Nearly 25 years ago, Zipcar was a startup born from a bold idea and a mission to transform conventional thinking of traditional car ownership. Today, there are many entrepreneurial companies like Zipcar, challenging norms and innovating behind the scenes, working to create the future of sustainable and equitable transportation.  

Seeing an opportunity to support the growth of these entrepreneurs and others yet to come, the Massachusetts Competitive Partnership (MACP), the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC) and Zipcar today announced the Mass Mobility Hub (the Hub), its founding board and executive director. 

The Hub is comprised of a multi-stakeholder group and its goal is to accelerate innovation to enable the movement of people and goods in a smarter, safer, more sustainable and more resilient way. It aims to convene leading mobility companies, entrepreneurs, policymakers and thought leaders to advance sustainable transportation solutions. Through a dynamic ecosystem, it envisions moving towards a cleaner, more efficient and more equitable transportation system for all by fostering collaboration, innovation and economic growth in the Commonwealth. 

Located in Cambridge’s Kendall Square, the Hub will be the connective tissue across key stakeholder groups (startups, corporates, investors, the public sector, academics, and nonprofits) to enable sharing and growth in pivotal resource areas for mobility innovators. Through the support of the CIC, the Hub will be able to immediately offer office space to mobility startups. The Hub will also provide its members with expert resources, testing and other equipment, quality programming, staff support, and more. 

Accomplished Industry Leaders Steer Founding Board, Champion Mobility Innovation  

The Hub’s Founding Board includes: Chair Tim Rowe, founder and CEO of CIC; Vice Chair Rebecca Davis, COO of MACP; Gretchen Effgen, director of Global Automotive Partnerships, Platforms and Ecosystems at Google (and former Zipcar VP); Justin Holmes, head of Marketing and Public Policy (Vice President) at Zipcar; John Moavenzadeh, executive director of the MIT Mobility Initiative; Aakash Arora, managing director and partner at Boston Consulting Group; Joshua Aviv, CEO of SparkCharge; and Jamey Tesler, former Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation and former Registrar of the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. Tesler will also serve as the Mobility Innovation Hub’s Executive Director, as first reported by The Boston Globe. 

“The Mobility Innovation Hub will drive forward the development and deployment of cutting-edge technologies and services that support a cleaner, more efficient and more equitable transportation system for all,” said Jamey Tesler. 

“Massachusetts can be a national leader in discovering, manufacturing and delivering next-generation mobility technology breakthroughs while reaping the economic and societal rewards that come with them,” said Justin Holmes. “It’s time to get us moving again, and this new Mobility Hub will lead the way.” 

“Cleaner transportation can mitigate climate impact through vehicle electrification, enhanced public transit, and shared mobility.” said Rebecca Davis. “But it will not happen without the public-private partnership that is required for success. While entrepreneurs and governments often have the same goals, they speak very different languages. The Hub will help translate while connecting ideas and stakeholders.” 

Want to learn more? 

The Hub plans to expand its outreach to the region’s transportation ecosystem, build additional partnerships and prepare for a formal launch in the coming months. To learn more, visit www.massmobilityhub.com or contact [email protected].