HeyCharge Wins $2.7M EU Grant for Offline EV Charging Tech

Jan de Vries · 2026-02-18

HeyCharge, a Munich-based EV charging tech company, just got a major boost. They've been awarded a $2.7 million grant from the European Innovation Council's Accelerator program. This isn't their first rodeo either—they're backed by big names like BMW i Ventures and Y Combinator, and they've raised over $6.8 million in private funding so far. So, what's the big deal? This grant is all about scaling their SecureCharge FLEX project. Think faster development, official certifications, and rolling out large pilot programs across Europe. They're not just tinkering in a lab anymore; they're getting ready for the big leagues. ### The Problem with Parking Underground Here's the core issue they're solving. Nearly half of all Europeans live in apartment buildings. And where do most of them park? You guessed it—underground garages. It's the exact spot where your typical internet-dependent EV charger completely fails. “Our technology works 100% reliably even down there,” says Chris Cardé, HeyCharge's Founder and CEO. “We've cut out all the extra communications infrastructure—the cabling, the specialist labor, the ongoing maintenance. That slashes installation costs by more than 40%. That's how you truly democratize home charging for everyone.” This grant is their ticket to bringing that solution to millions of people who've been left out of the EV revolution simply because of where they park.  ### A Wave of Investment in EV Charging HeyCharge's news is part of a much bigger trend. In 2025 alone, the European EV charging and energy flexibility sector has seen around $27 million in disclosed funding. It's a hot space. Just look at some of the other players: - Rightcharge in London secured $1.9 million for its fleet charging payments platform. - Deftpower in Arnhem raised a hefty $13.5 million to scale its AI-powered charging platform. - Pleevi in Brussels got $1.1 million for AI-driven charging management. - Gridio in Estonia raised $2.6 million for smart charging integration. - DejaBlue in Paris secured $7.8 million for energy optimization tech. While many companies are focused on AI, payments, or broad energy management, HeyCharge is carving out a unique niche. They're all about connectivity-independent charging for apartment buildings. It's a crucial piece of the puzzle for scalable, affordable electrification.  ### How SecureCharge Actually Works Founded in 2020, HeyCharge has one clear mission: make EV charging accessible for every apartment dweller in Europe. Their SecureCharge platform is the key. It completely eliminates the need for traditional communications infrastructure. That delivers two huge advantages right off the bat. First, you get charging that works every single time, even in a concrete bunker of a garage with zero cell or Wi-Fi signal. Second, you cut those daunting installation costs by over 40%. No more running network cables or hiring expensive IT contractors just to get a charger working. The public charging network is growing fast, but home and workplace charging in existing buildings is still a massive gap. We're talking about 200 million Europeans in multi-unit dwellings, most parking in signal-dead zones. ### Why This Grant Matters Dr. Robert Lasowski, co-founder of HeyCharge, put it perfectly. “The EIC Accelerator isn't just funding,” he said. “It's a signal from Europe's most rigorous innovation program that our approach is ready to scale. We've proven that eliminating comms infrastructure makes charging more reliable and affordable. Now, we're moving from proven deployments to mass-market adoption.” It's a validation of their core idea. In a sector buzzing with complex software solutions, sometimes the most powerful innovation is simplification. By removing the dependency on a shaky internet connection, they're solving a fundamental physical and economic barrier. This grant means they can accelerate the path from a great idea to a commonplace solution in garages across the continent.