€5,3M for ez-Wheel's autonomous electric wheels

The Environmental Technologies Fund, managed by Bpifrance on behalf of the State as part of the Future Investments Program (PIA) entrusted to ADEME, made its seventh investment with ez-Wheel. This investment of € 2.5 million aims to support the commercial development of the company. It was carried out through a capital increase for a total of 5.3 million, alongside investors; Robolution 1 Capital (managed by Orkos Capital), Ecomobilité Ventures (advised by Blue Invest), Poitou-Charentes Innovation and funds managed by Alto Invest and Charente-Périgord Expansion.

Based in Angoulême (France), ez-Wheel was founded in 2009 by three young engineers with the aim of conceiving an autonomous electric wheel that would assist the mobility of wheeled machinery. With over a thousand of such wheels sold, ez-Wheel is entering a new phase of faster international development. Main clients are in the industrial, automotive and food sectors as well as large medical institutions. The solutions promoted by ez-Wheel target those who move heavy loads, or who are seeking a reduction of work arduousness.

Each autonomous electric wheel holds within itself its own energy source and motor, this technologically advanced design is unique on this operations-handling market. This “all in one” patented compact assembly is an industrialized product that can be rapidly installed on pre-existing units. Clients will benefit from ez-Wheel’s expertise through this professional and robust waterproof product, the simplicity of the design calls for no extra tedious or unreliable cabling.

Thanks to the vision of ez-Wheel’s executive team, these products are currently penetrating the market through distributors holding international stature in the industrial equipment sector. The company has partners though out the world and has proven the relevance of its solutions with the automotive industry, the food processing sector as well as medical and logistics markets.

“We’re very excited about the arrival of new investors, especially Bpifance, thanks to whom we’ll be able to boost growth. We are currently experiencing a strong acceleration of the deployment of our innovative solution on the goods and people mobility market. Besides our indoor applications product range, we’re currently finalizing the development phase for our outdoor products range and for this we need an extra influx of funds.”

Alec Lafourcade-Jumenbo, ez-Wheel’s CEO since October 2014.


"Bpifrance are very pleased to participate in this increase of capital: ez-Wheel has provided a short term solution to the problem of optimizing green mobility whilst reducing musculoskeletal traumas on the industrial logistics market. Thus increasing productivity gains for the company’s clients. ez-Wheel’s products are also of great interest to the exterior mobility’s market for which no other equivalent product exists. In this domain, we believe that ez-Wheel, as one of France’s start-up leaders has a very good chance of succeeding. ez-Wheel is clearly an investment towards the future!.”

Anne-Sophie Caresse, investment director for Bpifrance Investissement.

About ez-Wheel

Founded in 2009, ez-Wheel has created a uniquely innovative and patented electrical wheel that is autonomous and dedicated to cargo-handling and loading devices. Based near Angoulême in France, ez-Wheel is able to benefit from the expertise of neighbouring major industrial actors who deal in domains such as batteries, plastics processing, casting and electro-mechanics. Over a period of three years and across the globe, early models of electric wheels have proven the relevance and high performance of ez-Wheel’s solutions. Renowned companies are currently using and have acclaimed the electric wheels.

The start-up now employs 25 people and is now focusing on international commercial deployment and the consolidation of its product range.

 

More informations : www.ez-wheel.com