Entrepreneurs for Impact #222: Ashwin Dias, CEO of Presto Charging – "Stripe for Electric Vehicle Charging." $15M of Venture Capital Raised. Two Former Uber Executives. Dynamic Pricing. Delivering Happiness.
Presto Charging is like Stripe for EV charging, providing a marketplace for EV fleet owners and EV charging networks via an app and API.
They recently raised a $15 million seed round led by Union Square Ventures and included investments from Congruent Ventures, Jetstream, and Powerhouse Ventures.
Ashwin is also a “papa to two feisty girls, weekend road bike cruiser, and photographer in hibernation.”
Before Presto, he led the Vehicles and Electrification program at Uber.
Here are 5 topics we covered in the podcast:
1. Founding Presto
Ashwin and co-founder JJ Rayner left Uber after facing the fragmented EV charging ecosystem firsthand. They created Presto to simplify access to public charging, turning a many-to-many problem into a one-to-many platform.
2. Business Model & Customers
Presto serves B2B partners like Hertz, Avis, and Uber, offering a unified app and API for seamless EV charging. Their bottom-up approach won customer trust by delivering exceptional UX and fast support.
3. Tech & Impact
Presto acts like "Stripe for EV charging," using data and machine learning to recommend reliable stations. Their system supports dynamic pricing and grid integration to drive long-term charging infrastructure growth.
4. Founder Journey
Ashwin encourages aspiring founders to “just do it,” with eyes wide open and a partner they trust. He stresses building in a sector you love, even if the leap from corporate life feels uncertain.
5. Routines & Resources
To stay focused, Ashwin prioritizes recharge time with family and biking, emphasizing deliberate rest. He recommends books like Fall in Love with the Problem and Delivering Happiness for aspiring entrepreneurs.
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🔗 PODCAST SHOW LINKS:
Ashwin Dias - https://www.linkedin.com/in/diasashwin
Presto Charging - https://www.prestocharging.com
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Please give Ashwin and Presto a shout-out on LinkedIn, Slack, or X by sharing this podcast with your people.
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🤔 PODCAST HOST:
Dr. Chris Wedding is a CEO coach, investor, serial founder, board member, professor, and occasional monk. Daily LinkedIn posts on climate tech startups, CEOs, and finance here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopherwedding