They Said No… Now Universities Are Using It

They told him it couldn’t be done… but Mathew Magno built a company that’s transforming how cities, universities, and hospitals manage parking.

In this episode, the Co-Founder and CEO of Japa shares how his frustration with spending 20–30 minutes searching for parking turned into a smart parking startup now used by major institutions like UCLA and UC Berkeley—and expanding across the United States.

Japa is redefining parking with real-time data, sensors, and AI-powered insights that help drivers find parking faster and help organizations optimize their parking infrastructure. In some cases, Japa has helped cities avoid tens of millions of dollars in new parking construction costs—while helping people park up to 50% faster.

If you’re interested in startups, smart cities, AI, or building a company from scratch, this conversation breaks down what it really takes to go from idea to national scale.

In this episode, we cover:
• How Japa uses smart parking technology, sensors, and real-time data
• The true cost of building parking (up to $40,000–$50,000 per space in California)
• How cities and universities optimize parking without building more structures
• What it takes to scale a startup across campuses and major institutions
• Lessons from proving doubters wrong and building something “impossible”

Mathew Magno’s story is a reminder that entrepreneurship is about solving real problems—and having the conviction to keep going when others say it won’t work.

Check them out:
Website: https://www.parkjapa.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/japa/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/parkJapa/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parkjapa

Chapters: 
0:00 – They Said No (Preview Clip)
0:30 – Meet Mathew Magno & Japa
1:45 – The Frustration That Started It All
3:20 – What Is Smart Parking?
6:15 – The Real Cost of Parking
9:10 – Saving Cities Millions
12:05 – From Idea to Real Deployments
16:20 – Proving the Doubters Wrong
18:45 – Scaling Across the U.S.
22:10 – Selling Into Institutions
25:30 – The Future of Smart Parking
28:15 – Lessons for Entrepreneurs

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If this episode inspires you to be part of the movement, and you believe, like me, that entrepreneurs are the answer to our future, message me so we can join forces to support building truly great companies in our region. 
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Subscribe to my channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCom_​... 
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Mark Haney is a serial entrepreneur that has experience growing companies worth hundreds of millions of dollars. He is currently the CEO and founder of HaneyBiz 
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Instagram: http://instagram.com/themarkhaney​ 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/themarkhaney 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markehaney​ 
Website: http://haneybiz.com​ 
Audio Boom: https://audioboom.com/channels/5005273​  
Twitter: http://twitter.com/themarkhaney
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This video includes personal knowledge, experiences, and opinions about Angel Investing by seasoned angel investors.  This content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, tax, investment, or financial advice.  Nothing in this video constitutes a solicitation, recommendation, or endorsement.

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