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The startup allowing EVs to charge anywhere, anytime
SearchVentures
May 28, 2024
The Startup Story
This week, we spotlight Reefilla, an Italian startup raising €4 million to develop portable EV chargers. Started by three young engineers who quit their jobs to bet on an electric future, they are creating solutions for a lack of charging infrastructure by repurposing EV batteries.
Startup Story of Reefilla
From Engineers to Entrepreneurs
Reefilla aims to eliminate the challenges associated with EV charging through portable charging stations that use second-life batteries. Their flagship product “Fillee” is a portable charging device providing charging infrastructure in areas where finding power can be an issue, such as road assistance or events.
Founded in early 2021 by Marco Bevilacqua, Pietro Balda, and Gabriele Bergoglio, Reefilla emerged from the vision of three engineers who left their secure jobs at Stellantis to tackle the growing challenges in EV infrastructure.
“We felt that we were part of a market revolution and wanted to make a real impact, something we couldn’t achieve within a large company.”
Their technical expertise has been key in developing a practical solution to Italy’s lack of EV charging infrastructure. With 34.9% of startup founders from engineering backgrounds, Reefilla shows how industry knowledge can solve complex challenges at speed.
This is just the start for Reefilla
Reefilla encountered difficulties aligning investors with their bold vision for the future of EV technology. However, their persistence paid off, securing €1,000,000 in pre-seed funding from CDP Venture Capital, Plug and Play and European business angels.
“Despite the ambitious vision and the slow pace of change in the Italian EV market, we knew persistence was key.”
Securing Funding and Scaling Up
With the initial funding allowing for the production of 50 units and the industrialization of their technology, Reefilla is now finalizing a €4 million funding round to support their growth across Europe and develop new products that repurpose EV batteries giving them a second life.
“In Italy when we started, electrification was barely on the radar. We’re set to change that by innovating beyond traditional infrastructure.”
Reefilla is transforming EV charging for Europe, combining engineering expertise with future-focused innovation. As they prepare to expand across the continent with new products, their journey from engineers to successful entrepreneurs showcases how startups are often able to out-innovate larger competitors unable to adapt to new markets.
EV tech driving growth for mobility startups 📈
Funding in European mobility startups by segment
For European mobility startups EV battery-based funding dominates and is the only segment that has increased. Mobility excluding EV was down 42% in 2023, but with EV, it received more funding than fintech. What is driving this substantial increase in EV battery startup funding in Europe?
To understand the key reasons and deeper insights behind this trend, catch our Thursday publication on SearchVentures Premium.
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This week's edition is sourced from our interview with Pietro Balda, co-founder of Reefilla
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See you on Thursday :)
Cheers,
Odin Lund & Hari Mohandas
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