Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc. Success Story
FREDERICK, MD: The easiest way to save electricity is to stop wasting it. That’s the simple directive behind GOEFER’s “vampire hunting” Energy Management platform. The company, a veteran owned start-up founded in August 2016 at the Frederick Innovative Technology Center Inc. (FITCI), is on a steep trajectory as it grows into a national presence.
GOEFER effectively tripled its staff this month, adding 10 members to its burgeoning team, including software engineers, sales reps, and business development personnel. Satellite offices will be based in California, Wisconsin, Rhode Island, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, with North Carolina coming online in the next few weeks. Offices in New York City and Boston, Massachusetts, are planned.
“It’s more than a business to me,” says Michael Herod, founder and CSO. “It’s a cultural mission. If you walk around your home or office at night, every glowing light is like a little energy vampire siphoning off precious resources. That’s one piece of the puzzle. Multiply the drain by an apartment complex or 500 cubicles and you start to understand why saving energy is so important. We have the technology to do better. It’s an imperative now more than ever.”
The GOEFER employment notice got 400 responses in a matter of days. Herod says he was impressed with the quality of candidates, especially in complement to GOEFER’s core culture. “The common thread among team members is our dedication to helping people take control of energy usage. We are making a difference. When we save energy, that’s a win for the planet. When we save money on energy, that helps the economy. Businesses can channel those savings into other growth areas, like hiring or product innovation.”
Herod draws on his background as a Building Sustainability consultant and adjunct professor of sustainability at Arizona State University, explaining “The average home wastes $165 a year on electricity. Businesses pay about $35.50 in electricity per employee per year, but they only use about $13.50 to do their jobs. The rest is just wasted.”
Early adopters joined a wait list for GOEFER’s first product, an advanced power strip engineered to capture 20,000 data points per hour. Now in full swing, users connect, track and manage devices via an app for ultimate control of their energy footprint. The easy-to-read commercial dashboard provides detailed, real-time analytics and projected savings. GOEFER’s Master Control feature launched last month, with plans to add programable operating schedules coming soon.
GOEFER is an approved provider of smart technology with several east coast power authorities’ energy reduction programs. The company also earned top honors at the Shore Hatchery’s spring 2018 Gull Cage, a Shark Tank style business startup competition, and participates in Bethesda Green’s Be Green Hub.
FITCI’s CEO, Kathie Callahan Brady, is a GOEFER advisor and a customer. “Our second location, a business incubator called ROOT in downtown Frederick, worked with GOEFER on a 35-unit case study using their 15-amp smart strips. The depth of detail we got out of that was amazing. This product has a practical, relevant benefit, and it’s easy to use, so I’m not surprised by the company’s healthy growth.” FITCI is proud to be a GOEFER customer and to be a part of the global movement to reduce the energy footprint.
Other notable projects include work with George Mason University and the Center for Energy, Science and Policy. Snapshots of GOEFER’s dashboard and Root results are available online at GOEFER.com, along with details about commercial and residential applications and tips on saving energy.
