Day 2: Being Competitive and Purposeful
Editor’s note: The Innovation Odyssey Blog is produced by students in the Innovation Odyssey course, taught by Assistant Professor of Practice Stephen Brand. The course featured a trip to Silicon Valley in January 2025 where the students met with executives and leaders in the tech industry. Each blog will be about a specific day of the trip and the students’ experience. This post was written by the team of Isabelle Buckley ’27, Maxwell Clemens ’25, Gavin Mestler ’27, and Conner Raney ’26.
Reflecting on a jam-packed day in Silicon Valley, a key takeaway of the day is thinking of the unthinkable. In the Valley, everyone who works there is thinking ahead and using insights and resources to create the future, and as young entrepreneurs it is inspiring to meet with these individuals who are dedicating their lives to creating a better future for society.
To start off our day we were greeted by Jim Adler, General Partner and Founder of Toyota Ventures, where they are investing in frontier technology and climate technology. Jim emphasized as we go out into the world and launch our businesses to not be afraid to get our “hands dirty.” To quote Jim, “success is a very poor teacher as it is often representative of talent and effort and misses out on luck. Failure is a great tool to learn from.” Jim stressed how we need to maximize opportunities by trying and failing, rather than to have missed an opportunity. Following his own advice, Jim embraced the opportunity to lead Toyota Ventures despite having no traditional venture capital background, and through hands-on learning, he successfully established and continues to run the firm. Jim along with his portfolio team enhanced our beliefs of going all in with our business and not being afraid to fail. It was inspirational to hear from the team at Toyota Ventures on how we can further the success of businesses now as they’re in the pilot stages.
The Toyota Ventures team built on this by showcasing how they bridge the gap between startups and Toyota’s engineering culture, fostering collaborations that align bold ideas with real-world applications.
After Toyota Ventures, we visited two tech startups AutoX and MightyFly. At AutoX, we met with Chief Business Officer and Babson alumni Hugo Fozziati ’03. And, at MightyFly, we spoke with the CEO and founder, Manal Habib. These two startups are looking into creating a more sustainable and safer future.
Reflecting on MightyFly, it was incredible to hear from Manal and her extensive background in aerospace engineering and being able to hear her apply her passions and education into creating an autonomous air cargo startup that designs and manufactures drones. Among all the startups we met during our visit, a lasting impact on us is the emphasis on sustainable solutions and how technology innovations can be a tool in doing so for the world. MightyFly is an example of how we can turn our ideas into something feasible. It was inspiring to hear how Manal came from a strictly engineering background and figured out the business portion of founding a startup by learning on the fly. Manal’s commitment to turning her vision into a reality through a startup even without the business expertise is a testament to her drive and passion for aviation. It was exciting to see the sheer passion that Manal had for her industry and product, not letting problems get in her way, constantly solving them to chase her dreams.
Manal also stressed the importance of hiring a good team to support you along the way. As many of us have a startup with a co-founder, as we take our business ideas and go to scale we’ll implement Manal’s advice of the importance of hiring the right people for the right position.
To wrap up the day, we visited SoundThinking, a company at the forefront of public safety technology, and our experience highlighted how continuous innovation, and a strong mission can drive success in an ever-changing market. SoundThinking’s flagship product, ShotSpotter, locates and identifies gunshots in cities around the globe, relying on trained professionals to verify audio and provide real-time alerts to authorities. Seeing this technology in action underscored the critical importance of accurate, immediate information when responding to emergencies, ultimately saving lives and building stronger communities.
Throughout our tour, we learned that relying solely on existing technology is insufficient for growth, and that companies must stay ahead by developing new products and exploring untapped markets. SoundThinking’s global expansion demonstrated how public safety needs extend well beyond national borders, allowing them to serve municipal and private clients worldwide. Their commitment to their core mission, protecting the public, guides every aspect of their operations, from product development to sales strategy. They consistently reinforce the principle that a clear, unwavering focus can foster trust and loyalty, even as an organization diversifies its offerings.
We also were impressed by how SoundThinking balances profitability with a social conscience, illustrating that businesses can be both competitive and purposeful. Ultimately, our visit showed us that at the heart of any successful venture lies the drive to solve real-world problems and deliver tangible impact. As we reflected on our tour, we recognized how these lessons apply broadly to any company determined to remain relevant and successful in a rapidly evolving landscape. By prioritizing innovation, leveraging global opportunities, and maintaining an unwavering sense of purpose, SoundThinking continues to set a high bar for the future of public safety technology. Our day there left us inspired, motivated, and eager to carry these insights forward in our own endeavors. SoundThinking exemplifies how purpose-driven innovation can shape safer communities.
Posted in New Tech Ventures Blog
