Six Weeks in the Heart of Freight Alley

Over the past 6 weeks, I had the incredible opportunity to work in Chattanooga, Tennessee, as part of the CO.LAB Sustainable Mobility Accelerator powered by gener8tor.

Chattanooga isn’t just scenic—it’s the heart of Freight Alley and a rising hub for freight and logistics innovation 🚛 🚚 🚐 . Being there in person allowed me to connect with the local ecosystem, learn from leaders and get inspired by the future being built in real time. 🫶 Community More than anything, this experience was about people — the executives, government leaders, and industry experts across transportation, waste management, automotive manufacturing, and public infrastructure. Meeting those shaping the future of infrastructure, mobility, and logistics at scale was invaluable.

A standout feature of the program was the mentor swarms — structured opportunities to meet over 100 professionals across the ecosystem. These sessions were valuable for understanding market nuances, gathering perspectives, and refining everything from messaging to pricing. They also opened doors to BD opportunities and helped build a connection to the local network.

I’m incredibly grateful to have connected with:

• Mayor Tim Kelly - for fostering an ecosystem that attracts and empowers innovators

• Charlie Brock - for your ongoing support and valuable connections

• Lyndon Lie - for the confidence you placed in us and the role you played in our acceptance 

And a big thank-you to  Tasia Malakasis Donna Ehart Katheryn Telles Quezada and Barry Grove for curating such an impactful program. 🏭 Site Visits Being on the ground meant getting to see innovation up close. Memorable experiences included:

• Touring the VW Battery Lab to learn about the rigorous testing process which made the VW ID.4 quickly rise to the top of my EV shortlist.

• A visit to Oak Ridge National Laboratory was a journey through scientific history, underscoring its lasting contributions to nuclear research. In 2016, the lab played a pivotal role in the discovery of Tennessine— a superheavy synthetic element.

• The retreat was a great way to wrap up the first half of the program— a chance to further build personal connections within the cohort.

  
  

  These events were a powerful reminder of how ideas move from the whiteboard to the real world.

🪞 Final Reflections Chattanooga is a place where logistics, freight, and mobility converge in exciting ways, serving as both a launchpad and laboratory for next-gen transportation solutions.

I’m heading home with new ideas, great connections, and a clearer sense of where our company fits in this landscape.To everyone I met: thank you. And if you’re curious about what we’re building at Tenvos AI, or want to connect on freight, logistics, or startup life — I’d love to keep the conversation going.

- Rima Seiilova-Olson, Founder and CEO