Building Dacora: Kristie D’Ambrosio-Correll on Starting an Ultra-Luxury EV Company
In this episode of Women in Retail Talks, Women in Retail Leadership Circle Managing Editor Marie Albiges interviews Kristie D’Ambrosio-Correll, CEO and co-founder of Dacora Motors, the first American ultra-luxury electric automotive brand. Listen in as D’Ambrosio-Correll shares her lifelong interest in the automotive industry (1:35), her career background in engineering and startups (3:55), and when she realized her dream of launching an American automotive brand could become reality (6:40). She touches on the challenges of being the first female founder of an automotive brand in history (9:00), the unexpected support she’s found in the male-dominated industry (11:20), and what makes Dacora vehicles unique (13:45).
In addition, D’Ambrosio-Correll discusses why Dacora vehicles are electric (15:20), its production timeline (17:55), relationship building vs. marketing to ultra-luxury customers (20:00), and what she wants the brand name to evoke (21:40). She touches on working with her husband as her co-founder (22:25), their split responsibilities as CEO and CTO (23:50), and how she motives her lean team to think client-first (26:45). Lastly, D’Ambrosio-Correll shares her boundaries to protect her time and energy (28:55) as well as the legacy she hopes Dacora leaves behind for female leaders, engineers and the automotive world (33:20).
Kristie D’Ambrosio-Correll is the co-founder and CEO of Dacora, the first ultra-luxury American automotive brand in nearly a century. A MIT-trained engineer with deep roots in both product innovation and executive leadership, Kristie is best known as the former CTO of MIRROR, where she led the engineering team from prototype to scale and helped drive the company’s $500 million acquisition by lululemon athletica. Her career spans hardware, software and manufacturing, with a track record of building world-class teams and delivering breakthrough products at the intersection of technology, design and human experience. At Dacora, she brings that same rigor and creativity to redefining what a luxury car company can be — fusing American craftsmanship with cutting-edge EV innovation to create a brand with enduring cultural significance.
Date: September 30, 2025
Credits: Kristie D’Ambrosio-Correll
Duration: 35:53
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