Toronto-based ChargeLab has added two new members to its executive team. Shaun Stewart has joined as president and Patrick Smith is joining as vice president (VP) of engineering.
The leadership additions come roughly seven months after the startup, which develops operating systems for electric vehicle (EV) chargers, secured a $15-million USD Series A extension.
Stewart, who is joining as president, a net new role at ChargeLab, previously led X Development’s (formerly Google X) self-driving car initiative, later known as Waymo, in 2016, where he led operations, business development, and strategy.
Last year, ChargeLab was one of the startups accepted into the Lazaridis Institute’s ScaleUp program.
Most recently, he was the CEO of New York-based innovation hub Newlab, where, according to a statement from ChargeLab, he supported more than 900 entrepreneurs. Stewart also previously held senior executive positions at several sizable tech firms, including Airbnb, Jetsetter, and Expedia.
In a statement, Stewart noted that he knew he wanted to work with a Series A startup focused on fighting climate change when seeking his next role. “ChargeLab stood out because it’s positioned to radically impact the future of sustainable mobility,” he added. “I’m incredibly aligned with the co-founders’ vision, and I look forward to working with this talented team.”
Smith, joining as VP of engineering, had early roles in software development at Red Hat and BlackBerry. More recently, he served in senior positions at Flipp and Xero. Smith is now responsible for leading ChargeLab’s engineering initiatives.
Zak Lefevre, CEO and co-founder of ChargeLab, told BetaKit that co-founder and CTO Ehsan Mokhtari was previously ChargeLab’s VP of engineering. He said Smith’s appointment will allow Mokhtari to “focus fully” on the CTO role.
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“I am confident that this team can deliver software solutions that address the growing demand for electric vehicles,” Smith said in a statement.
Since its inception in 2016, ChargeLab has developed an interoperable software platform for managing electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. Demand in the EV charging station market has skyrocketed in recent years. Reports indicate that it is expected to triple to more than $111 billion USD globally within the next five years. Currently, the US and China are the largest markets for EV chargers, while in Canada, the number of EV chargers has grown 30 percent since the end of 2021.
Last year, ChargeLab was one of the startups accepted into the Lazaridis Institute’s ScaleUp program. In recent months and years, the startup has also secured marquee customers like Colliers International, Ford, Mobil, and Indigo Group. The startup has also managed to find scale through strategic partnerships with EV charging manufacturers like Phihong, United Chargers, Siemens, and Tritium.
Feature image of Shaun Stewart (left) and Patrick Smith (right) courtesy of ChargeLab.
