HPE invests in British wireless charging start-up Chargifi

A Chargifi wireless charging pad
A Chargifi wireless charging pad Credit: Chargifi

HPE is plugging investment into a London based wireless charging start-up that provides hotel guests, cafe-goers and sports fans battery power without the need for a socket. 

Chargifi has raised £5m in funding which will boost its expansion in the US and Asia. Chargifi already provides wireless charging for British customer Pret a Manger and Twickenham stadium. 

Wireless charging is tipped to be become as transformative as Wi-Fi was to dial-up internet connections. It quickly become a top investment after Apple launched the iPhone X, which features the technology.  

The idea for Chargifi was born while founder Dan Bladen was travelling the world in 2016 and found that businesses who failed to provide a way for customers to charge their devices were missing a trick as he was more likely to spend time in cafes or shops with sockets. 

Chargifi offers the charging pads and apps needed for the charging to work, as well as a data analytics tool which advises companies which charging points are most popular. This allows a franchise to re-arrange room plans or displays based on where more people are spending their time. 

Samsung wireless charging pad
Samsung has its own wireless charging device Credit: Samsung

The funding, which was led by Accelerated Digital Ventures (ADV), will allow Chargifi to offer its services to HPE's worldwide customers. 

Mr Bladen said: “As a society, we have never been more reliant upon power for our phones and vehicles than we are today. This year you will be able to charge your new car wirelessly, by pulling it up over a wireless charging area. In the future drones will land on buildings and charge wirelessly before taking off again.

"Chargifi is doing for power what WiFi did for connectivity: cutting the final cord and helping people get power when and where they need it. In just a few short years from now wireless power will be as ubiquitous as WiFi.”

Mike Dimelow, Chief Investment Officer at ADV said that he expected the startup to become "market defining", adding that it was a crucial time for companies to install wireless charging at mass.  "It needs to happen now," he added. 

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