Munich Startup: What problem does Ecog solve?
Jörg Heuer, CEO and Co-Founder of Ecog: Ecog is a global IP and technology company working on the rapid expansion of sustainable electric vehicle charging infrastructure. With our charging controllers, reference designs, and software, we enable companies to bring products and services to market quickly and scale profitably.
Munich Startup: How has your solution developed since its founding?
Jörg Heuer: As a spin-off from Siemens AG, Ecog was founded in Detroit in 2017 as part of the Techstars Mobility Accelerator with support from Siemens and Next47. From the outset, our goal was to set new standards in electric vehicle charging and drive the mobility transition. Shortly thereafter, we relocated to Munich. This was primarily due to the rapid development of the electric mobility market in Europe.
Since then, things have happened very quickly: In 2018, Ecog was accepted into the accelerator in Oslo, and in 2019, the Universal Core, based on patented technologies and special operating systems, was introduced on Siemens charging stations.
The challenges of electromobility, especially charging reliability, have prompted us to launch the first global charging station reliability index, the Ecog Charging Reliability Index, in 2023. The Ecog CRI provides insights into critical factors that influence charging efficiency.
This year, we developed a reference architecture for bidirectional wallboxes together with Infineon. We see great potential for bidirectional charging as part of the energy transition.
“Last year, Ecog grew four times faster than the market”
Munich Startup: What have been your greatest successes so far?
Jörg Heuer: In 2022, we achieved a 15 percent market share in DC chargers for electric vehicles in the EU, making us the market leader. Two other major achievements in 2023 were the market entry in India in 2023 and the release of the Ecog CRIWith this index, we're setting new standards for testing the reliability of electric vehicles during charging. Currently, one in four charging processes is faulty. So you see – the need is there.
This year we are particularly proud of the opening of our Detroit location, which received $1.5 million in funding from the State of Michigan and in which we ourselves are investing over $14 million.
Our operating system now runs on 40 different charger series, from wallboxes to megawatt chargers, and we currently have more than 20 well-known customers, including Siemens and one of the world's largest petrol station equipment suppliers.
Last year, Ecog grew four times faster than the market and we are really proud that our commitment and innovative strength are recognized: Twice in a row we were listed among the Deloitte Top 50 companies in 2022 and 2023 and were recently awarded the German Innovation Prize excellent.
Munich Startup: And what challenges did you have to deal with?
Jörg Heuer: A major problem is the expansion of the network and its speed. The infrastructure, which is geared towards combustion engines, urgently needs an update. The infrastructure sector is still divided: Many players want to help shape the expansion. However, the greatest possible interoperability – meaning that all cars can be charged – is particularly important so that the charging network remains attractive for all electric vehicles. Only a good charging network will increase the motivation to switch to electric vehicles.
We are also concerned about the economic development in Germany. The switch to electric vehicles is currently Stocking This urgently needs to change so that we can achieve the mobility transition.
Catalyst for charging infrastructure
Munich Startup: What learnings did you take with you as a founding team?
Jörg Heuer: Together with Johannes Hund and Manuel Heckmann, I founded Ecog, building on our many years of experience in electromobility. I worked at Siemens in telecommunications and network infrastructure, Johannes in IoT, and Manuel from venture capital – so we pooled our expertise in Ecog. It was incredibly exciting for us that, while we had to think like a startup, we also had a deep understanding of the corporate world to serve our market. To drive innovation in infrastructure, we need to support each other, especially within the industry. That's why we see ourselves as a catalyst for charging infrastructure.
Munich Startup: What role did the Munich ecosystem play in your journey?
Jörg Heuer: Munich is already considered Silicon Valley for IoT – we, as an international scale-up, can only agree; we feel very comfortable in this technology location. Furthermore, the major local automotive manufacturers offer good cooperation opportunities, which also drive the latest technologies. We benefit not only from the strong economy, but also from the Bavarian government, which strongly supports the location. In the future, we would also like to pilot charging in Munich; the city now wants to develop the charging infrastructure. easier regulate.
Munich Startup: What is the vision of your company?
Jörg Heuer: Actually, our name sums up the vision: 'Ecog' is made up of the words ecological, ecosystem and energygy and highlights our goal of helping to shape the charging infrastructure and network expansion of the future and making both more integrated, sustainable and profitable.
