Mobility Summit Explores the Future of Transportation Across Land, Air, and Water

EAST LANSING, Mich. (Sept. 9, 2025) — Michigan’s leadership in next-generation transportation was on display at the inaugural Mobility Summit, co-hosted by the MSU Research Foundation and MSU Mobility on August 14, 2025, at the Graduate East Lansing Hotel. Sponsored by Consumers Energy and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) Office of Future Mobility and Electrification (OFME), the daylong event convened researchers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and industry leaders to explore challenges and opportunities shaping the future of mobility.

The day began with opening remarks from David Washburn, Chief Executive Officer at the MSU Research Foundation). It was then co-moderated by Judd Herzer, Director of MSU Mobility, who guided the first half of the program, and Pete Martin, Director of Portfolio Management at the MSU Research Foundation, who moderated the second half.

Keynotes

Brad Wieferich, Director of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), delivered the opening keynote, Michigan’s Changing Mobility Landscape, highlighting statewide efforts to improve road safety, expand EV infrastructure, and accelerate electrification. In the afternoon, Bob Holycross, Vice President, Chief Sustainability, Environment and Safety Officer at Ford Motor Company, delivered a keynote on Ford’s mobility innovation strategy, underscoring Michigan’s enduring role in global automotive leadership.

Presentations & Demonstrations

A series of presentations showcased campus innovation in action. Cemre Kavvasoglu of ADASTEC presented on autonomous transit bus operations at MSU. Steve Kiefer of the Kiefer Foundation addressed distracted driving. Elliot Smith of Motmot demonstrated underwater exploration with submersible drones, while Matt Schrenk of MSU highlighted the potential of hidden geologic hydrogen. Daniel Morris of PoliMOVE-MSU showcased advances in AI-powered high-speed racing, and John Verboncoeur of MSU and Jeff Smith of the MSU Research Foundation discussed co-location opportunities at Michigan State University.

Panels

Panel discussions featured voices from across Michigan’s mobility ecosystem:

• Resourcing Innovation: Tommy Skinner (MSU Research Foundation), Justine Johnson (MEDC OFME), and Colleen Hau (Newlab).
• Sky’s the Limit: Drones, eVTOLs, and the Third Dimension of Mobility: Surya S. C. Congress (MSU), Michael Healander (Airspace Link), James McClearen (Blueflite), Bryan Budds (MDOT), and Nicole Noll-Williams (Capital Region Airport Authority).
• Trailblazers: Powering Innovation Off-Road and Off-Grid: Brad Garmon (Michigan Outdoor Recreation Industry Office) and Mahmoodul Haq (MSU), alongside startup founders Sam Shapiro (Grounded), David Medina Álvarez (LIVAQ), and Josef Hjelmaker (Electric Outdoors).

Innovation Showcase

The Innovation Showcase brought forward more than a dozen startups and research teams—including Airspace Link, Blueflite, Electric Outdoors, Kiefer Foundation, LIVAQ, Grounded, Spin, the MSU Center for Railway Research and Education, and the MSU Inductive Charging Initiative—demonstrating the breadth of technologies advancing mobility across multiple sectors.

Michigan as a Living Testbed

Speakers consistently emphasized that mobility is no longer limited to cars but is an ecosystem of interconnected solutions spanning land, air, and water. From autonomous buses and AI-powered racing to off-grid electrification and drone infrastructure, the summit highlighted how Michigan’s assets uniquely position it as a living test environment.

“Michigan is leading in mobility because of our strategic focus on people-centric solutions and robust public-private partnerships,” said Justine Johnson, Michigan’s Chief Mobility Officer. “By prioritizing equitable access and developing a workforce prepared for the mobility jobs of the future, we are creating a mobility ecosystem that attracts talent and keeps our state at the forefront of innovation.”

Nicole Noll-Williams, President & CEO of the Capital Region Airport Authority, added: “The Mobility Summit highlighted how Michigan is positioned to lead the next generation of transportation innovation, including in advanced air mobility… safe and sustainable drone and eVTOL corridors will strengthen connectivity and economic growth across Mid-Michigan.”

Collaboration as the Engine of Innovation

Throughout the day, participants reinforced the importance of collaboration across sectors. Universities bring research, startups bring agility, corporates bring scale, and government provides enabling policy. The summit offered tangible examples of this ecosystem in action, including MSU’s partnerships with ADASTEC, Motmot, and others embedding campus research into real-world pilots.

“I was inspired by the tangible momentum and commitment to innovation on display at the Mobility Summit,” said Surya S. C. Congress, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University. “Our interdisciplinary work is key to leveraging expertise in AI and autonomous systems to build a smarter, safer, and more connected transportation network, and we’re committed to actively training the talent pipeline that will power this new age of mobility.”

Michael Healander, CEO of Airspace Link, reinforced the point: “Michigan’s collaborative approach between government, industry, and academia is creating the blueprint for scalable UAS infrastructure nationwide… I’m excited to partner with Michigan stakeholders to transform these pilot programs into the operational drone corridors that will define the future of unmanned aviation.”

Strengthening Michigan’s Mobility Ecosystem

The summit closed with a Mobility Meetup hosted by MEDC’s Office of Future Mobility & Electrification, providing participants with informal networking opportunities to continue building connections sparked throughout the day.

“This summit is part of a year-round series of forums the MSU Research Foundation organizes to showcase MSU research and bring researchers, industry leaders, government, entrepreneurs, and risk capital providers together,” said Anum Mughal, Placemaking Manager at the MSU Research Foundation. “By convening these innovators at the Mobility Summit, we’re helping spark collaborations that translate research into real-world mobility solutions, strengthen Michigan’s economy, and attract high-tech companies to campus.”

Three Key Takeaways from the Mobility Summit

1. The New Dimensions of Mobility: Mobility now extends beyond cars to include drones, autonomous buses, recreational EVs, and connected infrastructure, forming an integrated ecosystem.
2. Collaboration is the Engine: Universities, startups, corporates, and government must work together to translate research into scalable solutions.
3. Michigan as a Living Testbed: With state support, campus assets, and a growing roster of startups, Michigan offers a unique real-world environment to pilot and scale mobility innovations.

“On behalf of MSU Mobility, I want to thank every attendee, speaker, and presenter who made the inaugural summit such a success,” said Herzer. “The event showcased the depth of innovation happening here at Michigan State University and underscored the power of collaboration between research, industry, and government.”

To learn more about future summits hosted by the MSU Research Foundation, visit msufoundation.org/events.

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