Deftpower: 10 Key Things You Must Know

Overview

Deftpower is a pioneering Dutch technology company specializing in smart electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions. Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Arnhem, Netherlands, with operations including Berlin, Deftpower develops advanced, AI-driven software as a service (SaaS) platforms that empower mobility service providers (MSPs), car manufacturers, utilities, and other stakeholders in the EV ecosystem. The company’s innovative white-label solutions streamline the EV charging experience by integrating vehicles, charging points, energy markets, and grid operators into a unified ecosystem. This facilitates smarter, cheaper, and greener charging by optimizing charging sessions to align with the availability of renewable energy, price fluctuations, and grid capacity. As electric vehicle adoption accelerates worldwide, Deftpower stands at the forefront of the industry, helping to create scalable, transparent, and profitable solutions for all parties involved. The following points dive deeper into the company’s origins, technology, impact, and growth trajectory.

1. Founding Vision and Origins

Deftpower was founded in 2020 by Jacob van Zonneveld, Marc Diks, and Remco Tjeerdsma, driven by the shared mission to accelerate the transition to zero-emission mobility. Recognizing the complexity and fragmentation inherent in the early EV ecosystem—where car manufacturers, grid operators, energy retailers, and charger manufacturers lacked direct integration—the founders aimed to build a software backbone that connects these disparate actors seamlessly. Their goal was to simplify EV charging for drivers and enable businesses to profit while supporting the broader sustainability agenda. Deftpower views EVs not only as vehicles but also as assets capable of flexibility to balance energy grids reliant increasingly on renewable sources like solar and wind.

2. The Automotive Charging Platform

At the core of Deftpower’s offering is its high-end white-label Automotive Charging Platform, a modular, API-first SaaS solution designed to be adopted by mobility service providers, utilities, and OEMs. The platform supports integration with over 40 EV brands and connects to more than 2,000 charge point operators (CPOs) across Europe, granting users access to around 800,000 charging points. It allows energy trading, payment processing, fraud prevention, tariff management, and real-time data sharing. The platform’s flexibility ensures it can adapt to customer branding and business models without vendor lock-in, and it supports emerging standards such as ISO 15118 and protocols like OCPI. This comprehensive setup enables businesses to efficiently launch, monitor, and expand EV charging services.

3. AI-Powered Smart Charging Technology

Deftpower distinguishes itself through the use of advanced artificial intelligence to optimize charging sessions dynamically. The platform anticipates charging needs even before a vehicle is plugged in by analyzing factors like battery state of charge, expected departure time, and driving patterns. Using real-time energy market prices and renewable energy availability data, Deftpower schedules charging to occur during times of low prices and clean electricity supply—termed "valley pricing." This approach can shift up to two-thirds of charging from peak to off-peak hours, reducing electricity costs by up to 20% and alleviating stress on the electrical grid. Drivers are often offered rewards or cashback incentives for participating in smart charging, fostering adoption without compromising convenience.

4. Tackling Grid Congestion and Sustainability

Europe faces unprecedented grid congestion as EV adoption surges, risking costly infrastructure upgrades and hindering the energy transition. Deftpower’s platform addresses this by aligning EV charging demand with renewable energy production, rather than ramping up production to meet demand. This demand-side management helps balance grid load, reduces CO2 emissions, and postpones or eliminates the need for expensive grid expansions. In cities like Amsterdam, Deftpower supports pilot programs where smart charging directly enables urban planning efforts, allowing more housing construction by mitigating electrical network overload. The company’s focus on integrating EVs as flexible distributed energy resources contributes to building resilient, sustainable energy systems.

5. Collaboration and Strategic Partnerships

Deftpower has formed key partnerships with leading players in the automotive and energy sectors, including Fisker, Hubject, TomTom, and Volue. For example, Fisker uses Deftpower as its European mobility service provider, granting its EV customers seamless access to an extensive charging network with transparent pricing and app integration. Deftpower’s collaboration with Hubject allows it to offer Plug&Charge functionality, enabling effortless authentication by simply plugging in the vehicle. Partnerships with utility companies and charge point operators help extend Deftpower’s technological benefits such as automatic mileage recording and enhanced security features. These alliances strengthen Deftpower’s position as the backbone of the EV charging ecosystem.

6. Growth, Funding, and Market Presence

Since its founding, Deftpower has grown rapidly, currently employing around 70 people and serving over 40 clients across 10 European countries. The company has completed multiple funding rounds, raising approximately €14.5 million (~$14.5 million), with support from prominent investors such as Endeit Capital, 4impact Capital, Proeza Ventures, Cosmic Cat, and the European Innovation Council’s EIC Accelerator program. The most recent round of €12.5 million secured in August 2025 aims to accelerate expansion and further develop smart charging technology. This growth underlines investor confidence in Deftpower’s approach and its critical role in enabling Europe’s ambitious electrification goals.

7. Mobility Service Provider (MSP) 2.0 Model

Deftpower champions the concept of MSP 2.0, wherein the mobility service provider acts as the aggregator and orchestrator of the entire EV charging experience and flexibility management. Unlike traditional models where charge point operators (CPOs) have limited driver data and no permission to manage charging schedules, the MSP has direct access to vehicle data, control over session management, and interfaces for payment and market participation. This model unlocks significant commercial and environmental benefits by monetizing the flexible capacity of EVs, optimizing grid use, and improving customer satisfaction through unified services and transparent pricing.

8. Seamless Driver Experience and App Solutions

Deftpower offers a customizable, branded mobile app that enhances the EV driver experience. The app aggregatively connects to all major public charging networks, allowing users to locate charging stations, initiate sessions, manage payments, and track usage with an intuitive interface. Features include support for Plug&Charge, real-time pricing display, smart charging notifications, cashback rewards, and detailed usage history. The platform is continuously tested and refined to maintain a frontrunner position in user experience and engagement.

9. Security and Compliance

Recognizing the importance of security in handling financial and personal data, Deftpower has achieved ISO 27001 certification, reflecting its commitment to stringent information security management. The platform implements advanced fraud prevention mechanisms, secure payment integrations, and compliance with data protection regulations. These measures build trust with customers and partners, enabling smoother adoption and scaling of services across different jurisdictions.

10. Industry Recognition and Future Prospects

Deftpower has been recognized as one of the top climate tech startups globally, featured in the SET100 list for innovative energy transition companies. Its forward-looking AI-driven platform aligns with the increasing digitalization and sustainability trends in the transport sector, poised to play a pivotal role in the expected growth of EVs in Europe and beyond. With plans to expand coverage, enhance vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities, and integrate more deeply with energy markets, Deftpower is well-positioned to help shape a cleaner, smarter, and more resilient future for electric mobility.

Conclusion

Deftpower exemplifies how cutting-edge software innovation can transform the challenges posed by rapid electrification of transport into opportunities for a sustainable, efficient, and customer-centric energy ecosystem. From its origins addressing ecosystem fragmentation to becoming a leading AI-powered platform and MSP 2.0 enabler, the company provides scalable smart charging solutions that benefit drivers, businesses, and power grids alike. As energy systems increasingly rely on decentralized, renewable generation, Deftpower’s technology helps balance demand, reduce emissions, and lower costs—key factors for accelerating the global shift to electric mobility. The evolution of EV charging infrastructure will continue to depend on such integrated, intelligent platforms, raising the question: how might Deftpower’s innovations influence future mobility and energy landscapes across continents?