The robot that comes to your Car: Inside Kiwi Charge’s vision for scalable EV charging
Easy EV charging breaks down when you don’t control the parking space, electrical capacity, or building ownership. Instead of accepting the limitation, Kiwi Charge founder and CEO Abdel Ali built a radically different solution: mobile, robot-based EV chargers that bring power directly to parked vehicles.
In this episode of Siemens Pioneers: Startups from Dream to Reality, host Peng Cau sits down with Abdel Ali, founder and CEO of Kiwi Charge, and Paulina Karwowska-Desaulniers from SmartTO, a Toronto-based mobility incubator supporting hard-tech innovation.
Kiwi Charge is tackling one of the less glamorous—but most critical—challenges in the EV ecosystem: charging in existing buildings. Rather than retrofitting parking garages with costly fixed infrastructure, Kiwi Charge uses autonomous mobile robots that navigate parking lots and charge vehicles overnight. The result is a flexible, scalable, and capital-efficient alternative that works within today’s electrical constraints.
Abdel shares how his background in venture capital shaped a market-first approach—validating willingness to pay before committing to expensive hardware development. Paulina offers a behind-the-scenes look at how incubators like SmartTO help founders de-risk deep-tech ideas through mentorship, applied research, living labs, and digital twins.
If you’re building in climate tech, infrastructure, robotics, or any hardware-heavy space, this conversation offers practical insights into turning constraints into competitive advantage.
What you’ll discover today…
(04:20) Why EV charging in multi-tenant buildings is one of the biggest bottlenecks in EV adoption
(05:30) The real cost problem with fixed chargers—and why 80% of installation spend isn’t value-adding
(09:30) Subscription vs pay-per-use: rethinking the EV charging business model
(12:30) How one robot can replace up to 30 Level-2 chargers using AI and scheduling
(15:30) Building a robotics startup without an engineering background
(17:50) From pilots to partnerships with developers and automakers
(21:25) How SmartTO supports hard-tech founders through long development cycles
(29:50) De-risking hardware startups with pilots, living labs, and digital twins
(35:10) The hardest lessons learned scaling a physical, infrastructure-driven company
(36:50) Advice for founders tackling climate and infrastructure problems
(41:00) Kiwi Charge’s vision for EV charging five years from now
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Guest: Abdel Ali
Abdel Ali is the founder and CEO of Kiwi Charge, a startup on a mission to accelerate the deployment of EV charging infrastructure by eliminating the cost-prohibitive initial infrastructure costs.
Prior to founding Kiwi Charge, Abdel Ali was a Venture builder at R-LABS, where he was the project lead in launching a startup, from problem identification to securing over $1.5 M in funding.
Abdel holds an MBA from the Schulich School of Business and a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) certification. Abdel is committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in the venture capital space and is the Co-director of BLCK VC Canada.
Guest Host: Paulina Karwowska-Desaulniers
Paulina Karwowska-Desaulniers is a seasoned Higher Education professional and the Executive Director of SmartTO, Ontario’s newest mobility hub. With a PhD in Biological Chemistry (Wayne State University) and extensive expertise in translating academic research into practical, impactful applications, Paulina has held pivotal roles, including Director of Research and Partnerships at the Lassonde School of Engineering, York University. A passionate advocate for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI), she has led transformative initiatives and policies aimed at dismantling systemic barriers and empowering marginalized communities. In her role at SmartTO, Paulina focuses on forging strategic partnerships across sectors within the mobility ecosystem, reducing barriers to innovation for Ontario’s startups. Known for her collaborative spirit and positive outlook, she is dedicated to building innovative, inclusive solutions that shape a more equitable future.
Host: Peng Cau
Peng Cau is a seasoned entrepreneur and innovation leader in advanced manufacturing and industrial automation. She co-founded Transformix Engineering, scaling it into a global automation powerhouse acquired by ATS Corporation in a substantial eight-figure valuation deal. Today, she leads the Startup Program at Siemens Digital Industries Software, supporting deeptech and hardtech founders in scaling transformative technologies. A recognized voice in Canada’s tech ecosystem, Peng serves on several boards, including Reko International Group and the Kingston Economic Development Board. A refugee from Cambodia, her journey from survival to success has earned her national accolades and a respected place in Canada’s business and innovation landscape.
Kiwi Charge is a Robotics and AI startup transforming electric vehicle charging in multi-tenant buildings. Its flagship innovation is an autonomous mobile charging robot that navigates parking lots at night, charging EVs while drivers sleep. Functioning as a “smart Roomba” for electric vehicles, each unit replaces 30 traditional Level 2 chargers at just 40% of the cost. Kiwi Charge is gaining traction through pilots with a U.S. Big Three automaker, major developers like Tridel, and municipalities including Markham and Vaughan. With over 140 buildings on its waitlist and a rapidly growing IP portfolio, the company is poised for significant scale. Learn more on their website.
SmartTO (Smart Mobility Applied Research and Testing-Toronto) is part of the regional technology development sites funded Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN). They are an automotive and mobility hub @YSpace led by York University in partnership with Centennial College. SmartTO’s technical focus is on Smart Materials and Light-weighting along with Electrification, Smart Mobility, Connectivity and System Reliability. They bring the power of research expertise, engineering, and unrivalled access to state-of-the-art equipment, cutting-edge labs, vehicles, facilities, and experts through the Lassonde School of Engineering, York U and School of transportation, Centennial College. SmartTO seeks to empower Startups & SMEs to grow by leveraging state-of-the-art equipment, labs and research centres, world-renowned expertise, co-location space, and concierge-style business advisory and technical services. Learn more on their website.
