To deliver an easy to install and affordable solution to accelerate the electrification of existing building stock
Our mission:
Stepwise is a key part of the just transition to clean energy by modernizing our electrical infrastructure, reducing electrification costs, and uplifting the skilled workforce.
Meet the founders
Stepwise was founded by three individuals who come from business, engineering, and the electrical trades. Jane Chen’s first business, a residential EV charging installation company she started as an MBA student at MIT, was losing customers because of high costs, often due to expensive electrical wiring and upgrades. An introduction to Ethan Brewer, a Master Electrician, connected her with someone who as an insider and installer, was experiencing the same problem. Jane met Austin Hunt on the YC cofounder platform; and his experience as a mechanical engineer in the hardware space was just what they needed to create this dynamic founding team.
Meet the team
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Jane has 7 years of experience in business, electrification, and startups, where she worked across Asia and North America. She fell in love with electrification technology through working for an EV charger manufacturer, where she saw the opportunity to do well and do good. She later ran a home EV installation platform, where she saw the deeper inefficiencies surrounding the electric panel, causing her to take action to start Stepwise. Jane studied chemistry and business operations at UPenn/ Wharton, has an MBA from MIT Sloan, and is an avid adventurer of the outdoors.
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Ethan is a Master Electrician with beginnings in power generation facility maintenance. When he opened Peak Electric in 2020, the goal was to take learnings from highly-automated industrial systems and apply them to residential homes, with an extreme focus in electric vehicle charging technologies. His main goal at Stepwise is to contribute to the development and deployment of newly imagined technologies that support efficient and equitable outcomes for electricians and homeowners.
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Tam Vu is a senior at the University at Buffalo, majoring in computer engineering. With close to two years of research experience, Tam has been involved in projects related to hardware systems and firmware development.
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Austin has repeat experience building and commercializing hardware products, particularly in the hardtech realm. He built core subsystems first in aerospace & defense, with the next generation ground-based radar unit at Raytheon, and later with medtech robotics startup Clarapath. Having worked with the trades his entire career, Austin believes in helping installers to do good and do well by rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure. He had a short stint in the EV fleet space before starting Stepwise. Austin studied mechanical engineering at NYU and enjoys discussions around the latest A24 film.
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Lucas has previous experience building embedded systems in a wide range of environments, from undergraduate research groups to start-ups to large, complex corporations. He gravitates toward mission-driven projects and clicked with Stepwise's mission immediately. Some of his notable development work includes a bioreactor monitoring system at Bitome, an Organ-on-Chips research device at Emulate, and working on the Zigbee wireless communication protocol at Silicon Labs. Lucas studied computer engineering at the University of Massachusetts - Boston and enjoys supporting local bands and artists.
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Dave heard about Stepwise at MIT and couldn’t help but get excited. The whole idea just clicked for him – it’s got this elegant simplicity, real-world practicality, and commitment to tackling a salient issue that affects us all. Dave earned his B.A.s in Biology and Environmental Studies and subsequently immersed himself in dynamic fields, such as design, strategy, and behavioral science for seven years. This journey led him back to academia, where he pursued a dual Master’s degree at MIT in EECS and Integrated Design & Management.
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John is a Master-Journeyman Electrician who has been in business and running daily operations for J.M.L. Electric since 2003. His background is based in high end residential and commercial projects, as well as being a lead EV installer throughout the Greater Boston area. Seeing the need for a change on how EV installations were becoming challenging due to unavailable parts and the constant need for customers to upgrade their electrical infrastructure is what brought the collaboration with Stepwise. He will help bring the Stepwise brand to the electrical industry and train fellow electricians on proper Stepwise installations. John studied Electrical theories/codes at IBEW Local 103 JATC, Wentworth Institute, and multiple courses at the Peterson School.
News + press
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At-home EV charging startup launches commercially in Massachusetts (4/4/24)
EV Tap available for purchase in Massachusetts and Rhode Island
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Stepwise receives $341K from MassCEC (3/20/24)
Massachusetts Clean Energy Center invests $341K in Stepwise to test its energy management technology in MA homes.
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![Stepwise on Bloomberg]()
Stepwise on Bloomberg (12/15/23)
Stepwise was featured on Bloomberg as a startup to watch in the show’s The Close segment.
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43North Buffalo
Meet the five new 43North companies now headed to Buffalo…
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Rhode Island Inno
Meet the startup making EV charging installations easier…
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Techstars Accelerator
Announcing the Techstars Los Angeles Accelerator Spring Class of 2023…
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DRIVING 2043 by AAA
DRIVING 2043 Program - AAA Northeast…
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Stepwise wins Catalyst grant from MassCEC
MassCEC awarded Stepwise a Catalyst grant as part of the winter 2022 cohort
Join the team
At Stepwise, we're seeking creative, forward-thinking individuals who value sustainable energy. If you're passionate about clean energy and ready to contribute to our mission, even if we don't have current openings, we'd love to connect with you. Reach out, and let's explore possibilities together!
We are actively looking for technical candidates across embedded, backend software, and electrical engineering.