Tagline
We enable on demand repair of electric vehicle charging stations by utilizing your local workforce.
Pitch us on your solution
Today there are about 20,000 public electric vehicle (EV) charge stations in the U.S., by 2030 McKinsey estimates that 13 million public EV charge stations will need to be deployed. Today 25% of deployed public EV charge stations do not work and 75% of the issues experienced are actually non-electrical software and/or communication issues.
Currently EV charge station network providers sub contract to electrical contractors at $175 per hour with a 3 hour minimum to validate and trouble shoot non electrical issues. The average resolution time for a down station is about 15 days across network providers.
The ChargerHelp! app enables a community's' local workforce to easily validate, troubleshoot, or escalate a software or communication issue of a networked EV charge station within hours instead of weeks. ChargerHelp! aims to utilize technology to drive workforce realignment or development in the new green economy.
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What is the problem you are solving?
As previously stated studies have found that 25% of current deployed EV charge stations are currently down due to non electrical issues. The average resolution time for a down station is about 15 days across EV charge station network providers. Without solving this problem it will only further impact potential revenue and even worst, the public's perception of electric vehicles. Therefore, not solving this issue presents a major barrier to ev adoption and to sustainable success of ev network providers.
It is also important to understand that this year $3 billion dollars in incentive funding for electric vehicle charge station infrastructure and maintenance will enter the US market. The Cleantech industry has a unique opportunity to work alongside communities to help evolve current workforce's to become equally or more successful within the green economy.
ChargerHelp! believes that we can help to solve this problem for network providers while creating means to economic mobility for community members.
Who are you serving?
As a member of the program development team for the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator Advanced Prototyping Center (APC) Fellowship, ChargerHelp! was able to work directly with 30 participants from low income disadvantage communities.
Our role in the program development was creating the curriculum that was taught to participants to ensure they were prepared for Green Color jobs, such as electric vehicle charge station maintenance. ChargerHelp! has been privileged to engage with this group past the program to gather more information as we build out our app and platform.
It is most important to ChargerHelp! that participants of any learning ability will be able to utilize our platform to successfully validate, troubleshoot and escalate any network electric vehicle charge station issue.
What is your solution?
ChargerHelp! (CH!) works with local workforce development agencies to provide their participants with access to the ChargerHelp! app. ChargerHelp! in turn sells annual maintenance service contracts to electric vehicle manufacturers, network providers, and resellers of ev charge stations.
When an electric vehicle driver submits an issue in their network providers app on a CH! covered ev networked station, instead of the issue creating a ticket that would eventually by worked on, a ChargerHelp! technician is immediately alerted through our mobile app.
The ChargerHelp! technician is able to accept and navigate to the station that is experiencing the issue. Once on site the ChargerHelp! technician will be walked through how to validate, troubleshoot, and/or escalate the issue that the station is experiencing. At the end of the call the ChargerHelp! technician will receive a payment for mileage traveled and a flat rate depending upon if the issues was validated, solved, or escalated.
Select only the most relevant.
Where our solution team is headquartered or located:
Los Angeles, CA, USAOur solution's stage of development:
PilotDescribe what makes your solution innovative.
ChargerHelp! will be the first platform of its kind to not only properly and quickly solve down networked ev charge station but also help to create a new workforce for the green economy.
We are also most excited to utilize technology to bypass long years of technical training. We believe technology can and should be used to enable and re-purpose certain workforce groups.
Why do you expect your solution to address the problem?
ChargerHelp!s' founder has substantial experience in trouble shooting ev network charging stations as she has built three departments for an ev network provider and serves as consultant to two large ev charge station manufacturers.
ChargerHelp!s' role in the LACI APC Fellowship also supported our assumptions that individuals with non-technical backgrounds can be taught how to validate, troubleshoot, or escalate network ev charge station issues.
Also, as a member of the LACI Accelerator Founder Business Association program, our founder has conducted several customer interviews to further uncover how to best address the issue of a lack of affordable workforce.
Select the key characteristics of the population your solution serves.
In which countries do you currently operate?
In which countries will you be operating within the next year?
How many people are you currently serving with your solution? How many will you be serving in one year? How about in five years?
We currently work with 15 of the 30 EV network technicians that went though the LACI APC EV Network Technician Training Program in supporting and sourcing work for them. Upon completion of our mobile app we will secure our first pilot and work directly with the current 15. This year to cover our first 3 initial pilots in the Los Angeles County region we expect to have an ongoing workforce of 30.
In one year, we plan to expand to Portland, Oregon and then to New York State to service about 6,000 stations under contract. To service those areas we plan to have a total workforce of 1,000 who utilize our app as CH! Technicians.
In five years, we conservatively project to acquire 650,000 stations under contract in the United Stations, to service those stations we will need a workforce of 100,000 who utilize our app as CH! Technicians.
What are your goals within the next year and within the next five years?
Please find our goals listed below -
Year 1:
- Secure 4 Pilot programs with leading companies within the 4 customer market segments, which include an ev charge station manufacturer, a reseller, a network provider, and a utility who owns and operates ev charge stations
- Secure 6,000 stations under contract with $3.6M in revenue
- Acquire and retain a workforce of 1,000 who utilize the ChargerHelp! app as CH! technicians.
- Raise $2.1M for one year of operating capital, which includes the development and additional iterations of the mobile app and platform.
Year 5:
- Secure 650,000 stations under contract with $390M in revenue
- Acquire and retain a workforce of 100,000 who utilize the ChargerHelp! app as CH! technicians
- First international expansion
What are the barriers that currently exist for you to accomplish your goals for the next year and for the next five years?
Our barriers at this time are funding. We are currently raising capital to secure the development of our mobile app and to carry out our initial pilots.
How are you planning to overcome these barriers?
We are currently working with an incubator and applying to additional pitch competitions to secure funding for our mobile app.
Select one.
If you selected “My solution is already being implemented in one or more of ServiceNow’s primary markets,” please provide an overview of your current activities in those markets.
As mentioned, we are currently working with 15 EV Network Technicians who received training based of the curriculum developed by our founder. These technicians are located in the United States.
Select an option below:
For-ProfitHow many people work on your solution team?
Full - time staff: 1
Part - time staff: 2
Contractors: 15
For how many years have you been working on your solution?
3+
Why are you and your team best-placed to deliver this solution?
Kameale C. Terry is the CEO and co-founder of ChargerHelp!, Kameale was the previous Director of Gov't Contracts and Programs at a major EV charge station network provider. She also came to the industry with 10 years of previous workforce development knowledge.
Evette Ellis is the co-founder of ChargerHelp!, Evette currently works at Job Core where she develops and maintains workforce development programs for the last 7 years. Evette's key role at ChargerHelp! is workforce program management for new market implementation. As ChargerHelp! enters new markets Evette works with the workforce development center to source and prepare potential ChargerHelp! technicians.
Lydia Elle is an Adviser to ChargerHelp! and currently works for the Department of Defense on Operational Process Improvement and Process Optimization.
Paul Francis is an Adviser to ChargerHelp! and is currently the CEO and founder of KIGT a veteran EV charge station manufacturer and network provider. Paul has been apart of the cleantech industry for the last 10 years.
Matthew Gonzelez is an Adviser to ChargerHelp! and is currently a Senior Consultant at one of the big three consultant firms. Matthew's focuses on human capital and operational processes in his current role.
With what organizations are you currently partnering, if any? How are you working with them?
ChargerHelp! currently partners with the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) to help with training of EV Network Technicians. LACI an organization funded through Los Angeles Department of Water and Power in partnership with the Los Angeles Mayor's office have been critical to the initial growth of ChargerHelp!
ChargerHelp! is also in conversation with other customer segments however are not able to disclose at this time. However, those partners will help ChargerHelp! with testing small pilots in new areas.
What is your business model?
ChargerHelp!'s core business is selling labor warranty contracts to ev charge station manufacturers, network providers, and or re-sellers. The labor warranty contract are priced at $60 per month per station. Once under contract ChargerHelp! technicians can be deployed on demand to validate, troubleshoot, or escalate any issue experienced by a network ev charge station.
ChargerHelp! also offers a la carte services such as station cleaning, station commissioning, or one off troubleshooting.
What is your path to financial sustainability?
At this time ChargerHelp! is raising $2.1M to cover 1 year of operational expenses and growth. ChargerHelp! goal is to become profitable at the end of next year with acquisition of 6,000 EV charge station under labor warranty contract.
As ChargerHelp! builds out their app we have gathered verbals to begin dispatching technicians for down stations from our strategic partners. The total revenue from those projects in the next 2 quarters are expected to be $150k in a la carte services.
Why are you applying to the Digital Workforce Challenge?
ChargerHelp! is most interested in the skills based training and media opportunity. We believe that technology can be used to enhance workforce development. In this new age information changes everyday, therefore, instead of requiring more time in school we can utilize technology to help workers who may be displaced have an opportunity. We feel that Solve's goals is in clear alignment with ChargerHelp!s mission.
What types of connections and partnerships would be most catalytic for your solution?
With what organizations would you like to partner, and how would you like to partner with them?
We would like to partner with the Department of Energy and other entities that are providing funding for EV charge station installation.
Solution Team
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Kameale C. Terry Co-Founder & CEO, ChargerHelp!
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Our Solution
ChargerHelp!