Empowering Startups: DigitalOcean’s Hatch Program and Ontra Mobility
In an era where innovation is the backbone of societal advancement, DigitalOcean has launched a global initiative known as the Hatch program, dedicated to empowering startups. This initiative provides budding technology companies with essential credits and discounts on computing resources, enabling them to focus on growth and innovation without the constant worry of escalating costs. By simplifying infrastructure and cost management, the Hatch program is designed to facilitate the creation of solutions that drive societal progress.
One of the notable beneficiaries of this initiative is Ontra Mobility, a startup that emerged from the prestigious Y Combinator accelerator. Ontra Mobility is making significant strides in transforming urban communities by offering data-driven tools that aid cities and transit agencies in planning and operating more efficient, equitable, and sustainable transportation systems. Their primary focus lies in optimizing transit networks and enhancing first-and-last mile access through innovative on-demand ridesharing solutions.
We had the opportunity to engage in a conversation with Connor Riley, the Chief Technology Officer at Ontra Mobility. Riley shared insights into the startup’s decision to partner with DigitalOcean due to its streamlined and managed infrastructure. This decision allows Ontra Mobility to concentrate on their core mission: making public transit more accessible. The support from the Hatch program, which includes credits and resources, has been instrumental in advancing their mission.
Riley, along with his co-founder Anthony Trasatti, initiated their journey at the Georgia Institute of Technology during their PhD programs. Under the mentorship of their academic advisor, Pascal Van Hentenryck, they embarked on optimizing public transit systems—a critical lifeline for many. Collaborating closely with MARTA in Atlanta, Georgia, they developed pioneering techniques for network design optimization, special event scheduling, and dispatching algorithms specifically tailored for on-demand ridesharing. These efforts culminated in successful pilot projects like MARTA Reach and CAT SMART in Savannah, Georgia.
However, Riley emphasizes that gaining adoption for a product serving public agencies presents challenges akin to the development process itself. Public transportation is a lifeline for numerous residents, making it imperative to establish trust with transit agencies before they willingly adopt new products that could impact their constituents. Despite these challenges, Ontra Mobility remains undeterred, having already gained traction with several clients, including a microtransit planning project in Washington D.C.
Connor Riley expresses enthusiasm for the challenges ahead, stating, "It’s a challenge that we’re really excited to face. We want transit agencies to trust us to help them analyze their networks, plan their network changes, and operate their systems. We’re always working every day to continue to build that trust and expand our capabilities."
For startups like Ontra Mobility, developing transformative transportation technology requires a robust yet straightforward infrastructure. DigitalOcean provides just that. By utilizing a variety of DigitalOcean products such as Managed Kubernetes, Spaces, and Container Registry, along with integrations with Temporal, Argo CD, GitOps, and Let’s Encrypt, Ontra Mobility has been able to construct a comprehensive planning and operations platform. Riley appreciates the simplicity DigitalOcean offers, which allows the team to focus on their application rather than being bogged down by infrastructure complexities.
"As a two-person startup, DigitalOcean is perfect for what we need it to be," Riley states. "There’s a simplicity it offers, but that simplicity has never gotten in the way of what we’re trying to do. That takes a huge burden off of us when we’re thinking more about the app and not about the infrastructure as much. I’ve been very happy with DigitalOcean."
The Hatch program has been a vital resource for Ontra Mobility, providing them with credits, priority support, and access to a vibrant community. These resources have been invaluable, allowing the team to build their product and acquire customers without the looming worry of cloud costs. Riley highlights the importance of these resources: "Because we have our credits, we didn’t have to worry about costs, and we didn’t have to factor it into our burn rate. It has been a huge help. I’ve also definitely gotten some help from the Hatch community and DigitalOcean’s support team. When you’re two people and you’re only used to being a software developer or researcher, and now you have to figure out infrastructure, having that support and community is a comfort."
As Ontra Mobility continues to develop, Riley highlights the rewarding aspects of the startup journey, particularly in creating a platform that renders their AI planning tools intuitive and user-friendly. The company actively learns from the public transit agencies they collaborate with, ensuring their products meet the needs of everyday riders.
Looking ahead, Ontra Mobility aims to develop sophisticated AI-powered optimization models, set to enhance vehicle scheduling, dispatching, and more. They are eager to tackle these challenges, empowering communities with seamless and equitable transportation solutions.
The Hatch program offers selected startups a range of benefits, including:
- Up to $100,000 in compute credits
- Privileged GPU Droplet pricing of $1.90/GPU/hour
- Three months of free GPU usage for select startups
- Complimentary premium support
- Access to GenAI usage with Hatch credits
- Entry into a thriving community of founders and builders
It’s important to note that GPU Droplet usage is not covered by Hatch compute credits. This pricing is exclusively available for startups participating in the Hatch program and applies only to on-demand NVIDIA H100 GPU Droplets. Pricing details are accurate as of May 6, 2025, and are subject to change.
For startups interested in joining the Hatch program to fuel their growth, further information and application details can be found at do.co/hatch. The program is open to startups seeking to leverage DigitalOcean’s resources to innovate and expand their impact.
In summary, the collaboration between DigitalOcean and Ontra Mobility epitomizes the transformative potential of technology when combined with visionary startups. Through the Hatch program, DigitalOcean empowers startups to transcend traditional limitations, enabling them to develop solutions that not only drive business success but also contribute to societal progress. As Ontra Mobility continues to innovate, their journey serves as a testament to the power of technology in reshaping urban transportation and enhancing the lives of everyday commuters.
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