Mr. Zach Matthews, a successful entrepreneur, spoke to members of our Applied Science program and Entrepreneur Club about his journey, offering inspirational advice and answering students' questions. 

Matthews explained that much of what he does centers on helping businesses find ways to save their customers time because, as they often say, “time is money.” As vice president and head of corporate business development at Metropolis, Matthews uses artificial intelligence to make spaces around us more responsive. Just as we can now drive through interstate toll checkpoints without waiting in line, Matthews said it’s their goal to have customers wait as little as possible. He sees his company as “an invisible friend who is there to help you save minutes.”

Matthews talked about his journey, beginning with his career at Uber in its early days, when the service was available in only eight U.S. cities. As a young businessman often surrounded by older, more experienced colleagues, he learned that by surrounding himself with smarter people, he pushed himself to become better. Early on, Matthews also founded Moonlit Ventures, a company that helps brand-new startups turn their ideas into reality.

To bring all ideas to market, Matthews stressed the importance of raising capital. Investment, he noted, is often driven by fear of competition and even by ego. Regardless, investors want to know how their product will stand out among the others in its field. 

In response to audience questions, Matthews shared his thoughts on topics such as self-driving vehicles and new app-building technologies that allow people with no coding experience to develop useful apps simply by supplying a detailed English-language prompt. He said that the technology for self-driving cars is certainly with us; however, a car’s needs aside from driving still depend heavily on human interaction, such as finding and paying for parking and becoming attached to charging stations. 

Regarding app-building software that uses AI, Matthews feels that anyone with a good idea now has incredible power, regardless of their understanding of code writing. Sophisticated apps are ready for use only fifteen minutes after prompting; month-long projects involving coding can be completed in a day and a half. This new technology alone, says Matthews, will most certainly lead to changes in high school and college curricula.

When asked if there were an ideal college major for young people who wished to follow their innovative spirits, Matthews said he couldn’t just choose one. In fact, he said that perhaps the most useful course he took in college was an acting class because he uses the stage skills covered in that course every day.

Matthews left students with a clear message: innovation is not only about technology, but also about vision, adaptability, and the courage to pursue bold ideas. From leveraging artificial intelligence to reimagining everyday experiences to drawing on unexpected skills like acting, his journey demonstrates that success comes from curiosity, collaboration, and a willingness to make mistakes.