Motmot founder Elliot Smith named one of Poets&Quants’ MBAs to Watch

Friday, October 11, 2024

On Aug. 24, Poets&Quants published its annual list of MBAs to Watch, featuring high-potential MBA graduates ready to make a mark in their industries. Elliot Smith (MBA ’24), founder of water main inspection startup Motmot, was named to this prestigious list.

Elliot Smith, MBA ’24

“Motmot deploys scalable autonomous underwater robots to inspect water mains, offering cities a level of control and visibility over their infrastructure previously deemed impossible,” Smith wrote in a Student View column authored for MSUToday. “This venture provides predictive tools against water main breaks, supports our water space workforce and enhances asset management.”

Wayne Hutchison, managing director of the Full-Time MBA & STEM MBA program, described Smith as “a trailblazer, developing and scaling his business endeavor while continuing to succeed academically in the MBA program at a high level.

“While other students have pursued entrepreneurial endeavors during their MBA years, Elliot has brilliantly managed both pursuits while leading our entrepreneurship student organization and supporting our curricular expansions in entrepreneurship,” Hutchison said. “For the first time, the Broad MBA has a concentration in entrepreneurship, rich in the academic skills that can provide depth to a new startup. Elliot’s insights into the entrepreneurial journey were a key piece in realizing this new opportunity for our students.

TechCrunch named Motmot one of only 200 startups exhibiting at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 on Oct. 28–30 in San Francisco. The recognition also makes Motmot one of the top robotics companies at the event’s #StartupBattlefield competition.

“We’re so proud and excited to receive this recognition,” Smith said, adding that Motmot is looking forward to technology startups and venture capitalists celebrating with the team at TechCrunch Disrupt.

“Elliot will be an outstanding business leader, and we are thankful for having had the chance to support him on his path,” Hutchison said. “His success will provide inspiration to our future entrepreneurs in residence, and we look forward to future collaborations!”