SeedBlink Blog

Can you tell us about the inspiration behind starting Soolutions?

The vision behind Soolutions was always two-fold. On one hand, we wanted to simplify the end-user experience in the EV charging market; on the other hand, we also aimed to create a robust and dynamic ecosystem that caters to the needs of various stakeholders, including resellers, installers, suppliers, and homeowners.

Starting with homeowners, they are often at the forefront of the EV transition and face the daunting task of making their homes EV-ready. Soolutions assists them by providing an easy-to-navigate platform that offers a vast range of charging solutions. The Charge Wizard, a tool we developed, helps homeowners identify the most suitable charging solution including installation for their needs. This simplicity and personalized approach make the transition to EV more manageable and less intimidating

Now, turning to our partners – resellers, installers, and suppliers. Each of them plays a critical role in the EV charging infrastructure, and Soolutions aims to empower them by offering a platform that can cater to their unique needs.

• For resellers, Soolutions provides a broad product portfolio and an intuitive platform to effectively manage and sell these products. We also offer detailed product training, sales and marketing guidance, and technical support to ensure they're well-equipped to succeed.

• Installers, on the other hand, gain access to a diverse customer base and a seamless process to coordinate installation projects. Our platform helps them manage their projects more efficiently, allowing them to focus on their core competency - installation services.

• For suppliers, Soolutions acts as an extended sales channel, increasing the visibility and reach of their products. We also provide feedback and insights about market trends and customer preferences, helping suppliers stay ahead of the curve and optimize their offerings.

Looking at the broader perspective, the Soolutions platform plays a key role in the overall electrification of homes. As we transition towards renewable energy and smart homes, the need for an integrated and user-friendly platform becomes crucial. Soolutions can serve as that hub, bridging various energy solutions - from EV charging to solar energy, storage solutions, and beyond. This positions us as a key player in a much larger, future-oriented market, where electricity is not just about mobility but about our everyday lives.

In summary, Soolutions is not just simplifying the EV charging experience for homeowners; we're building an ecosystem that benefits all stakeholders involved in the EV charging infrastructure - resellers, installers, suppliers, and ultimately, homeowners. It's an inclusive platform that empowers individuals and businesses alike, contributing to a seamless and efficient transition towards a more electrified future.

The electric vehicle market is rapidly growing. How does Soolutions plan to facilitate this market and accelerate the rollout of charging stations?

The exponential growth of the electric vehicle (EV) market is a remarkable shift towards sustainable mobility, and Soolutions is poised to facilitate this transition by providing an essential element - efficient and accessible charging solutions. However, it's not just about the volume of charging stations, but also about the quality of the experience for EV users and the efficiency of the rollout process for our partners.

To facilitate this, we have developed an innovative B2B2C marketplace that connects industry players with end consumers. Our platform provides a wide array of high-quality EV charging solutions, accommodating the varied needs of our diverse user base. We cater not only to homeowners seeking suitable charging options for their personal vehicles but also to businesses looking for efficient, scalable solutions for their fleets or customers.

Our unique Charge Wizard tool further supports this mission. This tool helps homeowners and businesses alike identify the most fitting charging solutions for their specific scenarios, streamlining the process and ensuring they make informed decisions.

Now, to accelerate the rollout of charging stations, we have constructed a robust ecosystem comprising resellers, installers, and suppliers. This network effect is one of our key success factors. Each new partner added to our platform enhances the value and reach of our offerings, leading to faster deployment and better coverage of charging infrastructure. Resellers have access to a wide range of products and comprehensive support, ensuring they can effectively cater to their customers. Installers benefit from seamless coordination of projects, while suppliers gain extended visibility for their products.

By integrating all these elements - a comprehensive marketplace, an intelligent selection tool, and a strong partner network - we're actively speeding up the charging infrastructure rollout. At the same time, we're readying ourselves for the broader electrification of homes, considering that the future holds much more than just EV charging. As we embrace renewable energy, smart homes, and energy storage solutions, Soolutions is prepared to serve as a central hub for these interconnected solutions, contributing to an overall greener and more efficient future.

In summary, Soolutions is actively facilitating the rapidly growing EV market by making the process of selecting, purchasing, and installing charging stations simpler and more efficient. We're not just keeping pace with the growth, but catalyzing it - ensuring a smoother transition towards sustainable mobility.

Soolutions has developed a B2B2C marketplace that links industry players to end-consumers. Could you explain how this marketplace works and the value it brings to both businesses and consumers?

At its core, our platform is a robust, interconnected network that connects manufacturers and distributors of EV charging solutions (the 'B2B' side) directly with the end-users - homeowners and businesses (the 'C' side). The goal of our platform is to simplify the process of purchasing and installing EV charging solutions, thereby helping to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles.

For our industry partners, the benefits of our platform are manifold. Resellers, for example, have access to a broad range of high-quality EV charging solutions, which allows them to offer an extensive array of products to their customers. Moreover, they receive comprehensive support from us, including access to our unique Charge Wizard tool that aids in product selection, training materials, and marketing resources. This ultimately results in increased sales and a larger customer reach.

Our installer partners benefit from efficient project coordination and the ability to find new potential projects, allowing them to focus on their core competencies and deliver high-quality service. Similarly, our supplier partners gain extended visibility for their products and access to a broader customer base, thus improving their market penetration.

On the consumer end, homeowners and businesses benefit from a straightforward, hassle-free way to identify, purchase, and install the best EV charging solutions for their specific scenarios. Our Charge Wizard tool guides them through the selection process, ensuring they make an informed decision that perfectly fits their needs.

But it's not just about EV charging. As we move towards a future where the broader electrification of homes becomes increasingly prevalent, our platform is poised to serve as a central hub for these interconnected solutions. We aim to cater to the needs of our end users not just today, but also tomorrow.

In essence, our B2B2C marketplace fosters a symbiotic relationship between industry players and consumers, enabling an efficient, customer-centric EV charging market, and paving the way for the wider electrification of homes. By making the process of selecting, purchasing, and installing EV charging solutions simpler, we are contributing to the broader goal of promoting sustainable mobility.

Soolutions has achieved significant traction with €1.6M in revenue in 2022 and over 300 partners signed up. How has the company managed to attract such strong partnerships, and what advantages does this bring to Soolutions' customers?

Our success in achieving such significant traction, particularly in the form of our 2022 revenue and growing network of partners, can largely be attributed to the unique value proposition we offer to all parties involved. I've carried the lessons from my time at ChargePoint, Alfen, and others into the founding of Soolutions, with an emphasis on the importance of strong partnerships.

Our industry partners - resellers, installers, and suppliers - appreciate the simplicity and reach of our platform. For resellers, we provide an extensive range of products from a variety of suppliers, reducing the complexity of managing multiple relationships. Our Charge Wizard tool, along with the provided training and marketing materials, helps them provide more value to their customers and, ultimately, increase their sales.

Installers gain efficient project coordination and the potential for new projects, allowing them to focus on what they do best - installing EV charging solutions. Meanwhile, suppliers gain access to a broader customer base through our resellers, improving their market penetration.

This extensive network of partners not only contributes to our own growth but also creates a virtuous cycle that ultimately benefits our end users - homeowners and businesses. With a more extensive range of products to choose from and the ease of installation provided through our network of installer partners, customers find the process of setting up an EV charging solution at their premises simplified and streamlined.

At the same time, this network enables us to leverage our combined knowledge and expertise to ensure we stay at the forefront of the industry. In the rapidly evolving field of EV charging, this collaborative approach strengthens our position and ensures we can continually offer the best solutions to our customers. In essence, our strong partnerships amplify the effectiveness of our platform, and this, in turn, leads to improved outcomes for our end users.

Soolutions is raising €2M to scale its home electric vehicles charging marketplace. Explore the round materials here.