The Freiburg-based tech company Wiferion, formerly known as Blue Inductive, is already the category leader within high-performance wireless charging solutions for robots and industrial vehicles. Now, with a capital injection from a Nordic PE Fund and its existing investors High-Tech Gruenderfonds, PHOENIX CONTACT Innovation Ventures, the MBG Baden-Wuerttemberg and VC Fonds BW, the Fraunhofer spin-off, is ready to fuel its vision to become the standard of wireless charging for the global electrified economy.
In the transformation of the fourth industrial revolution, the need to manage the storage and transfer of the electric energy that makes the majority of vehicles and mobile robots run, becomes increasingly important. Wiferion has since its incorporation in 2016 been developing and selling highly efficient wireless charging systems for both industrial end-users, such as automotive OEMs, as well as manufacturers of mobile robots, industrial trucks and AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles).
Wiferion has established itself as market leader in the category of high-speed wireless charging for industrial applications. In addition to wireless charging hardware, the company offers a complete energy management solution for industrial vehicle fleets including smart battery systems.
Global ambitions
Although Wiferion just started serial production in 2018 it already has an impressive customer list validating its unique competitive and technological edge in the market. Still, with the ambition of becoming one of the transformers of the electrified economy, the founders knew they needed not only to bring in more capital, but also attract a long-term strategic investment partner, who could actively support the execution of the strategy.
Wiferion’s customers also look favorably on the company’s global ambitions. KUKA, a leading global supplier of industrial robots and automated production solutions chose Wiferion as their partner to bring wireless charging into their new mobile robot platforms.
Strong investor
Nordic Alpha Partners’ strategy behind its involvement in Wiferion is to enable a quick expansion to more markets. Partner in Nordic Alpha Partners, Laurits Bach Sørensen, explains: “We invest in companies that have the potential to dominate their categories globally. But the potential of Wiferion goes far beyond them spearheading high-performance wireless charging. In fact, we believe that their innovative technology and capabilities can make them the true enabler of the electrified economy. During the 1st wave of the electrified economy, everyone has focused on bringing more effective battery technologies to the market. But together with Wiferion we essentially believe that there is a classical early phase misconception of what the true driver for mass market conversion will be.” Says Laurits Bach Sørensen and continues: “To put it into perspective; if your electric car, robot, bus or forklift can seamlessly charge with minimal energy loss and reduce the need for expensive and heavy battery packages – why would even consider fossil based energy sources? This technology is what Wiferion can provide today, and with our investment we believe we can make it become the standard.” Additionally, Johannes Mayer, CFO of Wiferion, comments: “Due to their global perspective, the methodic hands-on approach and bringing in resources beyond capital, we feel certain that Nordic Alpha Partner can perfectly fuel our ambition of taking Wiferion to a full global expansion”.
Next steps
With the large investment from Nordic Alpha Partners the way is now paved for global expansion. Co-founder and CEO of Wiferion, Florian Reiners, explains: “The investment enables us to rapidly expand to more markets and spearhead standardization of high-speed wireless charging in relevant industry segments. In addition, we are also expanding our product selection from our current 3 kW inductive charging unit to a system capable of a maximum continuous charging power of 12 kW which will further increase our addressable market.”
