POWERleap is not only a start-up that is evolving, but growing. The Ann Arbor-based firm has hired two people, expanding its team to five people and the occasional intern.
It has also evolved its alternative energy technology from a device that harvests energy from the act of walking to specialized flooring that not only produces clean energy but provides information to a company's database.
POWERleap's technology captures the kinetic electricity generated from body movements on their "smart" flooring. This would, in essence, allow people to help power a building while they are moving around in it. The latest iteration of their kinetic energy harvester has no moving parts.
"Think of a big-box store with the smart floor in the aisles of the store," says
Elizabeth Redmond, president & founder of
POWERleap. "You can control the temperature, lighting and occupancy. It also provides data from the floor and sends it back to the store's database. We can also tie it into the store's central security system."
POWERleap is developing applications for the technology now and plans to have a pilot of the technology in 5-10 stores by the end of the year. It's also looking at developing applications of the technology for consumer electronics and wearable electronics.
Source: Elizabeth Redmond, president & founder of POWERleap
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.