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VoltSafe Media Release – December 4, 2023
VANCOUVER, BC, CANADA – (December 4, 2023) – VoltSafe Inc. is excited to announce it is a BC Fast Pilot Awardee, and has received a grant of $180,000 to expedite commercialization of VoltSafe Marine. This initiative is delivered in partnership between Innovate BC and the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP).
The BC Fast Pilot program helps SMEs design, build and operate a pilot or small demonstration of their technology in real-world conditions. The program will assist VoltSafe in demonstrating the impact of its marine shore power ecosystem, and measure its value ahead of implementation. Innovate BC provided a major source of funds to the project.
VoltSafe is currently underway with a pilot project to trial a new generation of power connectors that can retrofit onto existing marina shore power pedestals. VoltSafe tech introduces a new standard of excellence for marine electrical safety, ease of use, and smart energy management capabilities that both unlocks and future proofs marina microgrids for the arrival of electric boats. The project will bring VoltSafe’s next-to-market product a big step closer to commercialization, helping it pass the last major hurdle before final certification.
VoltSafe CEO, Trevor Burgess, commented on the successful grant application noting, “We’re elated to receive a BC Fast Pilot Grant from Innovate BC and NRC IRAP to advance our VoltSafe Marine shore power pedestal & marina smart management software. Hardware is hard and we applaud Innovate BC for believing in Canadian deep tech hardware companies like VoltSafe Inc. This funding will help us more elaborately evaluate the performance and usability in real-world operational scenarios for our marine shore power solution(s). Gathering real-time feedback and insights is valuable in further refining our award-winning marine technology and individual feature sets before broader implementation across North America in 2024 and subsequently worldwide.”
The pilot implementation is expected to be highly representative of full-scale production. The pilot test will be conducted in an actual marina environment, where the units will be exposed to the real conditions and challenges they would encounter during regular usage. This provides a valuable opportunity to assess the performance, durability, and suitability of the units in a setting that closely resembles their intended operational environment. The project will improve VoltSafe’s innovation capabilities and commercialization pipeline along five vectors: market validation, PR and awareness, Technical, HR, and financial resources.
Innovate BC and the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) are providing a combined total of $2 million in research and development funding to help 13 companies pilot their technologies and create new jobs across BC. VoltSafe is one of these beneficiaries. The program helps small and medium sized businesses design, build, and operate a pilot plant or small demonstration of their technology while helping to solve real world problems. Through funding for each project, the BC Fast Pilot program enables BC technology companies to demonstrate the impact of their product, measure the value of their solution, and encourage customer adoption. For end-users, the program offers a way to minimize some of the risk that traditional industries encounter when adopting new technologies.
VoltSafe will next develop the scope of work for the project and execute its strategic plan to bring what will be the company’s second product to market, the VoltSafe Marine shore power ecosystem.
For inquiries or information regarding investing in VoltSafe Inc., please contact CFO, Scott Carlson, at invest@voltsafe.com.
About VoltSafe Inc.
VoltSafe Inc. is improving the way people connect to power. Headquartered in Vancouver, BC, the Canadian tech startup has reinvented the electrical plug by eliminating prongs, adding magnets and an “electrical fingerprint”. Using patented technology, VoltSafe has created the world’s safest, simplest, and smartest plug design since electricity came into homes more than 140 years ago. The company’s product pipeline includes magnetic plug replacement solutions for household, commercial, industrial, marine, electric and autonomous vehicles, emergency services, data centres and more.
About BC Fast Pilot
The BC Fast Pilot program helps SMEs design, build and operate a pilot plant or small demonstration of their technology in real-world conditions. The program allows B.C. technology companies to demonstrate the impact of their product, measure the value of their solution, and encourage customer adoption. This initiative is delivered in partnership between Innovate BC and the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP).
About Innovate BC
A Crown Agency of British Columbia, Innovate BC works to foster innovation across the province and bolster the growth of the local economy through delivering a wide range of programs that help companies start and scale, access talent and encourage technology development, commercialization, and adoption. Innovate BC also harnesses crucial data collection and research, and works to forge strategic industry and community partnerships that create more opportunities for BC innovators.
About NRC IRAP
NRC IRAP IS Canada’s leading innovation assistance program for small and medium-sized businesses. It seeks to accelerate the growth of small and medium-sized businesses by providing them with a comprehensive suite of innovation services and funding. NRC IRAP is one of the most impactful programs of its kind in the world, where Canadian firms go first to transform their ideas into commercial success.