Mobility Summit

Mobility Summit

Thursday, August. 14, 2025  |  7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

at Graduate East Lansing Hotel
133 Evergreen Ave, East Lansing, MI 48823

Researchers, Innovators, and Partners:

Join Us to Explore What Moves Michigan

This one-day summit brings together researchers, innovators, and industry partners to explore mobility challenges and solutions—from autonomous transit and drones to supply chain resilience and off-road transportation. The program features keynote talks, technology showcases, panel discussions, and opportunities for conversation and connection.

Who should attend: Engineers, researchers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, investors, and community leaders working on transportation, infrastructure, and mobility innovation.

Sponsored by Consumers Energy

Welcome
David Washburn, CEO, MSU Research Foundation
Judd Herzer, Mobility & Innovation Director, MSU

Keynote
“Michigan’s Changing Mobility Landscape”
Brad Wieferich, Director, Michigan Department of Transportation

Presentations & Demos

“SpartanXpress: Autonomous Transit Bus Operations at MSU”
Cemre Kavvasoglu, North America Product Management Director, ADASTEC

“Distracted Driving: The Epidemic on Our Roads”
Steve Kiefer, Chairman, The Kiefer Foundation

“MotMot: Pioneering Underwater Exploration with Submersible Drones”
Elliot Smith, CEO and Co-Founder of Motmot, Inc.

“Hidden Hydrogen: What Lies Below Could Power What’s Next”
Prof. Matt Schrenk, MSU College of Natural Science, Microbiology and Geology

Panel Discussion

Tommy Skinner, Director of Venture Investments, MSU Research Foundation
Justine Johnson, Chief Mobility Officer, State of Michigan
Colleen Hau, Advisor, Newlab

Presentation

John Verboncoeur, Senior Associate Dean for Research at MSU
Jeff Smith, Director of Research Parks, MSU Research Foundation

Buffet lunch and networking break.

Presentations & Demos

“PoliMOVE-MSU: Advancing Autonomous Mobility Through High-Speed AI Racing”
Paul Mitchell, CEO, Indy Autonomous Challenge
Prof. Daniel Morris, MSU Technical Team Lead – PoliMOVE-MSU Autonomous Indycar Racing

Panel Discussion

Bryan Budds, Aeronautics Director, Michigan Department of Transportation
Michael Healander, President and CEO, Airspace Link
Prof. Surya Congress, Assistant Professor, Michigan State University
James McClearen, CTO, Blueflite

Moderated by:
Nicole Noll-Williams, President and CEO, Capital Region Airport Authority

Indoor Showcase:

  • Airspace Link: Digital infrastructure linking drone flight with ground data and airspace rules, supporting scalable, low-altitude operations.
  • Blueflite: eVTOL drone platform for autonomous delivery, designed for speed, efficiency, and sustainability across logistics and emergency services.
  • Electric Outdoors: Solar-powered, off-grid camping platforms providing energy, water, internet, and EV charging for connected stays in remote locations.
  • Kiefer Foundation: Nonprofit advancing awareness, policy, and technology solutions to eliminate distracted driving.
  • MSU Center for Railway Research & Education (CRRE): North America’s leading academic hub for railway management, advancing economic growth, sustainability, and innovation through systems-level research and education.
  • MSU Inductive Charging Initiative: Cross-disciplinary research on next-gen EV charging, combining social science, engineering, and lifecycle analysis to inform sustainable infrastructure and policy.

Outdoor Showcase:

  • ADASTEC: Level 4 autonomous bus platform with integrated perception, mapping, and control—deployed in live transit environments.
  • Grounded RV: All-electric, modular camper vans with off-grid capability, combining clean energy, smart tech, and customizable interiors.
  • LIVAQ: All-electric ATV with twin hub motors, swappable battery, and zero-emissions performance for off-road exploration.
  • Motmot: Autonomous underwater robots for live pipeline inspection, detecting leaks and defects to enable predictive water infrastructure maintenance.
  • PoliMOVE-MSU: High-speed autonomous racing as a testbed for AI development, advancing real-time decision-making, safety, and self-driving systems.
  • Spin: Shared electric scooters for short-distance urban travel, enabling cleaner, safer, and more connected transportation.

Keynote

Bob Holycross, VP, Chief Sustainability, Environment & Safety Officer, Ford Motor Company

Panel Discussion

Sam Shapiro, CEO & Founder, Grounded Electric Vans
David R. Medina Álvarez, Founder, LIVAQ
Prof. Mahmoodul Haq, Director, MSU Composite Vehicle Research Center
Josef Hjelmaker, Founder and CEO, Electric Outdoors

Moderated by:
Brad Garmon, Executive Director, Michigan Outdoor Recreation Industry Office

Hosted by Michigan Office of Future Mobility & Electrification

Sponsors

Speakers

David Medina Álvarez
LIVAQ

Annick Anctil
MSU Inductive Charging Initiative

Wolfgang Bauer
Michigan State University

Bryan Budds
Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT)

Surya Congress
Michigan State University

Brad Garmon
Michigan Outdoor Recreation Industry Office

Mehrnaz Ghamami
MSU Inductive Charging Initiative

Sanjay Gupta
MSU Green and White Council

Colleen Hau
Newlab

Mahmoodul Haq
MSU Composite Vehicle Research Center

Michael Healander
Airspace Link

Judd Herzer
Michigan State University

Josef Hjelmaker
Electric Outdoors

Bob Holycross
Ford Motor Company

Justine Johnson
State of Michigan

Cemre Kavvasoglu
ADASTEC North America

Steve Keifer
Keifer Foundation

Pete Martin
MSU Research Foundation

Paul Mitchell
Indy Autonomous Challenge

Nicole Noll-Williams
Capital Region Airport Authority

Daniel Morris
Michigan State University / Motion Grazer AI

James McClearen
Blueflite

Matt Schrenk
Michigan State University

Sam Shapiro
Grounded Electric Vans

Tommy Skinner
MSU Research Foundation / Michigan Rise

Jeff Smith
MSU Research Foundation

Elliot Smith
Motmot, Inc.

Patricia Soranno
MSU Office of Research & Innovation

John Verboncoeur
Michigan State University

David Washburn
MSU Research Foundation

Jeff Wesley
MSU Research Foundation

Bradley Wieferich
Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT)

Help Shape the Future of Mobility:

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