Next generation wireless charging company Aira, makers of FreePower, today announced a key acquisition to its leadership team, adding mophie founder Shawn Dougherty as an investor, board member and chief operating officer. Dougherty, who built mophie to $250M in annualized sales before selling to ZAGG in 2016, will bring the same leadership and experience to the next big thing in wireless charging with FreePower. Hot on the heels of a successful pitch on ABC’s Shark Tank Season 11, the news comes at an exciting time for Aira as it brings FreePower to market early next year in partnership with Nomad.
Aira’s FreePower wireless charging technology is the world’s first free position charging surface. Traditional wireless chargers have a small spot in the center of the pad which must be perfectly aligned in order to charge. FreePower solves this through its proprietary algorithms and foundationally new wireless power coil matrix, allowing for multiple devices placed anywhere on the pad to receive intuitive wireless power.
“It’s been an incredible past few months for our growing brand,” stated Jake Slatnick, co-founder and CEO of Aria. “Shawn Dougherty will be an active, dynamic participant as Aira brings FreePower to consumers. She recognizes that this technology has the potential to bring easy- to-access, wireless charging to future devices in countless industries, including consumer electronics, automotive, entertainment, retail, and hospitality.”
“I couldn’t be more excited to join the team at Aira,” said Shawn Dougherty, COO, Aira. “For most of my professional life I’ve worked to make charging mobile devices as accessible and easy as possible. Aira’s free-positioning technology is, simply put, the future of wireless charging. I’m thrilled to join founders Jake Slatnick and Eric Goodchild to help propel their vision and talents and to deliver a long-awaited user experience that can make wireless charging better and easier to use for everyone.”
Aira founders Eric Goodchild and Jake Slatnick recently caught the attention of ABC Shark Tank investors Robert Herjavec, Kevin O’Leary and Lori Greiner who offered a collective investment in the company. This opportunity coupled with welcoming Shawn Dougherty to the leadership team will allow for Aira to license its technology across a wide range of verticals, including consumer electronics, automotive, entertainment, retail, and hospitality, among others, starting with its first partnership with Nomad.
