David Zipper

Senior Fellow, MIT Mobility Initiative

David Zipper is a Senior Fellow at the MIT Mobility Initiative, where he examines the interplay between transportation policy, technology, and society. David’s perspectives are rooted in his experience working within city hall as well as being a venture capitalist and startup advisor. He has consulted with numerous public agencies about regulatory strategy and has helped foundations including Arnold Ventures develop their philanthropic approach toward improving transportation outcomes.  

A Contributing Writer at Vox and Bloomberg CityLab, David’s writing has been published in outlets including The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Slate, and Fast Company. His stories focus on topics including America’s failures around road safety, transportation’s role in climate change, and strategies to grow transit ridership. David received a Heinrich Boll Foundation fellowship to write a skeptical exploration of Norway’s electric car subsidies, which was Vox Future Perfect’s most read story of 2023. He has spoken at events including the Consumer Electronics Show, SXSW, and the FIA Conference.

From 2013 to 2017 David was the Managing Director for Smart Cities and Mobility at 1776, a global entrepreneurial hub with over 1,300 member startups. At 1776 David connected hundreds of entrepreneurs to urban leaders eager to deploy their solutions, and he closed millions of dollars in partnerships with cities and corporations worldwide. He continues to be a Partner in the 1776 Seed Fund.

David previously served as the Director of Business Development and Strategy under two mayors in Washington DC, where he led support to Washington’s first startup incubators and guided the city's response to the emergence of ride hail. Before moving to Washington David served as Executive Director of NYC Business Solutions in New York City under Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

David holds an MBA with Highest Honors from Harvard Business School, an M.Phil in Land Economy (Urban Planning) from Cambridge University, and a BA with High Honors from Swarthmore College. He has been selected as a Truman Scholar, a Gates Scholar, and a Baker Scholar.