Munich-based EV charging technology company HeyCharge has secured a €2.5 million grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator to accelerate the rollout of its innovative EV charging solutions designed specifically for apartment buildings. The HeyCharge EIC grant will support the development and expansion of its SecureCharge FLEX platform, helping overcome one of Europe’s most persistent barriers to electric vehicle adoption: reliable and affordable home charging in multi-unit residential buildings.
The funding marks a significant milestone for the company, which has already raised €6.3 million in private funding from investors including BMW i Ventures, Statkraft Ventures, and Y Combinator. With support from the EIC Accelerator, HeyCharge aims to scale its technology across Europe and make EV charging more accessible for millions of apartment residents.
Addressing a critical EV charging infrastructure gap
As Europe accelerates its transition to electric mobility, access to home charging remains uneven. Approximately 200 million Europeans live in apartment buildings, many of which rely on underground or enclosed parking facilities where internet connectivity is unreliable or unavailable.
Traditional EV chargers require continuous internet connectivity to authenticate users and manage billing. This creates technical and financial barriers in apartment buildings, often requiring additional communication infrastructure such as network cabling, signal boosters, and specialised installation services. These requirements can significantly increase deployment costs and reduce reliability.
HeyCharge’s SecureCharge platform addresses this challenge by enabling EV chargers to operate without continuous internet connectivity. Instead, the system uses one-time cryptographic tokens generated on a user’s smartphone to authenticate charging sessions. This approach ensures reliable operation even in underground garages or areas with poor connectivity.
According to HeyCharge, eliminating the need for communications infrastructure can reduce installation costs by more than 40%, making EV charging more affordable and scalable for property owners and residents.
SecureCharge FLEX: enabling reliable offline EV charging
The HeyCharge EIC grant will directly support the company’s SecureCharge FLEX initiative, which is designed to enable secure, scalable, and cost-effective EV charging across residential buildings in Europe.
SecureCharge FLEX builds on the company’s core SecureCharge technology, focusing on expanding compatibility, improving scalability, and supporting broader deployment across diverse building environments. The platform enables:
- Reliable charging in underground or connectivity-limited garages
- Lower installation costs by removing the need for additional network infrastructure
- Secure authentication using cryptographic token-based access
- Scalable deployment across multi-unit residential buildings
- Simplified installation and maintenance processes
By simplifying deployment and reducing reliance on connectivity, SecureCharge FLEX enables building owners, developers, and property managers to deploy EV charging infrastructure more efficiently.
Strong investor backing and previous funding
HeyCharge has attracted backing from several prominent investors, highlighting strong confidence in its approach to solving EV charging infrastructure challenges. The company has raised €6.3 million in private funding to date.
Key investors include:
- BMW i Ventures, the venture capital arm of BMW Group
- Statkraft Ventures, a leading European energy-focused investment firm
- Y Combinator, one of the world’s most influential startup accelerators
This private investment has supported the development of the SecureCharge platform and early deployments across Europe.
The addition of the €2.5 million EIC grant provides non-dilutive funding that will accelerate product development, certification, and commercial rollout.
Leadership team driving innovation
HeyCharge was founded by Chris Cardé and Dr Robert Lasowski, who bring deep expertise in technology, product development, and business strategy.
Chris Cardé, founder and CEO, has led the company’s vision to create EV charging solutions that eliminate infrastructure complexity and enable widespread adoption. He emphasised the importance of reliable charging in residential settings, noting that underground garages often present connectivity challenges that traditional charging systems cannot overcome.
Dr Robert Lasowski, co-founder and Chief Business Development Officer, has played a key role in scaling partnerships and driving commercial adoption. He highlighted that the EIC Accelerator grant reflects strong institutional confidence in HeyCharge’s technology and its potential to transform residential EV charging.
Supporting Europe’s electric mobility transition
The SecureCharge FLEX project aligns with Europe’s broader strategy to accelerate EV adoption and reduce carbon emissions. Reliable home charging infrastructure is widely recognised as a critical enabler of EV adoption, particularly in densely populated urban areas where apartment living is common.
By eliminating connectivity barriers and reducing installation costs, HeyCharge’s platform addresses one of the most significant structural limitations in EV infrastructure deployment.
The EIC Accelerator grant will support:
- Large-scale pilot deployments across multiple European countries
- Technology development and certification
- Commercial rollout and expansion
- Scaling production and deployment capabilities
These initiatives will help bring reliable EV charging access to millions of apartment residents who currently face limited charging options.
Positioning for future growth
With strong investor backing, innovative technology, and support from the European Innovation Council, HeyCharge is well positioned to play a key role in Europe’s EV infrastructure ecosystem.
As demand for electric vehicles continues to rise, scalable residential charging solutions will be essential to support widespread adoption. HeyCharge’s offline-first approach provides a compelling solution to one of the most complex infrastructure challenges in the EV transition.
The HeyCharge EIC grant represents an important step forward in the company’s growth strategy, enabling it to scale its technology across Europe and support the continent’s shift toward sustainable mobility.
By combining secure offline authentication, lower installation costs, and scalable deployment, HeyCharge is helping make EV charging more accessible, reliab
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