A journalist recently asked me this question: “What does it take to create a groundbreaking technology company?” So many thoughts went through my head all at once; it’s been an hard, intense and rewarding journey! The technology she was referring to is Cota Real Wireless Power. The company, of course, is Ossia.
Many factors lead up to our current day position as the #1 choice for wireless power over a distance for small devices. From my point of view, what Ossia’s success boils down to are four major keystones:
- People, people, people. The perseverance of all the contributing people and partners to charge ahead with a positive attitude.
- The ability to recognize the discovery in the first place and believe in its potential and to never give up on the dream.
- The vision to dream up real-world use cases not yet imagined by anyone.
- The capacity and passion to maintain a high level of staying power. To never quit, never have an off day.
In the hope that our journey from invention to real-world application will help other organizations achieve groundbreaking technologies, I wanted to capture these ideas more fully in writing and share them here with you.
1. Recognize and believe in the potential of the invention
Cota is real-world tested, patented, FCC certified, RF-based wireless power that is able to deliver energy over air, at a distance, and while in motion, even when the receiver is out of sight. We’ve come a long way since our founder and the inventor of this technology, Hatem Zeine, first recognized the potential for RF-based power while researching something else completely that involved WiFi.
If he hadn’t paused at that moment recognized the magnitude of the invention and then considered its impact to humanity, Cota would have never been discovered in the first place. I imagine that as a tenuous moment when he imagined the idea of delivering power over air, much like how WiFi works today. Not only did he recognize that it was possible, he believed that it could become a reality. This is when he and all of the great people associated with Ossia/Cota started the work.
2. Imagine many possible real-world use cases
Hatem Zeine is not only an inventor, he is one of the most imaginative people I know. His excitement for the invention of what would be called Cota was (and still is) contagious. He, our team and partners didn’t limit themselves to the obvious use cases of wireless power, such as eliminating the need for mobile phone charging pads and cables. Our vision extended far beyond.
- People are talking, everywhere, about the proliferation of IoT. However, the only constraints to life-changing IoT deployment, is power. That’s where Cota Real Wireless Power comes in.
- Imagine the impact on the earth if we severely limited the need for small batteries.
- Imagine the economic impact of not needing to lay 90% of the wires in a new construction.
- Imagine the convenience and safety implications of continuously powered sensors in homes, vehicles, and workplaces.
- Imagine the innovations possible in medical devices, such as implants, hearing aids, or pacemakers, that would never need a replacement battery.
- Imagine all the ways wireless power would boost operational efficiencies, longevity of products, and even the livelihoods of people around the world.
The possibilities are truly endless. As we build the wireless power ecosystem that is required to make wireless power ubiquitous, we continue to meet with more imaginative people who have even bigger ambitions for the future of wireless power technology. It’s truly a phenomenal thing to be a part of.
3. Persevere with a positive attitude among all the contributing people and partners
Perseverance, positive attitude, people, and partners: I can’t emphasize the importance of this enough. The people involved in supporting our initial invention through the years, through ups and downs, through continuous iterations … these talented people are what makes Ossia’s technology truly successful. They must have not only the vision, but the perseverance to push ahead, even when confronted by doubters. They need to have a positive attitude, even when faced with what seems like an insurmountable challenge. And they do.
I couldn’t be more proud of the Ossia team, which includes our employees and contractors, past and present, and the partners who continue to believe that wireless power is worth fighting for in the long run.
We have been truly lucky to create partnerships with forward-thinking organizations that are not satisfied with the status quo. They are not followers of what has worked in the past, but rather leaders in making change for the better. Many have been with us from the very beginning, and to them, I say, “Thank You!” And ありがとうございました, Danke, 감사합니다, Gracias, Dank je, شكراً and many more!
4. Maintain staying power
Speaking of being supportive from the very beginning, I believe staying power to be one of the important keystones that has made Ossia as successful as it is. It’s one thing to try new things; it’s entirely a different effort to keep troubleshooting, evolving, and solving problems on an ongoing basis for a technology that is a totally foreign concept to most people.
We must tell the story of Cota again and again. When people first hear about it, it sounds magical, too good to be true. Wireless power that is inherently safe to use around people and pets? Power that can fit into tiny spaces without the need to access it again? Power that can charge many devices at once over air, even if the transmitter and receiver are many feet away from each other and not in line of sight?
When we tell our vision of a world with no power cords, a world which our grandkids will not even know how their watches, game controls, phones etc. needed something so archaic as being ‘plugged in’ to be powered…they just work….all the time, everywhere.
Our team has been wonderful at helping people understand the potential of this technology, not only in general, but for our partners’ specific needs, such as within Logistics, IoT, Retail, and Enterprise. Our employees are flexible, smart, and determined to bring Cota to life, no matter what it takes. They dream, imagine and believe the impossible. This kind of staying power is a must for any groundbreaking technology.
What Keystones Make You Great?
As we enter the next chapter of bringing Cota Real Wireless Power to more organizations across the globe, we are constantly seeking out new people and partners to collaborate with. We love to connect with people, partners and companies who are passionate about not only what they do, but also the potential of wireless power technology. Are you ready to make a mark on the world? We hope to hear from you.
