Now Reading: Michael Dell’s son Zach builds $695 battery backup startup
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Michael Dell’s son Zach builds $695 battery backup startup
Base Power, founded in 2023 by Michael Dell's son Zach Dell, has raised $1 billion at a $13 billion valuation. The startup installs home battery systems for a $695 fee plus $19…
The Story in Brief
Base Power, founded in 2023 by Michael Dell's son Zach Dell, has raised $1 billion at a $13 billion valuation. The startup installs home battery systems for a $695 fee plus $19 a month, replacing generators that can cost $15,000 or more. The company serves 30,000 customers in Texas and Illinois and plans to enter more US states and eventually the UK, Germany and Australia.
Base says its 39.2 kWh battery can power a home for two to three days during outages. The company operates in wholesale power markets, charging batteries when electricity prices are low and discharging when prices are high. Investors include JPMorgan Chase, Andreessen Horowitz and Thrive Capital. Michael Dell acts as a mentor but is not involved in operations.
The Indian Opinion
The 'son of a billionaire' label is the lazy take here, but Zach Dell's Base Power is notable for its business model, not his surname. Owning the battery and selling grid services, rather than just hardware, is genuinely new. The question is whether $695 plus a $19 monthly fee is cheaper in the long run than a one-time generator purchase. Watch how many of those 30,000 Texas customers stay past year one: churn will tell if this is a revolution or just a well-funded experiment.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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