Executive summary:
- Graduated from UC Berkeley in 1996 with a degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
- After 11 years in the computer games industry and the sale of his first startup, GarageGames, Mark has turned his entrepreneurial energy towards sustainable transportation.
- Served on the Oregon Transportation Commission and as a Technical Advisory Member of the Oregon Innovation Council.
- Arcimoto was founded in 2007 and in September 2017 the company went public on Nasdaq (FUV) in order to transform from a development stage venture into a manufacturing enterprise.
- On September 19, 2019, the dream became reality with the production release of the first Arcimoto FUV.
What is your field of expertise?
Mark Frohnmayer
Originally my focus was programming and game design; that’s since shifted to voting systems, electric vehicle design and EV systems architecture, as well as the continual learning of how to help people work together effectively.
Describe your journey to where you are today.
I spent 11 years in the computer games industry, first at a AAA studio, then on to my first startup, GarageGames. When we exited GG in 2007, I switched my focus to sustainability. The light bulb moment that led to Arcimoto clicked on that summer at the Eugene celebration parade when I saw a couple of cool looking electric three-wheelers zipping by piloted by drivers with huge grins on their faces. Seeing those kit BugEs illuminated the giant gap between the bike and the car. So I ordered up a kit, cajoled some friends into helping me put it together, and pretty quickly started up Arcimoto to go after a new product design in that market gap.
What does your company do, for whom, and how does it fit into the bigger picture of solving global issues with clean tech?
Based in Eugene, Oregon, Arcimoto designs and manufactures three-wheeled electric vehicles for everyday use for everyday people. We believe that by right-sizing, electrifying and better utilizing our rides, we can reclaim our space, clean our air and make our cities much more livable for everyone. Essentially our goal is to build “Disneyland on the road to save the planet and get groceries.”
At the core of all of our vehicle products is a flexible and scalable platform that we can optimize for many uses: daily driving, destination rentals and tours, last mile delivery, emergency response, general fleet utility, and just plain joyful driving.
What do you think is the most important thing we can be doing in terms of clean tech solutions?
Global climate change from carbon emissions is the greatest threat facing life on this planet. As a culture, two great steps would be to reconsider where we go and what we eat: transportation and meat consumption are giant emitters, and this provides opportunities for clean tech ventures aiming to rethink how we do things.
Environmental consciousness starts by considering our own actions and taking responsibility for the role we play. By traveling shorter distances more intentionally and by switching to a plant-based diet, we can lighten our own footprint, and provide the market for ventures offering innovative solutions.
We need to get serious about reversing the trashing of our planet. Solutions that make it easier or possible to reduce our footprint that are aimed at affordability and the mass market are a big piece of the puzzle.
LinkedIn: Mark Frohnmayer