Interview with Yingu Pan and Zhongqi Fu | Urban Designers Spanning International Recognition for UNIBIKE

Yingu: I'm Yingu Pan, an urban designer at the Boston Planning and Development Agency. My academic background includes a Master of City Planning from MIT, obtained in 2023, and a Bachelor of Architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology, completed in 2016.

My professional experience spans work with internationally recognized architectural firms such as Sasaki and SOM in cities like Boston, Chicago, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. My passion for urban design is enhanced by my interests in photography, railroad modeling, antique collecting, and travel. These pursuits enrich my creative process, enabling me to integrate a nuanced understanding of urban dynamics and sustainability into Unibike's product design.

Zhongqi: I am Zhongqi, a product designer based in Boston, blending a Master's degree from Columbia University with over five years of experience in UX/UI design. I specialize in crafting innovative solutions that impact daily life across various sectors.

Currently, I lead design projects at Electric Hydrogen Co, focusing on IoT enterprise products from conception to market launch, aiming to steer the energy industry towards zero emissions. I also co-founded TA Design Studio, mentoring over 50 design students, and partnered with Yingu Pan to launch Unibike Co, where we develop electric shared bike systems, contributing to sustainable urban mobility.

Yingu: My path to product design stemmed from a foundation in urban design and architecture, coupled with my varied personal hobbies. Initially, I was drawn to the macro aspects of city planning and architecture, aiming to understand and shape the environments that influence human interactions.

Through my urban design experience, I encountered diverse design philosophies and saw firsthand how each urban element affects human life. The shift to product design came with the realization that the principles used to create functional, sustainable, and visually appealing urban spaces could be similarly applied on a smaller scale in product design. My hobbies sharpened my attention to detail and appreciation for history and user experience, all vital in product design.

Zhongqi: My passion for visual aesthetics and the joy of creating beautiful designs drive my career. As a UX designer, I am positioned at the intersection of design, technology, and psychology. This unique blend not only enhances my ability to contribute meaningfully to the field but also empowers me to improve human experiences effectively.

My curiosity and dedication motivate me to apply my skills in transformative ways, integrating impactful designs into everyday life. This commitment reflects my desire to enrich the human experience, demonstrating my zeal for making a significant difference through thoughtful design.

Unibike Co., was co-founded by us, Yingu Pan and Zhongqi Fu and its an innovative startup committed to transforming urban mobility. We specialize in e-bikes, offering sustainable, user-friendly solutions to urban commuting challenges. At the core of our mission is the Unibike, meticulously designed to merge urban and product design elements, featuring a lightweight, rechargeable battery and a smart, dockless parking system. Our goal is to redefine the bike-sharing industry by leveraging our deep understanding of urban dynamics and a strong commitment to sustainability.

Yingu: As the Founder and Chief Designer, I lead the overall design process at Unibike Co., from the initial business model conception to detailed product visualization and modeling. My role is crucial in shaping both the aesthetic and functional qualities of our bikes, as well as integrating sustainable practices into our business strategy.

Zhongqi: My role as also the Founder and the Lead Designer, I would focus on enhancing the user experience with the innovative Unibike App. My work is pivotal in increasing user engagement, boosting marketing efforts, and expanding our customer base, further positioning Unibike Co. as a leader in the e-bike sharing industry.

To us, innovation is the powerful synergy of art and science dedicated to solving real-world problems and enhancing our daily lives. It's about going beyond aesthetics to deeply understand user needs, behaviors, and emotions, creating impactful and tangible solutions. Innovation is holistic, encompassing the entire journey from concept to completion, driven by thorough research, iterative design processes, and collaboration across diverse disciplines.

At its core, innovation is rooted in empathy. By empathizing with users, we strive to design intuitive, accessible, and inclusive products that resonate with a wide audience. This ensures our creations are not only visually appealing but also genuinely useful, sustainable, and effective in addressing real-world challenges with creativity and forward-thinking.

Furthermore, innovation is our commitment to challenging the status quo. It's about rethinking possibilities, turning visions into reality, and driving societal and environmental change. Through initiatives like Unibike, we harness design to revolutionize urban mobility, emphasizing sustainability and user experience to develop an electric shared bike system.

Ultimately, innovation is our way of expressing ideas, exploring solutions, and making a meaningful impact. It's the relentless pursuit of excellence and dedication to creating a more user-friendly and better world, leveraging the latest technology to solve daily challenges and enhance life quality.

Our innovation in the Unibike project revolves around a detachable, lightweight battery that offers a unique low-carbon solution for urban commuters, especially those who rely on bikes for their daily travel. Unlike most current shared bike solutions, which are costly and cumbersome, Unibike allows users to own the battery, charge it at home, and carry it with them. This not only lowers maintenance costs but also reduces overall expenses for customers.

The portable battery can be used to charge not only the bike but also other devices like phones and laptops, making it highly versatile. To enhance accessibility, we use Parking Zones with GPS instead of fixed parking docks. Users can park their bikes in designated zones marked with red outlines, and once they approach the zone, the "Lock Bike" feature on the Unibike app is activated, ensuring convenience and ease of use.

Furthermore, Unibike has a significant social impact. By encouraging more citizens to use shared e-bikes for their commutes, we promote a shift towards sustainable urban mobility. This widespread adoption of e-bikes contributes to decarbonization in the long run, reducing the city's overall carbon footprint and fostering a healthier, more environmentally friendly lifestyle for its residents.

The idea for our award-winning innovation, Unibike, was born out of a deep understanding of the challenges faced by urban commuters and a commitment to sustainability. We noticed that many existing shared bike solutions were either too costly or inconvenient, with heavy bikes and limited parking options that often left users far from their destinations. These pain points inspired us to rethink the shared e-bike experience from the ground up.

Our team conducted extensive research and engaged with users to understand their needs and frustrations. We discovered that the high cost of shared e-bikes and the inconvenience of parking were significant barriers to wider adoption. This led us to develop a lightweight, detachable battery that users could charge at home and carry with them. By allowing users to own the battery, we reduced maintenance costs and made the system more affordable.

Additionally, we wanted to make the bikes more accessible and easier to use. Instead of traditional parking docks, we introduced GPS-enabled Parking Zones, which offer more flexibility and convenience for users. This innovation not only improves the user experience but also encourages more people to choose e-bikes for their daily commutes.

Our focus on sustainability and user-centric design has driven the success of Unibike, helping us create a solution that addresses real-world problems and promotes a greener, more efficient mode of transportation.

During the innovation process for Unibike, we faced several significant challenges. High development costs were a primary obstacle in creating a lightweight, detachable battery. To overcome this, we partnered with technology companies and secured funding through grants and investors who believed in our vision for sustainable urban mobility.

Technical difficulties in designing a portable, durable, and versatile battery required extensive research and development. Our engineering team conducted multiple design iterations and rigorous testing, incorporating user feedback to ensure the battery met user needs and expectations.

Encouraging user adoption involved changing established behaviors and perceptions. We launched a comprehensive marketing campaign and organized community events to highlight Unibike's benefits, such as cost savings, convenience, and environmental impact. These efforts helped demonstrate the system's ease of use and appeal.

Navigating local regulations and integrating our Parking Zones into existing urban infrastructure was complex. We collaborated with city planners and local authorities to ensure compliance and gain support, showcasing the positive impacts on traffic congestion and carbon emissions to secure necessary approvals.

Ensuring Unibike's accessibility for a broad audience, including those with limited technical proficiency, was crucial. We designed a user-friendly app with clear instructions and provided customer support and educational resources to help users become familiar with the new system.

Through these targeted strategies and a commitment to our vision, we successfully developed and launched Unibike, significantly enhancing urban mobility and promoting sustainability.

Winning this award is a tremendous honor and a significant milestone for us. It validates our efforts and dedication to creating innovative, sustainable urban mobility solutions with Unibike. This recognition inspires us to pursue our future goals with even greater determination and ambition.

Firstly, the award enhances our credibility and visibility in the industry, opening up new opportunities for partnerships and collaborations. We aim to leverage this increased recognition to expand Unibike's reach to more cities and communities, making sustainable transportation accessible to a broader audience.

Additionally, this achievement motivates us to continue innovating and improving our technology. We plan to invest in further research and development to enhance the features of Unibike, making it even more efficient, user-friendly, and environmentally friendly.

Moreover, the award reinforces our commitment to sustainability and social impact. We aspire to lead by example, demonstrating how technology can address real-world challenges and drive positive change. Our future projects will continue to focus on reducing carbon emissions, promoting sustainable urban living, and improving the quality of life for people in cities around the world.

As a two-person team, we supported each other throughout the entire journey, thanks to our strong collaboration. The initial research data originated from a school project that Yingu worked on during his time at MIT. This project provided extensive research and data analysis on the shared bike market, user needs, and the shortcomings of current shared bike systems. When we encountered the opportunity to participate in a design competition, we decided to revamp the entire project and develop a viable solution.

Zhongqi: I rethought the entire user journey and identified the necessity of designing the Unibike mobile app to enhance user experience and monetization.

Yingu: I focused on redesigning the bike's appearance and solving the technical challenges associated with the portable battery.

We believe our innovation, Unibike, will shape the future of urban mobility by setting new standards for convenience, sustainability, and user experience.

The detachable, lightweight battery model reduces costs and increases accessibility, likely inspiring other companies to adopt similar approaches. Our focus on sustainability can drive the industry towards greener practices, reducing carbon emissions and promoting eco-friendly transportation solutions.

The user-centric design of GPS-enabled Parking Zones and the intuitive mobile app sets new benchmarks for convenience and flexibility, addressing major pain points in current shared bike systems. This innovation will push the industry to develop more user-friendly solutions.

Overall, Unibike promotes a healthier, more active lifestyle and can influence urban planning to create more bike-friendly infrastructure, further integrating cycling into urban transportation.

We would advise aspiring innovators to stay curious and deeply understand the problems they aim to solve. It's crucial to immerse yourself in the user's world and experience the challenges firsthand. Building empathy and a user-centric approach can lead to more meaningful and impactful innovations. Additionally, embracing a mindset of continuous learning and being open to feedback are key to refining your ideas and adapting to rapidly changing environments.

Persistence is also essential; true innovation often requires overcoming numerous setbacks and staying committed to your vision. Finally, collaborate widely. Innovation thrives on diverse perspectives and expertise, so seek partnerships and interdisciplinary teams to enrich your solutions and maximize their societal impact.

During the innovation process for Unibike, we stayed motivated and focused by setting clear, achievable goals and regularly celebrating small milestones along the way. Passion for improving urban mobility and making a tangible impact in people’s daily lives drove us forward. We also maintained an open dialogue with potential users and stakeholders, which provided continuous feedback and validation of our work, reinforcing the relevance and necessity of our project.

Additionally, we cultivated a supportive team environment where creativity was encouraged, and challenges were openly discussed and tackled collaboratively. Keeping the vision of how our innovation could transform urban commuting always at the forefront helped us persevere through challenges and maintain our drive. Engaging with the wider community of urban designers and sustainability advocates also inspired us and injected fresh perspectives and energy into our work.

With Unibike, our hope is to fundamentally transform urban mobility by making it more sustainable, efficient, and accessible. We envision a future where city commuting is seamless and environmentally friendly, reducing reliance on cars, cutting down on urban congestion, and contributing to cleaner air.

We aim for Unibike to not only improve the daily commute for millions of people but also to inspire a shift in how cities think about transportation infrastructure. By integrating our smart, user-friendly e-bikes into the urban fabric, we want to encourage more people to choose cycling over other forms of transport, promoting a healthier lifestyle and more vibrant, connected urban communities.

Ultimately, our innovation is about more than just convenience; it's about fostering a sustainable relationship between people and their environments, helping to create cities that are more livable and enjoyable for everyone.

Successful innovation really comes down to a few key qualities. Curiosity and open-mindedness keep you open to new ideas, while empathy lets you understand what people truly need. You also need solid problem-solving skills because innovation is about finding new solutions to old challenges.

Resilience is crucial too; the journey of innovation is full of setbacks, and bouncing back from them is key. Technical knowledge helps turn ideas into reality, and strong collaboration skills mean you can bring together diverse teams to create something truly impactful.

Good communication is essential to get others excited about your ideas, and adaptability allows you to quickly respond to changing conditions. Combining these skills with a genuine passion for making a difference is what helps an innovator succeed.

Over the next 5-10 years, we believe the design industry will see a significant evolution driven by digital transformation, user-centric design, sustainability, and ethical considerations. Augmented and virtual reality will become increasingly prominent, while collaborative remote work will reshape how designers collaborate. Data-driven design methodologies will gain traction, enabling designers to create more effective and personalized experiences.

Additionally, cross-disciplinary skills will be in high demand as the boundaries between different design disciplines continue to blur. Overall, adaptability, creativity, and a focus on user needs will be critical for designers to navigate and thrive in this rapidly changing landscape.

To those inspired by our achievements with Unibike, I'd convey this message: Innovation is not just about having groundbreaking ideas; it's about transforming those ideas into tangible solutions that address real-world problems. Stay committed to your vision, but be prepared to adapt and evolve as you confront new challenges and receive feedback. Embrace the iterative process of learning and improvement.

Most importantly, believe in the impact of your work. Whether you're improving a small aspect of daily life or tackling global issues, your efforts contribute to a larger narrative of change. Surround yourself with a supportive community, seek collaboration, and never underestimate the power of diverse perspectives to enrich your journey. Let passion and purpose drive you, and remember, every step forward, no matter how small, is a step towards making a significant difference.