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SonicEnergy™ has raised $30.8M across 3 funding rounds.
SonicEnergy™ has raised $30.8M in total across 3 funding rounds.
SonicEnergy™ has raised $30.8M in total across 3 funding rounds.
SonicEnergy™'s investors include 75 & Sunny, Accel, CP Ventures, Fifth Wall, Javelin Venture Partners, K9 Ventures, Lux Capital, Mantis VC, Peterson Ventures, Republic Records, True Ventures, Upfront Ventures.
SonicEnergy™ (formerly uBeam) was a technology company developing wireless charging via ultrasound, aiming to transmit power over distances using safe ultrasonic array technology.[1][2][3][4] It targeted consumers and devices needing "Always-On Wireless Energy™," solving the problem of cable clutter by beaming power through the air at frequencies of 45-75 kHz and intensities of 145-155 dB SPL via phased array techniques.[1] Despite early hype and prototypes, the company showed no commercial product launch and ceased operations in February 2024, marking stalled growth momentum after multiple CEO changes and restructurings.[1]
Founded in 2011 (or 2012 per some records) in New York by Meredith Perry, a University of Pennsylvania student, SonicEnergy originated from Perry's win in the PennVention invention competition.[1] The idea emerged from her prototype demo at The Wall Street Journal's D9 conference in May 2011, gaining media buzz including USA Today coverage.[1] Perry stepped down as CEO in September 2018, replaced by Jacqueline McCauley (acting), then Simon McElrea (who rebranded to SonicEnergy in 2018), Will Kain (acting from 2019-2021), reflecting turbulent leadership amid development struggles, culminating in shutdown in February 2024.[1]
SonicEnergy rode the wireless power trend in the 2010s, amid rising demand for cable-free charging in IoT, mobiles, and EVs, fueled by market forces like consumer frustration with ports and advances in beamforming.[1][2] Timing aligned with early wireless standards (Qi), but physics skepticism—ultrasound inefficiency over distance and safety concerns at high dB levels—hindered viability, influencing ecosystem caution toward unproven acoustic power claims.[1] It highlighted hype risks in cleantech startups, contributing to investor wariness in speculative energy transmission without scalable demos.
With operations ending in February 2024, SonicEnergy has no active future; its IP may resurface via acquisition, but core tech faced insurmountable efficiency hurdles.[1] Trends like gallium nitride chargers and far-field RF (e.g., from Energous) have eclipsed ultrasound approaches, evolving influence toward cautionary tales on overpromising physics-defying demos. This ties back to its bold origin: innovative ambition met real-world limits, underscoring validation needs in wireless energy pursuits.
SonicEnergy™ has raised $30.8M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $20.0M Series B in November 2017.