Jessica Robinson is a mobility investor, entrepreneur, educator, and champion of Detroit.
As Co-Founder and Partner of Assembly Ventures, she invests in and strategically supports the entrepreneurs and mobility companies moving the Western world. She joined Assembly Ventures from her prior role establishing the Michigan Mobility Institute, an organization she co-founded to accelerate the development of talent for the mobility industry.
Jessica previously led the development of next-generation mobility efforts at Ford Smart Mobility where she was the Director of City Solutions, a team which supported go-to-market strategies for the company’s entire mobility portfolio. As an early leader in the new mobility industry, she was a key field leader at Zipcar, the world’s largest car sharing organization, where she held roles in growth, operations, and marketing across North America.
Her background in technology and innovation includes prior work at Techstars launching corporate startup accelerators with industry-leading partners like Target and Virgin Media. She is an active startup mentor, advisor to the Zell Lurie Commercialization Fund at the University of Michigan, serves on the advisory board for the MS Robotics program at Wayne State University, and is a micro lender who invests in women entrepreneurs and business owners in Detroit.
In recognition of her public-private work, Jessica has been named a Next City Vanguard, a competitive distinction for top young urban innovators working to make change in global cities. She previously served as advisory board chair for PlanetM, an initiative of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, to connect startups to resources, testing, and pilot opportunities in the state. In 2020, she was appointed to the State of Michigan’s Workforce Development Board to represent mobility businesses.
Jessica graduated with highest honors from the University of Massachusetts with a BA in anthropology and brings an unexpected perspective to the challenges that fall at the intersection of mobility and technology.