Speaking with us at MOVE America 2025, Venture Capitalist legend, Tim Draper, joins us on the sofa to offer his candid insights on Detroit’s past, present, and potential future. Our conversation covers topics from across the full breadth of mobility and innovation, discussing everything from flying cars and interplanetary mobility to digital twins and AI.
Tim describes Detroit as a city with a “real personality,” long defined by the automotive industry. Despite the strong entrepreneurial energy beginning to emerge, Tim argues that the traditional “Big Three” automakers have missed key opportunities around electric vehicles and self-driving technology following Tesla’s rise. “I really hope Detroit can create the future rather than always playing catch-up,” he says, framing the city’s challenge as a choice between becoming a museum of past innovation or a hub of forward-looking creators.
For Tim, the next leap in mobility isn’t incremental features, but rather transformational change; flying cars, space travel, and mobility beyond Earth.
“You missed the electric car, and you missed the self-driving car, so now make them fly.”
Tim explores the key benefits of implementing AI in the mobility sphere, highlighting how AI is already outperforming humans in areas like law and accounting. He explains how his own firm uses advanced AI systems to evaluate startups, analysing business plans, real-time interviews, voice patterns, and even visual cues to assess entrepreneurial potential.
For founders, Tim preaches the importance of thinking big and far ahead, arguing that success comes, not from playing catch up, but leapfrogging into the future. “Create your own world,” he says, encouraging entrepreneurs to redefine markets rather than compete as a distant second. He leaves us with a final message: Love your early customers as they will be your biggest advocates further down the line.
Watch the full interview with MOVEmnt Editor, Eve Stevens below.
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