SXSW Pitch Finalist: Flugauto
The Forrest Four-Cast: February 27, 2020
A B2B tech company, Flugauto is developing a world-class UAV platform for aerial delivery of industrial cargo for the energy industry. For businesses that want to transport cargo, they offer the benefits of a helicopter, including speed and access to remote locations, but at the cost of ground transportation.
They have an end-to-end solution, from operating and monitoring the fleet of UAVs to the on-the-ground operations and delivering to the final destination. B2B customers simply book on their platform and sit back until the goods are delivered.
Flugauto is the work of a multi-disciplinary team of passionate entrepreneurs and aviation experts, which has come together to develop and commercialize technology to revolutionize the transportation of cargo. Collectively, the team has research and work experience with numerous leading academic institutions and technology and business corporations in the United States, Europe and the Middle East, including NASA, Airbus, Google, BMW, IBM, McKinsey & Co., Georgia Tech and Stanford.
In addition to being one of 50 finalists for SXSW Pitch 2020, Flugauto was awarded a 2019 IEEE N3XT® Star Award, which recognizes best-in-class technology startups that have engineering-driven innovation at their core and additionally have an impact that aligns with the IEEE mission to foster technology, innovation and excellence for the benefit of humanity. In addition, Flugauto was selected as one of the Top Picks at TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco 2019.
See the pitch at SXSW in the category of Smart Cities, Transportation & Logistics Technology, 9:30 am to 10:30 am Saturday, March 14, 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm Sunday, March 15, before a live audience and a panel of expert judges.
Winners in each of the 10 categories will be announced at the Pitch Awards Ceremony, at 6:30 pm Sunday, March 15. SXSW attendees are also invited to Meet the Finalists from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm Monday, March 16. All SXSW Pitch events take place at the Hilton Austin Downtown.
Alexander Xydas, Flugauto Co-Founder and COO, talked about what the team is excited about, the quote he lives by, and why he loves his Apple wallet.
What is your top goal for Flugauto for 2020?
Complete two customer trials to prove technology platform and sign one to three commercial paid contracts.
Tell us your favorite thing about being based in Austin.
The entrepreneurial vibe.
With the exception of Flugauto, what tech trend is your team most excited about?
Electrification of mobility and transportation.
What is the most overhyped tech trend of 2020?
Blockchain.
If you weren’t working for Flugauto, what would you be doing?
Working for or founding another disruptive startup.
What has the startup experience taught you about life?
Grit and persistence are key.
Which living person do you most admire and why?
Elon Musk for his visionary ideas and execution skills.
What do you think is the most overrated virtue?
Hope.
Which talent would you most like to have?
The ability to memorize things quickly.
What’s your actual super power?
Self-motivation.
What motto or quote do you live by?
There are no problems, only solutions.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten — or given?
Pick your partners wisely.
Tell us about something you love.
My Apple wallet and having no need to carry any wallet or physical cards with me.
What do you do when you are low on energy?
Go to the gym or on a run.
If you were offered the opportunity to colonize Mars (but with no guarantee that you would ever return to Earth), would you go?
Yes, as long as there were a big enough community going there. Probably though I’d make the trip later in life, during retirement.
Look for more interviews with other finalists in this space between now and the start of SXSW Pitch on Saturday, March 14. Visit this page to see all previous interviews in this series as well as a list of all finalists.
If you are an entrepreneur, check out the SXSW 2020 Startups Track, which runs March 13–17. This track brings together founders and funders and showcases exciting new companies, products, services, and business models across different verticals and industries.
Hugh Forrest serves as Chief Programming Officer at SXSW, the world’s most unique gathering of creative professionals. He also tries to write at least four paragraphs per day on Medium. These posts often cover tech-related trends; other times they focus on books, pop culture, sports and other current events.
