The AUTOMATO, a modular electric vehicle storefront.
Courtesy of BIB Technologies.

Nanavati Low (B.S. ‘16 IEOR) co-founded BIB Technologies as a way to help businesses and companies scale efficiently and sustainably. In 2018, BIB Technologies launched four mobile utility vehicle models, including their signature product, AUTOMATO, a modular electric vehicle storefront that combines sustainability with automotive delivery to help address a changing economy, one where more people are working from home, and labor shortages and infrastructure costs are rising. Rural, urban, and suburban municipalities looking for a solution to help alleviate stress on the power grid may have found the answer in AUTOMATO.

“We are looking to really experiment with what businesses could be inside of AUTOMATO, and other, similar mobile utility function vehicles.” Low said when speaking with the IEOR Department in the spring. “Nowadays, it’s costly to invest in commercial real estate. Not only cash, but it’s time intensive. On top of that, as responsible business owners, you must consider the carbon emissions your business creates.”

As a clean-energy vehicle with temperature-controlled lockers, AUTOMATO allows businesses to sell various items, from frozen food to perishables like bread, fruits, and milk. Customers use their smartphones to make purchases, then scan a generated barcode to access the temperature-controlled locker storing their newly bought items.

AUTOMATO is just one approach in Nanavati Low’s mission to help businesses reduce their carbon emissions. She is focused on creating a sustainable path without increasing costs and spending. More than just an electric utility vehicle, Low believes AUTOMATO is a meaningful way to make profit meet purpose. “Just imagine all these companies in the world saying, yes, we can be carbon neutral, and we will grow our business sustainably. It would be better for everyone.” Low said.

Building an ethical company aiming to improve the world is no small feat, and Low credits her family, friends, and the BIB Technology team for their support and commitment in realizing the AUTOMATO vision. With her co-founder Deloss Pickett, Low has assembled a cross-functional team with expertise in automotives, software engineering, solar power systems, sales, cyber security, and more.

Still, with even the best team, founding a startup is hard work, and a robust idea or concept needs the right environment to grow. Low believes a quick feedback iteration loop is crucial to longevity, and feedback has become a core business practice for BIB Technologies, where they build, market test, and then integrate input into new product iterations as often as possible.

“Consumers love our products because we’ve actively incorporated them into the feedback loop. We truly have a product that adds value without chasing after revenue too early.” Low said. “Deloss and I, we actually go out in the field where we’re driving these vehicles, and we’re talking to our customers directly and listening to their feedback.”

For Low, Berkeley IEOR served as the perfect launching pad for a versatile post-graduate career that includes working in ed-tech, marketing, banking, a stint at SpaceX, and finally the founding her own company, BIB Technologies.

“IEOR really gave me a foundational level of engineering and problem-solving principles, and once that foundation was established, it allowed me to jump into different industries and understand the fundamentals. I don’t know if I could have done that anywhere else other than at Berkeley. UC Berkeley has been so pivotal and so foundational.”

Looking forward, Low is focused on a more sustainable future for business, and she has the team, talent, and ambition to bring her vision to life. There is no doubt about it – big things are coming for BIB Technologies.

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