Uber Freight founder Lior Ron will join Waabi as chief operating officer based in California. He told The Logic that he aims to help the Toronto-based startup commercialize its driverless trucks through an ambitious schedule of meetings with supply chain executives. (The Logic)

Talking point: Waabi is testing autonomous trucks in Texas, and CEO Raquel Urtasun told The Logic she wants to expand its client base as the company aims to deploy trucks without drivers on roads by the end of this year. Ron has helped launch some major tech projects, leading development of Google’s early iPhone competitors manufactured by Motorola, and working on Google Maps from 2007 to 2012. Uber Freight has counted about a third of the Fortune 500 as clients, as well as Canadian companies like Furlani Foods. Ron said he favours Waabi’s tech because it’s more scalable than rivals, and because the company’s culture is a “full meritocracy.”