Summary
On this special episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Cyrus Sigari, who was appointed by former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson as Chairman of the Arkansas Council on Future Mobility (ACFM). The ACFM recently released its Arkansas Future Mobility Report, which provides a bold, visionary and specific plan to ensure the state’s leadership in advanced mobility. Cyrus is also Co-founder and Managing Partner of UP.Partners. UP.Partners is an early venture capital firm building companies that move people and goods cleaner, faster, safer and at a lower cost on the ground, in the air, over the sea and in space. Additionally, Cyrus is Co-founder and Executive Chairman for jetAVIVA, a global brand that selects, acquires and sells high-performance aircraft–and he serves as a Board Member of Bentonville-based Game Composites, which designs and manufactures the world’s finest and most nimble aerobatic aircraft. Furthermore, he leads UP.Summit, the definitive annual gathering of leaders from around the world who are rethinking the future of transportation. Throughout the episode, James and Cyrus discuss the Arkansas Future Mobility Council’s recommendations and how Bentonville is a key driver in the State of Arkansas’ leadership in advanced mobility.

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‍Show Notes
(0:51) Introduction to Cyrus
(4:23) Cyrus’s Background
(7:43) Objective of the Arkansas Future Mobility Council
(15:51) Implementing Council Recommendations
(19:34) Advancing Mobility in Bentonville
(25:15) UP.Partners Macro and Micro Trends in Mobility Report
(35:06) Mobility Megatrends
(40:03) #BecauseBentonville Story
(42:47) Closing Question
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‍Links
JAMES BELL‍‍
‍BENTONVILLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT‍‍‍
CYRUS SIGARI
UP.PARTNERS
UP.SUMMIT
2023 MACRO AND MICRO TRENDS IN MOBILITY
ARKANSAS FUTURE MOBILITY REPORT
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Quotes
“I haven’t had a lot of experience dealing with government related initiatives, but this certainly made me hopeful about how when you get people with a common vision to work together, some exceptional work can happen…I’m pretty fired up, and I think we’re just getting started.” – Cyrus Sigari, (9:00)

“The bottom line is we have a collective vision, a great moment in history to take real action, to take advantage of these opportunities, work together as a community, create a plan, present the plan and then let the community run forward with it. I feel really blessed to have the opportunity to have a small part in all that.” – Cyrus Sigari, (14:23)

“The most important skill [future engineers and scientists] will need is language…The amount of resources we need to be putting towards helping people learn how to translate a vision from their mind into spoken or written word is the new computer science.” – Cyrus Sigari, (23:36)

“…we all have some sort of divine purpose in our hearts and minds, and there’s tools out there to help us realize those purposes that can be of service to all of humanity…I think we’re in a hopeful time, and that’s one of the more exciting things for me on a day-to-day is my job is literally to stare at hope.” – Cyrus Sigari, (37:08)

“I think education is going to be one of the biggest areas of explosive growth that we see as a result of these sorts of technologies and, like I said, I feel fortunate to be alive during this time.” – Cyrus Sigari, (39:10)

Propelling the Future of Mobility with Cyrus Sigari
On this special episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Cyrus Sigari, who was appointed by former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson as Chairman of the Arkansas Council on Future Mobility (ACFM). The ACFM recently released its Arkansas Future Mobility Report, which provides a bold, visionary and specific plan to ensure the state’s leadership in advanced mobility. Cyrus is also Co-founder and Managing Partner of UP.Partners. UP.Partners is an early venture capital firm building companies that move people and goods cleaner, faster, safer and at a lower cost on the ground, in the air, over the sea and in space. Additionally, Cyrus is Co-founder and Executive Chairman for jetAVIVA, a global brand that selects, acquires and sells high-performance aircraft–and he serves as a Board Member of Bentonville-based Game Composites, which designs and manufactures the world’s finest and most nimble aerobatic aircraft. Furthermore, he leads UP.Summit, the definitive annual gathering of leaders from around the world who are rethinking the future of transportation. Throughout the episode, James and Cyrus discuss the Arkansas Future Mobility Council’s recommendations and how Bentonville is a key driver in the State of Arkansas’ leadership in advanced mobility. 

Creating a Mobility Framework
The Arkansas Council on Future Mobility consists of a diverse coalition of individuals from leading companies and academic institutions across Arkansas. One of the key focuses of the council is how to take advantage of the visionary mindset of Arkansas and the Heartland. The innovative fabric weaving these centrally-located states together is unprecedented, giving it the potential to become a super region for the future of mobility.

“I haven’t had a lot of experience dealing with government related initiatives, but this certainly made me hopeful about how when you get people with a common vision to work together, some exceptional work can happen…I’m pretty fired up, and I think we’re just getting started.” – Cyrus Sigari, (9:00)

During the most recent legislative cycle, funding was approved for a study that will explore the viability of a spaceport in Arkansas. Additionally, the University of Arkansas was awarded a planning grant from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation to support the university’s vision of becoming the preeminent university in smart mobility. These two initiatives are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to mobility advancements that are happening in Bentonville and across the State of Arkansas.

Driving Mobility Efforts
The Arkansas Council on Future Mobility believes intentional education will likely be one of the most important areas of investment. With ongoing support and enthusiasm from Arkansas’ largest and most innovative companies, it’s not a stretch to assume the heightened focus on definitive training will entice a large number of young, skilled individuals to the area.

“I think education is going to be one of the biggest areas of explosive growth that we see as a result of these sorts of technologies and, like I said, I feel fortunate to be alive during this time.” – Cyrus Sigari, (39:10)

To continue propelling mobility forward in the state and the region, it’s vital there are opportunities for the area’s entrepreneurial ecosystem to engage and collaborate with the local Fortune 500 companies. This system allows for mobility startups to have increased access to funding and a talented workforce. This year’s Macro and Micro Trends in Mobility report by UP.Partners, states the next wave of mobility opportunities will require disruptive innovation in multiple disciplines, creating a launching pad for the next wave of mobility ingenuity.

“The bottom line is we have a collective vision, a great moment in history to take real action, to take advantage of these opportunities, work together as a community, create a plan, present the plan and then let the community run forward with it. I feel really blessed to have the opportunity to have a small part in all that.” – Cyrus Sigari, (14:23)
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Get Connected!
‍Thank you for tuning in to this episode of The Bentonville Beacon! Join us weekly for more stories from entrepreneurs and business leaders who are sparking the rise of Bentonville. If you are interested in discussing whether your business should have a presence in Bentonville or would like to discuss this podcast, please contact James Bell. You may reach James at JBELL@GREATERBENTONVILLE.COM or (479) 273-2841.