Speakers Robin Chase: Transport Networker

Robin Chase

With Zipcar, Robin Chase introduced car-crazy America to the concept of non-ownership. Now she's flipping that model with Buzzcar, which lets you rent your own auto to your neighbors.

Why you should listen to her:

If she weren't a proven entrepreneur, you might imagine Robin Chase as a transportation geek, a dedicated civil servant, endlessly refining computer models of freeway traffic. If she weren't such a green-conscious problem-solver, you might take her for a startup whiz. Case in point: In 2000, Chase focused her MIT business training on a car-sharing scheme imported from Europe and co-founded Zipcar, now the largest car-sharing business in the world. Using a wireless key, location awareness and Internet billing, members pick up Zipcars at myriad locations anytime they want one.

Now Chase has launched Buzzcar, a car-sharing service in France with a twist: instead of a fleet of green Zipcars, the service lets users share their own cars and make money off their unused capacity. Call it peer-to-peer auto rental.

"Robin Chase has already changed the way we drive, but she's not satisfied. Now she wants to change the way we live as well."
Harvard Gazette

Email to a friend »

Quotes by Robin Chase

  • “We need to reduce CO2 emissions in 10 to 15 years by 80 percent in order to avert catastrophic effects. … What are catastrophic effects? A three degree centigrade climate change rise that will result in 50 percent species extinction.”

    Watch this talk »

More TEDQuotes…