#197 - Olaf Sakkers | RedBlue Capital – Why our Transportation System is Broken and How to Disrupt It

Building Better with Brandon Bartneck

Olaf Sakkers joins to discuss the purpose of mobility and transportation, the challenges of the current system, and the potential for a more efficient trip economy.

Takeaways

• The purpose of transportation is to connect cities and enable economic growth.
• The current transportation system in the US is underperforming and has negative externalities, such as high rates of car accidents and wasted time in traffic.
• The trip economy, characterized by shared mobility services, offers more efficient and convenient transportation options.
• Efforts to improve the transportation system should focus on removing parking minimums, incentivizing better choices, and transitioning to autonomous vehicles.
• Creating positive change in transportation requires recognizing the flaws in the system, engaging in constructive conversations, and building companies that offer innovative solutions.

Chapters

• Introduction and Background
• The Purpose of Mobility and Transportation
• Moving Towards Outcomes, Not Incremental Improvements
• The Current System and Its Challenges
• Building New Cities and Transforming Existing Ones
• Efficiency of the Trip Economy
• Creating Positive Impact Despite Challenges
• Advice for Making a Difference
• Closing Remarks

Links:

• Show notes: http://brandonbartneck.com/futureofmobility/olafsakkers
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/osakkers/?originalSubdomain=il
• https://www.mobilitydisruptionframework.com/
• https://www.red.blue/

Bio:

Olaf is led by a sense of curiosity to try to understand the kernel of what makes something unique or interesting. While serving in the Israel Defense Forces, he discovered how the rapidly emerging autonomous vehicle technology could transform transportation and be a unique opportunity for the Israeli tech ecosystem. Over the course of six years he built Maniv Mobility into a leading global venture capital fund focused on mobility, managing $150 million and [backed by leading industry players including Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi, Hyundai, BMW, Shell, Aptiv, LG and Valeo. In 2021, Olaf left Maniv to found RedBlue Capital, an early stage mobility-focused venture capital firm focused on mobility, logistics and energy transition.

Born in South Africa, Olaf attended Princeton University where he majored in Anthropology, writing his thesis about frontier medicine and global health policy. The same interest in culture and understanding complex systems are what give him a deep sense of fulfillment from partnering alongside founders to build great companies which solve critical problems.

He's also the author of Mobility Disruption Framework, a book that unpacks the rapid transformation happening in the mobility industry through the lens of microeconomics and colorful comparisons to household pets. He has spoken at numerous conferences such as Web Summit and Tech Crunch and has been quoted in publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and Bloomberg.

Companies that Olaf has backed have gone on to raise over $2 billion dollars.

Future of Mobility:

The Future of Mobility podcast is focused on the development and implementation of safe, sustainable, effective, and accessible mobility solutions, with a spotlight on the people and technology advancing these fields.

Edison Manufacturing and Engineering:

Edison is your low volume contract manufacturing partner, focused on assembly of complex mobility and energy products that don’t neatly fit within traditional high-volume production methods.