WiTricity

The company was established by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professor Marin Soljačić in 2007.{{cite journal |last1=Markowitz |first1=Eric |title=All of the Electric Power with None of the Wires: If WiTricity succeeds in developing its technology, the future of electricity could be bright--and wireless. |journal=Inc. |url=https://www.inc.com/audacious-companies/eric-markowitz/witricity.html?cid=hmsub7 |access-date=February 25, 2021 |date=April 18, 2013}}{{cite journal |last1=Sullivan |first1=Mark |title=The Little Company That's Bringing Wireless Charging To Electric Cars |journal=Fast Company |date=February 27, 2018 |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/40533008/the-little-company-thats-bringing-wireless-charging-to-electric-cars |access-date=February 26, 2021}} The MIT spin-off is based in Watertown, Massachusetts.{{cite news |last1=Engel |first1=Jeff Bauter |title=Dell Wirelessly Charging PC Marks WiTricity's First Consumer Device |url=https://xconomy.com/boston/2017/07/11/dell-wirelessly-charging-pc-marks-witricitys-first-consumer-device/ |access-date=February 25, 2021 |work=Xconomy |date=July 11, 2017}} In 2014,{{cite magazine |last1=Frizell |first1=Sam |title=So Long, Charging Cables: Wireless Power Is Coming |magazine=Time |date=June 4, 2014 |url=https://time.com/2819660/witricity-wireless-power/ |access-date=February 26, 2021}} WiTricity joined the Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP), which later merged with the Power Matters Alliance to form the AirFuel Alliance. Alex Gruzen replaced Eric Giler as chief executive officer (CEO) in 2014.{{cite news |last1=Lai |first1=R. |title=Intel's cable-free future will use WiTricity's advanced wireless charging |url=https://www.engadget.com/2014-06-11-witricity-intel-wireless-charging.html |access-date=February 25, 2021 |work=Engadget |date=June 11, 2014}}{{cite news |last1=Hanley |first1=Steve |title=A Conversation With WiTricity CEO Alex Gruzen — #CleanTechnica Exclusive |url=https://cleantechnica.com/2019/02/17/a-conversation-with-witricity-ceo-alex-gruzen-cleantechnica-exclusive/ |access-date=February 25, 2021 |work=CleanTechnica |date=February 17, 2019}} Morris Kesler is chief technology officer (CTO).{{cite news |title=A Future of Gadgets without Power Cords? Not So Fast |url=https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2017/07/21/538531750/a-future-of-gadgets-without-power-cords-not-so-fast |access-date=March 11, 2021 |publisher=NPR |date=July 21, 2017 |via=WBUR-FM}}{{cite news |last1=Mearian |first1=Lucas |title=Wireless charging explained: What is it and how does it work? |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/3235176/wireless-charging-explained-what-is-it-and-how-does-it-work.html |access-date=March 11, 2021 |work=Computerworld |date=March 28, 2018}} The company is a member of the Wireless Power Consortium.{{Cite web|url=https://www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/members/|title=Members List|publisher=Wireless Power Consortium}}

In 2017, WiTricity began focusing on charging systems for electric vehicles more than consumer technology products. By 2018, WiTricity had partnered with more than a dozen automotive companies, including nine of the world's largest ten, on research and development projects.{{cite news |last1=Woyke |first1=Elizabeth |title=Future robo-taxis could charge themselves and help balance the electric grid |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/2018/09/18/140139/future-robo-taxis-could-charge-themselves-and-help-balance-the-electric-grid/ |access-date=February 25, 2021 |work=MIT Technology Review |date=September 18, 2018}} Audi, Mahle GmbH, and Mitsubishi were among the partnering companies.{{cite news |last1=Motavalli |first1=Jim |title=WiTricity Takes Its Car-Charging Technology Out for a Road Test |url=https://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/25/witricity-takes-its-car-charging-technology-out-for-a-road-test/ |access-date=February 26, 2021 |work=The New York Times |date=July 25, 2012}}

In 2018, WiTricity was named a New Energy Pioneer by Bloomberg New Energy Finance.{{cite web |last1=Delony |first1=Jennifer |title=Wireless Charging Seen as a Game Changer for EV Infrastructure |url=https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/storage/wireless-charging-seen-as-a-game-changer-for-ev-infrastructure/ |website=Renewable Energy World |publisher=PennWell |access-date=March 30, 2021 |date=April 12, 2018}}{{cite web |title=Ten Winners of The New Energy Pioneers Unveiled at Bloomberg New Energy Finance Summit in New York City |url=https://about.bnef.com/blog/ten-winners-new-energy-pioneers-unveiled-bloomberg-new-energy-finance-summit-new-york-city/ |publisher=Bloomberg New Energy Finance |access-date=March 30, 2021 |date=April 9, 2018}} The company acquired the assets and intellectual property rights of Qualcomm Halo and its inductive charging technology in February 2019; the deal included more than 1,000 patents and patent applications,{{cite news |last1=Freeman |first1=Mike |title=WiTricity acquires assets of Qualcomm wireless electric vehicle charging group |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/sd-fi-qualcomm-halo-witricity-20190212-story.html |access-date=February 26, 2021 |work=Chicago Tribune |date=February 12, 2019}} as well as technology designs and licenses, and made Qualcomm a minority owner of WiTricity. In late 2020, MIT and WiTricity filed an infringement lawsuit against the Pennsylvania-based company Momentum Dynamics over seven wireless energy transfer patents.{{cite journal |last1=Maffei |first1=Lucia |title=MIT, WiTricity file patent suit against Pa. tech company |journal=Boston Business Journal |date=December 10, 2020 |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/boston/news/2020/12/10/mit-witricity-sue-pennsylvania-tech-company.html |access-date=February 25, 2021 |publisher=American City Business Journals}} The lawsuit resulted in the invalidation of six of the asserted patents, and WiTricity filed a second infringement suit in March 2023.{{cite news|url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230329005281/en/InductEV-Successfully-Defends-Mission-Critical-Patents|title=InductEV Successfully Defends Mission-Critical Patents}}

Prior to Toyota's investment in 2011, WiTricity had raised approximately $15 million.{{cite news |last1=Kirsner |first1=Scott |title=Toyota makes multi-million-dollar investment in WiTricity Corp., developer of wireless car-charging technology |url=http://archive.boston.com/business/technology/innoeco/2011/04/toyota_announces_collaboration.html |access-date=February 26, 2021 |work=Boston.com |date=April 27, 2011}} By April 2013, WiTricity had received approximately $45 million in funding. After additional funding rounds in 2015 and 2018, the company had raised $68 million. WiTricity had raised approximately $88 million in venture capital by early 2019. Funders have included Delta Electronics, Foxconn, Haier, Intel, Schlumberger, and Toyota.{{cite news |last1=Sawers |first1=Paul |title=WiTricity acquires Qualcomm Halo to accelerate wireless charging for electric vehicles |url=https://venturebeat.com/2019/02/11/witricity-acquires-qualcomm-halo-to-accelerate-wireless-charging-for-electric-vehicles/ |access-date=February 25, 2021 |work=VentureBeat |date=February 11, 2019}}

In 2020, WiTricity completed a $34 million round led by Stage 1 Ventures with additional participation by Air Waves Wireless Electricity and Mitsubishi subsidiary Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas).{{cite web |last1=Kane |first1=Mark |title=WiTricity Raises $34 Million To Expand Wireless EV Charging |url=https://insideevs.com/news/451868/witricity-raises-34-million-wireless-ev-charging/ |website=InsideEVs |publisher=Motorsport Network |access-date=March 30, 2021 |date=November 4, 2020}} The round was extended for an additional $18 million raised in January 2021; Tony Fadell was among the private investors and joined WiTricity's advisory board.{{cite news |last1=Walrath |first1=Rowan |title=VC funding update: Boston startups and tech firms raised $2.3B in February |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/boston/inno/stories/roundups/2021/03/02/vc-funding-boston-startups-tech-february-2021.html |access-date=April 2, 2021 |work=BostInno |publisher=The Business Journals |date=March 2, 2021}}{{Cite news| url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/03/01/the-station-lucid-motors-joby-aviation-take-the-spac-path-and-sergey-brins-airship-ambitions/ |title=The Station: Lucid Motors, Joby Aviation take the SPAC path and Sergey Brin's airship ambitions |date=March 1, 2021 |first=Kirsten |last=Korosec |accessdate=April 2, 2021 |work=TechCrunch}}

In August 2022, WiTricity completed another round of funding raising $63 million.{{cite web |url=https://www.axios.com/pro/climate-deals/2022/08/09/ev-charging-startup-witricity-raises-63m-siemens |title=EV charging startup WiTricity raises $63M |date=August 9, 2022 |website=Axios |first=Megan |last=Hernbroth |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812080926/https://www.axios.com/pro/climate-deals/2022/08/09/ev-charging-startup-witricity-raises-63m-siemens |archive-date=August 12, 2022 |url-status=live}} The round was led by Siemens which invested $25 million and acquired a minority stake in the company earlier in June 2022.{{cite web |last1=Bates |first1=Michael |title=Siemens Acquires Stake in WiTricity to Drive EV Wireless Charging Innovation |url=https://ngtnews.com/siemens-acquires-stake-in-witricity-to-drive-ev-wireless-charging-innovation |website=NGT News: Next-Gen Transportation |access-date=June 9, 2022 |date=June 9, 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-28/volkswagen-nears-10-stake-sale-in-electrify-america-to-siemens |title=Volkswagen Sells Siemens Minority Stake in Electrify America |date=June 28, 2022 |website=Bloomberg News |first1=Gabrielle |last1=Coppola |first2=Monica |last2=Raymunt |first3=Wilfried |last3=Eckl-Dorna |url-access=subscription |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220816035815/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-28/volkswagen-nears-10-stake-sale-in-electrify-america-to-siemens |archive-date=August 16, 2022 |url-status=live}} Mirae Asset Capital and Japan Energy Fund joined the round along with few other returning investors.

WiTricity's technology allows wireless power transfer over distance via magnetic resonance. Alternating current (AC) electricity runs through an electromagnetic coil within a charging station to form an oscillating electromagnetic field.{{cite news |last1=Talbot |first1=David |title=Wireless Charging Is Actually Charging Ahead |url=https://www.technologyreview.com/2016/05/13/108534/wireless-charging-is-actually-charging-ahead/ |access-date=February 25, 2021 |work=MIT Technology Review |date=May 13, 2016}} Another coil resonating at the same frequency captures the field's energy and a rectifier delivers direct current (DC) current to a battery management system. The technology works through various materials, such as stone, cement, asphalt or wood, and has an energy conversion efficiency end-to-end above 90 percent, equivalent to plugging in.{{Citation needed|date=October 2022|reason=Wireless charging as efficient as wired charging sounds far fetched}} By 2013–2014, electric power output had reached 10 W for mobile devices, 6 kW for passenger vehicles, and 25 kW for fleets and buses.{{cite journal |last1=Mearian |first1=Lucas |title=Toyota signs wireless charging deal with WiTricity |journal=Computerworld |date=December 5, 2013 |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2486514/toyota-signs-wireless-charging-deal-with-witricity.html |access-date=February 26, 2021 |archive-date=November 30, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221130143535/https://www.computerworld.com/article/2486514/toyota-signs-wireless-charging-deal-with-witricity.html |url-status=dead }} WiTricity's EV has charging rates from 3.6 to 11 kW, and the technology scales up to hundreds of kilowatts for heavy duty vehicles such as buses.{{cite web |last1=Kane |first1=Mark |title=Zhejiang VIE to Use WiTricity Wireless Charging in China |url=https://insideevs.com/news/343500/zhejiang-vie-to-use-witricity-wireless-charging-in-china/ |website=InsideEVs |access-date=April 2, 2021 |date=March 29, 2019}}

WiTricity has reached licensing deals with Anjie Wireless,{{cite web |last1=McMahan |first1=Scott |title=WiTricity and Qualcomm Partner on Halo Wireless EV Charging |url=https://eepower.com/news/witricity-acquires-wireless-charging-technologies-from-qualcomm-qualcomm-becomes-minority-shareholder/# |website=EE Power |access-date=April 16, 2021 |date=February 11, 2019}} Delphi (Aptiv), Intel,{{cite journal |last1=Mearian |first1=Lucas |title=Intel plans to team up with WiTricity on wireless charging |journal=Computerworld |date=June 11, 2014 |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2490536/intel-plans-to-team-up-with-witricity-on-wireless-charging.html |access-date=March 11, 2021}} Mahle, TDK, Toyota, and Zhejiang VIE. Thoratec licensed the technology to produce heart pumps capable of charging automatically. WiTricity has demonstrated wireless charging for consumer products such as laptops, mobile phones, televisions,{{cite news |last1=Glass |first1=Nick |last2=Ponsford |first2=Matthew |title=Wireless electricity? It's here |url=https://www.cnn.com/2014/03/14/tech/innovation/wireless-electricity |access-date=February 26, 2021 |publisher=CNN |date=March 28, 2014}} and solar panel receivers.{{cite journal |last1=Mearian |first1=Lucas |title=Power play: Wireless charging at a distance arrives |journal=Computerworld |date=October 13, 2021 |url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2492949/power-play--wireless-charging-at-a-distance-arrives.html |access-date=March 11, 2021}} The company has also shown how the technology can be used to power soldiers' helmets with night-vision goggles wirelessly during Humvee transportation.{{cite news |last1=Low |first1=Aloysius |title=Dell laptops coming soon with WiTricity wireless charging |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/dell-laptops-coming-soon-with-witricity-wireless-charging/ |access-date=March 12, 2021 |work=CNET |publisher=Red Ventures |date=June 2, 2016}} Dell's 2017 launch of the laptop-tablet Latitude 7285 marked the first commercial consumer product to use the technology.

In 2018, BMW's 530e iPerformance became the first vehicle factory equipped with wireless charging,{{cite news |last1=Szatkowski |first1=Danielle |title=WiTricity acquires Qualcomm's EV charging unit |url=https://www.autonews.com/suppliers/witricity-acquires-qualcomms-ev-charging-unit |access-date=February 25, 2021 |work=Automotive News |date=February 11, 2019}} and Hyundai's Kona also demonstrated use of the technology. In January 2019, Honda and WiTricity demonstrated wireless vehicle-to-grid charging at the Consumer Electronics Show. The technology was also being used for the McLaren Speedtail Hyper-GT by 2020.{{cite news |last1=Phelan |first1=Mark |title=This new feature is about to make electric cars way easier to use |url=https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/mark-phelan/2020/11/28/electric-cars-wireless-charging-pads/6428778002/ |access-date=March 30, 2021 |work=Detroit Free Press |date=November 28, 2020}} In May 2020, China published their national standard for EV wireless charging which incorporated WiTricity's technology,{{cite news |last1=Dasgupta |first1=Sabyasachi |title=Wireless charging for electric vehicles could soon be a reality |url=https://auto.hindustantimes.com/auto/news/wireless-charging-for-electric-vehicles-could-soon-be-a-reality-41589172528134.html |access-date=March 11, 2021 |work=Hindustan Times |date=May 11, 2020}}{{cite news |last1=Wood |first1=Charlie |title=Researchers work on the next generation of wireless charging for electric vehicles and mobile devices |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/08/researchers-work-on-the-next-generation-of-wireless-charging-for-evs.html |access-date=February 26, 2021 |publisher=CNBC |date=June 8, 2020}} and WiTricity played a key role in establishing SAE International's J2954 standard for wireless power transfer.{{cite web |last1=Hanley |first1=Steve |title=SAE Publishes New Wireless Charging Standard |url=https://cleantechnica.com/2020/11/05/sae-publishes-new-wireless-charging-standard/ |website=CleanTechnica |access-date=March 30, 2021 |date=November 5, 2020}}

In 2022, WiTricity received a $50,000 grant from the Michigan Mobility Funding Platform and the State of Michigan to install a wireless charging station at the Detroit Smart Parking Lab, operated by the American Center for Mobility.{{cite web |last1=Fine |first1=Ariana |title=WiTricity Wins EV Wireless Charging Grant for Detroit Smart Parking Lab |url=https://ngtnews.com/witricity-wins-grant-for-ev-wireless-charging-deployment-at-detroit-smart-parking-lab |website=Next-Gen Transportation |date=18 March 2022 |access-date=June 14, 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Stone |first1=Tom |title=State of Michigan announces grants to create a more accessible and electrified mobility future |url=https://www.traffictechnologytoday.com/news/electric-vehicles-ev-infrastructure/state-of-michigan-announces-grants-to-create-a-more-accessible-and-electrified-mobility-future.html |website=Traffic Technology Today |access-date=June 14, 2022 |date=March 20, 2022}}

The 2022 Hyundai Genesis GV60 uses wireless charging hardware by WiTricity.{{cite web |last1=Reyes |first1=Alvin |title=2022 Genesis GV60 Could Be The First EV To Have Wireless Inductive Charging |url=https://www.slashgear.com/2022-genesis-gv60-could-be-the-first-ev-to-have-wireless-inductive-charging-24688155 |website=Slash Gear |date=24 August 2021 |access-date=June 9, 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Ramsey |first1=Jonathon |title=Genesis GV60 to gain wireless charging capability |url=https://www.autoblog.com/2021/08/25/genesis-gv60-crossover-ev-wireless-charging/ |website=Autoblog |date=25 August 2021 |access-date=June 9, 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Kane |first1=Mark |title=Genesis GV60 Gets Factory-Installed Wireless Charging Option |url=https://insideevs.com/news/538850/genesis-gv60-wireless-charging-option/ |website=InsideEVs |access-date=June 9, 2022 |date=October 6, 2021}}

In 2022, WiTricity licensed its technology with Wiferion, which develops wireless charging systems for industrial applications such as automated guided vehicles, cobots, and trucks.{{cite web |title=Wiferion Enters into License Agreement with WiTricity for Industrial Wireless Charging Applications |url=https://www.microwavejournal.com/articles/38604-wiferion-enters-into-license-agreement-with-witricity-for-industrial-wireless-charging-applications |website=Microwave Journal |access-date=July 28, 2022 |date=July 26, 2022}}{{cite web |title=Global license agreement for Wiferion |url=https://www.hsssearch.co.uk/Global-license-agreement-for-Wiferion |website=Handling and Storage Solutions |access-date=July 28, 2022 |date=July 26, 2022}}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite news |last1=Matheson |first1=Rob |title=WiTricity's wireless charging technology is coming soon to mobile devices, electric cars, and more |url=https://phys.org/news/2014-07-witricity-wireless-technology-mobile-devices.html |work=Phys.org |date=July 10, 2014}}
• {{cite news |url=https://news.mit.edu/2014/world-wireless-power-witricity-1028 |title=A world of wireless power |first=Eric |last=Bender |work=MIT News |publisher=Massachusetts Institute of Technology}}
• {{cite journal |title=A Witricity-Based High-Power Device for Wireless Charging of Electric Vehicles |journal=Energies |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/314301410 |date=March 2017 |volume=10 |issue=3 |page=323|doi=10.3390/en10030323 |doi-access=free |last1=Dai |first1=Zhongyu |last2=Wang |first2=Junhua |last3=Long |first3=Mengjiao |last4=Huang |first4=Hong }}
• {{cite journal |title=Witricity Leverages Magnetic Resonance for Flexible Wireless Charging |journal=IEEE Spectrum |url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/witricity-leverages-magnetic-resonance-for-flexible-wireless-charging}}

• {{Official website|https://witricity.com}}

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Category:American companies established in 2007

Category:Companies based in Watertown, Massachusetts

Category:Electric power distribution

Category:Energy development

Category:Technology companies based in Massachusetts

Category:Wireless energy transfer