58: Micromobility from the beginning - a conversation with Sanjay Dastoor, CEO of Skip and co-founder of Boosted Boards

This week Oliver interviews Sanjay Dastoor, one of the founders of Boosted Boards and subsequently Skip, who operate a shared scooter service in DC. Sanjay has been around this space longer than pretty much anyone, and has a wealth of insight and experience that were a joy to unpack. Unfortunately, the audio cut a little for Sanjay right at the beginning but we kick off right where it picks up. Specifically we cover: - Sanjay's journey as a Micromobility OG starting Boosted Boards and then on to Skip - his original motivations, how your thinking has evolved, and lessons learned about what works and doesn’t. - How he's thinking about the current shared scooter space in terms of business models and regulatory response, as well as a discussion about Skip’s foray into subscription models - We dig into the challenges that Skip have faced in San Francisco and the bidding processes. We talk about what if anything could have improved it, and why Sanjay sympathizes with the city officials for the outcomes. - We talk about vehicle design, and the opportunities and challenges for shared vehicle design and what he thinks is coming - How Sanjay thinks through shared vs. leased vs. rented vehicles and reflects on what works and doesn't - We discuss where and why legacy regulations will result in highly specific solutions for different geographies. - We talk through capital efficiency in operations, why it’s important, and what creative destruction in this space looks like - Sanjay's thoughts/critiques on Horace’s thesis around micromobility, including the interplay between hardware and operating systems