Powered by DigitalOcean Hatch: Ontra Mobility is Building Smarter Cities

Powered by DigitalOcean Hatch: Ontra Mobility is Building Smarter Cities Solving real-world problems comes with real-world challenges Simplifying building with DigitalOcean and Hatch Full speed ahead About the author Try DigitalOcean for free Related Articles Stop Building SaaS from Scratch: Meet the SeaNotes Starter Kit Powered by DigitalOcean Hatch: Why Uxify’s Founders Always Choose DigitalOcean Powered by DigitalOcean Hatch: How Ex-human uses GPU Droplets to Build Empathetic AI that Serves Customers By Martin Nguyen Published: May 7, 2025 4 min read Hatch is DigitalOcean’s global program for startups, which provides selected growing technology companies with credits and discounts on computing resources so they can build and scale with less worry about costs. By keeping infrastructure and cost management simple, the Hatch program helps enable startups to build solutions that move society forward. Ontra Mobility , a Y Combinator startup, transforms communities by developing data-driven tools that help cities and transit agencies plan and operate more efficient, equitable, and sustainable transportation systems, focusing on optimizing networks and improving first-and-last mile access through on-demand ridesharing. We sat down with CTO Connor Riley, who chose DigitalOcean for its simple, managed infrastructure so they can focus on making public transit more accessible. The Hatch program provided credits and resources that helped support their mission. During their PhD programs at Georgia Institute of Technology, Riley and his co-founder Anthony Trasatti worked with their academic advisor, Pascal Van Hentenryck, to optimize public transit, which serves as a vital lifeline for many. Working closely with MARTA in Atlanta, GA, they developed techniques for network design optimization, special events scheduling, and dispatching algorithms for on-demand ridesharing. These projects powered on-demand ridesharing pilots MARTA Reach and CAT SMART in Savannah, Georgia. Getting adoption for a product that serves public agencies is as much of a battle as building the product itself. Since many residents rely on public transportation, establishing trust with transit agencies is essential before they’ll risk adopting new products that could impact municipal residents. Despite these hurdles, they’re undeterred: they’ve already gained traction with a number of customers, including conducting a microtransit planning project in Washington D. C.