Co-authored by Antonio Chidiac, MetaProp Investor.

Wireless Power Transfer is back (at least at venture dinner tables). Be that as it may, a confluence of macro-economic trends, built world infrastructure demand, and technological advancements have brought about conditions for a meaningful resurgence. This week, MetaProp's Antonio Chidiac and I explore the past, present, and future of this exciting space, unpack its momentous potential and noteworthy challenges, and reveal which areas we believe are exciting opportunities for venture.

Our quick take on the wireless power transfer return

A brief history: hype, lull, and re-emergence

Wireless power isn't new. Nikola Tesla demonstrated resonant energy transfer in the 1890s, and the physics hasn't changed since. What has changed is the market's conviction about when the technology would become commercially viable at scale.

The modern Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) cycle began in earnest around 2013–2017. Qi standard inductive charging is the open interface standard initially brought to market as a coil-embedded circular charging plate. Unsurprisingly, it became a smartphone staple. Then, WiTricity spun out of MIT's resonant coupling research, raising over $60 million in the process as it pursued everything from consumer electronics to electric vehicles. Energous and Ossia went public or raised significant capital on the promise of over-the-air RF charging. The hype was real: wireless power was positioned as the next connectivity revolution.

Then came the correction. Consumer wireless charging remained a convenience feature, not a necessity. Regulatory constraints from the FCC limited permissible power levels for RF transmission, capping practical range and wattage. Several high-profile startups struggled to move beyond demonstration units. Energous' stock, which peaked above $30 in early 2018, fell below $1 by 2023. And, as is so often the case with emerging technologies, the sector entered a typical “trough of disillusionment”.

Beneath the surface, an important transition was taking place, albeit at a slower pace. WiTricity pivoted decisively toward electric vehicles and got its magnetic resonance technology adopted as the foundation of SAE J2954, the global interoperability standard for wireless EV charging now endorsed by every major automaker (SAE International, 2022). Regulatory frameworks evolved: just recently, the FCC granted new approvals for higher-power RF transmission in defined use cases such as faster broadband deployment and virtual world applications (FCC, 2026). Lastly, and perhaps more critically, the demand side has shifted too. The rapid deployment of IoT sensors — expected to double over the coming decade (Statista, 2024) —, embedded building management systems, and distributed infrastructure has given rise to millions of endpoints where wired power is impractical, expensive, or virtually impossible to maintain. It should go without saying that as the AI infrastructure buildout continues to expand at breakneck speed, so too should the problems associated with connecting power to its complex integrated systems. Presumably, that's yet another tailwind for a wireless power comeback.

Wireless power technology is maturing. Yet, while the foundational standards exist, they will need to be readapted to a whole new set of use cases… those that pertain to the infrastructure layer across integrated systems. Here is precisely where the pull from residential real estate managers, fleet operators, and commercial/industrial asset owners is finally intersecting with the decades-long push from inventors and engineers.

The case for wireless: why do we even need this?

Let's take a quick step back. To understand the case for wireless electricity we must first understand what the problems are with energy transmission's current modus operandi. In our view, our current infrastructure sits of three core structural inefficiencies that are debilitating to seamless energy delivery in the built world:

The convergence of these aforementioned structural challenges with the advent of integrated and connected physical systems across modern infrastructure presents a timely opportunity for engineers, inventors, and opportunists to explore wireless electricity solutions once again. Whether via RF harvesting, resonant coupling (i.e. energy transfer between two coils tuned to the same frequency), or ambient energy capture (i.e. conversion of natural light, heat, and other environmental energy into usable power), wireless electricity can transform high-maintenance asset liabilities into headache-free, one-time setup power infrastructure.

The zappy opportunities in the now

Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) technologies can solve a wide array of problems and inefficiencies pertaining to electricity infrastructure. But, what makes sense for the built environment? We thought it was worthwhile to unpack the use cases that make most sense for built world development.

1. Powering the smart building sensor layer in commercial & residential real estate
2. Structural health monitoring of civil infrastructure across built infrastructure
3. Wireless EV charging deployed in homes and parking infrastructure
4. Reducing construction complexity and enabling reconfigurable interiors

For each of these four use cases, we wanted to uncover which specific hardtech WPT solutions currently being developed, piloted, or implemented could apply best.

Across built environment scenarios, there is no singular WPT technology that covers the full spectrum or resolves a case to perfection today. That said, some are already getting deployed, even if within a confined scope. Afterall, the right technology is still dependent on location, distance, power requirements, receiver specs, and more. What is even more relevant to us and perhaps more challenging to unpack is the exciting underlying convergences where we have a strategic right-to-play.

MetaProp's right to (un)fuze

Given that MetaProp is not primarily a hardtech investor, it is in the adjacent wireless power venture opportunities where our fund is well-placed to invest — and, those may not be so salient at first glance. In fact, the ventures building the technologies above are more likely to be value chain partners, ecosystem collaborators, or potential clients to our portfolio companies. So, what would one of our PortCos look like?

MetaProp's strengths in this segment lie in nurturing and catapulting founders building the vertical software, orchestration workflows, and integration layers that sit between wireless-powered hardware and real estate asset operators. The three most fitting and intriguing lanes are:

In each case, our deeply entrenched real estate and construction network coupled with our strategic LP base together serve as both a demand validation signal yearning for solutions to their burdensome power infrastructure challenges and a second-to-none distribution channel for the founders and ventures we choose to partner with. In chasing these exciting endeavors we aim to address some fundamental infrastructure challenges and a potentially crippling barrier to future development.

1. Vertical AI & Analytics from Wireless Systems

Wireless energy sources regardless of the technology used will be deployed by a multitude of incumbent and challenger players alike. Someone will need to orchestrate the data capture, insight generation, and communication layer between these systems.

Upstream, the opportunity lies in supporting ventures that can capture useful data at scale either for real estate asset owners/operators or for WPT innovators — where should the energy come from, what are the best appliances to connect solutions to, or what type of tech works best for each location.

Downstream, another set of problems exist that are certainly worth solving. The majority of buildings operate with sparse sensor coverage — a handful of thermostats, zone-level CO₂ readings, occupancy estimations derived from badge swipes, and so on. As the cost and complexity to power disparate sensors plummets, murky building-level data, all of a sudden, capturable. This opens the door for calibrated vertical software and agentic systems to uncover, make sense of, and action efficiency solutions across multiple sources and assets. Another opportunity lies in orchestrating and navigating the communication layer between WPT and traditional energy generation tools and transmission lines. Should go without saying that this is barely scratching the surface.

Some early birds scratching the surface:

2. Wireless EV charging integration & orchestration

The hardware infrastructure for electric vehicles has grown exponentially over the past decade. The global stock of public charging points has more than doubled since 2022, now surpassing 6 million sockets. And, while China and the EU's infrastructure build outs have led to each region having fewer than 14 EVs per EVSE (i.e. charging connectors), U.S. infrastructure is less than half as efficient, with 32 EVs per EVSE (IEA, 2025). In this regard, the U.S. still lags behind most developed countries. Yet, despite a slump in EV sales over the past year, sound economic analysis would have predicted the need for a ramp up in the near future. Nevertheless, the war with Iran and its geoeconomic implications have pretty much moved the timeline up and accelerated demand. U.S. fast-charging infrastructure is expected to grow by 8% in 2026 (Bloomberg, 2026). We can expect this to bring about tailwinds for wireless EV networks across public and private spaces too.

The venture opportunity here lies in orchestrating infrastructure development, material sourcing, and efficient manufacturing. Furthermore, it also sits at the crux of public infrastructure and private asset management. Potentially, AI-powered software can help residential or industrial RE asset owners plan, build, and optimize utilization for wireless EV stations. Another lens could see hardware-software hybrid solutions enable communications between private asset owners and government authorities. Other adjacent use cases will be uncovered as the industry evolves.

A different and arguably more valuable orchestration challenge emerges downstream. The automatic and frictionless connection capabilities of WPT expand vehicle-to-grid (V2G) participation, given auto owners don't have to remember to plug in. At scale, this bi-drectional capability would relieve the grid during peak demand hours by enabling it to leverage vehicle battery packs. Again, startups that can figure out how to most optimally coordinate these bidirectional energy and data flows stand to win big.

Some early birds building across interesting adjacencies:

3. Flexible software assuming untethered power

Finally, the moonshot opportunity. Let's set the stage first: Every time a building operator wants to reconfigure a floor plan (e.g. move a bank of desks, relocate a POS terminal, or reposition digital signage) they call an electrician. The process is slow, clunky, and, at high frequency, financially burdensome. In other words, it's one of many headaches for real estate asset managers upon lease turnovers.

As Qi2 charging and room-scale RF power delivery mature over the coming 5+ years, configuration and retrofit constraints could begin to loosen. Reimagine a living room without charging ports or outlets. Your whoop charges from your wrist. Your warmly lit lamp charges from the middle of the room. Your tea kettle heats water in the study. But, as this hardware shift takes shape the operator's problem persists unless flexible software is designed to make these untethered appliances, furniture pieces, and new power sources useful.

This is where we believe planning and operations management AI solutions can thrive. Imagine interfaces that help developers plan and implement interior configurations. Or, think about embedded software products that give operators the ability to oversee power utilization or execute dynamic environmental controls. Alternatively, imagine a layer that can help tenants or homeowners make the most out of products in their home. Perhaps building something for these use cases is where a true creative and an analytics-obsessed engineer can make magic happen.

Winners in this lane might be the next or, simply, the future…

Upside-driven. Downside-conscious.

Despite our long-run bullishness on the WPT ecosystem's transformational power and the three aforementioned micro-investment theses, our perspective is grounded in coming to terms with risks. Afterall, venture is an upside potential realization game. Nevertheless, a deep understanding of the barriers-to-scale might just refine our picking sense. First, let's start with WPT proliferation risks:

Equally important is understanding our 3 investment opportunity risks. What friction points might make life difficult for our prospects? Thinking about and, ideally, finding remedies for the following general challenges upfront could help founders prevail:

A paradigm shift for our built world ecosystem

The WPT space will continue to evolve in the coming years. Perhaps, the speed at which these technologies are being explored and deployed may even break into exponential growth once momentum latches on. That has massive implications and opens the door to incredible enhancement opportunities across built infrastructure. Grid connectivity and home power systems could be upended. Public transit from buses to subways to interstate trains could leverage new forms of decentralized or integrated power generation. These barely begin to scratch the surface of what's possible.

When the time comes, leading venture capital firms pioneering early capital allocation in this field will have to be ahead of the curve. That's precisely why we've entered the race early. We already have a strong built environment strategic network but we can go further still. Beyond commercial/residential real estate asset management, automotive manufacturing, and construction, we can tap into global networks of stakeholders where power infrastructure is of utmost importance. With our incentives aligned, eyes on the horizon, and ears close to the ground, we can co-curate the future of electricity.

A final thought

Wireless power has been “5 years away” for the better part of the past quarter century. What's different today? Well, the demand signal is finally shifting from consumer convenience to infrastructure necessity. A building that can't keep its sensors powered doesn't deliver on its efficiency promise. An autonomous fleet that can't charge itself doesn't scale. A remote cell tower that costs $2 million to wire doesn't get built.

We've been reliant on 19th-century solutions to solve 21st-century power infrastructure problems. Maybe, it's about time we considered cutting the cord.