FIRST Robotics.
  • These programs offer hands-on learning, competition, and mentorship from experienced engineers.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app