A Sunderland-based start-up is demonstrating the remarkable speed at which a great idea – backed by the right support – can be brought to market.
With the support of a £20,000 Enterprising Sunderland Innovation Grant, STN Power Systems has successfully launched STN Power Products & OakEV, a spin-out brand offering a range of smart electric vehicle (EV) charger products.
The company is now looking ahead to European expansion, job creation and the development of new products that support the UK’s journey to net zero.
STN Power Systems began life just two years ago in the North East BIC’s coworking space, where its founding team, Jason Lovell, Steve Lawson and Dave Sandells, all established engineers and innovators in their own right, came together to shape their vision for clean and sustainable engineering. As the company quickly grew, with the help of Sunderland Council’s Business Investment Team, it moved into a larger unit at Washington Business Centre where it now operates engineering and manufacturing facilities.
The team seized the opportunity to return to the BIC to apply for an innovation grant – designed and delivered in partnership with Sunderland Council to provide a 40% contribution towards innovative projects in the city – as a way to bring a whole new brand and product line to market. And just a few months after applying for the money, their ideas became reality.
The grant enabled the team to fast-track research and development, build working prototypes and secure vital intellectual property protection. Just as importantly, it gave the founders the confidence to invest their own money – creating a £50,000 innovation project that would have been too risky to fund alone.
Chris Pennison, STN Power Products Managing Director, explained: “Would we have invested £50,000 without the grant? Honestly, no, it felt too much of a stretch. But £30,000 became doable. The £20,000 of support de-risked the process and gave us the confidence to go for it. It was a catalyst – a launchpad – that allowed us to move quickly, protect our ideas and get to market.”
Technical results achieved via the grant also helped the team secure a second round of funding to validate their market opportunity. A separate UK Shared Prosperity Fund marketing grant from NBSL meant they were able to carry out in-depth market research and develop a go-to-market strategy.
OakEV, now operating as a standalone brand, was developed within STN Power Systems and launched at the Everything Electric Expo in London earlier this year where it was enthusiastically received.
Its strapline – “Do more with your car charger” – captures its mission to unlock the full potential of home EV charging infrastructure. The product range includes portable connectors, dual chargers, campervan adapters and custom-length charging cables – all designed and manufactured in the UK.
“The number of domestic and public car chargers continues to increase rapidly,” Chris said. “In the UK alone 1.5 million new home chargers are expected to be installed by 2029. These chargers are a valuable asset and as professional EV engineers who love everything electric, we wanted to help owners to make even more of their benefits.
“The OakEV range now means you can connect garden tools to your charger, power your caravan or campervan, or even charge two EVs at once.”
The company has already grown its team from three to five and intends to continue creating new skilled jobs in Sunderland. Plans are in motion to expand into European markets – starting with the Netherlands and Scandinavia – where EV adoption is already strong. STN also aims to develop more innovative products that meet the needs of EV users and the wider energy transition.
“We’re not a flash-in-the-pan start-up,” said Chris. “We’re building something sustainable, scalable and rooted in the North East. The innovation grant helped us to get there faster – and stronger.
“The support we’ve had from the BIC and the Council’s Business Investment Team from day one has been fantastic. The energy and advocacy of our Innovation Adviser Debbie Simpson has allowed us to focus and gave us the confidence to just get on with building the business. The whole eco-system of business support in the city has made it easy for us to grow and realise our potential.”
The market opportunity for OakEV is huge. In the UK alone, there are over 1.9 million EVs and plug-in hybrids on the road – a number that’s growing fast as the country moves away from petrol and diesel. Across Europe, the potential is even greater, with millions more EVs and a rising demand for smart, user-friendly charging solutions.
Debbie Simpson added: “Working with the STN team has been a real privilege – they’ve shown exactly what’s possible when great ideas meet the right support. Their journey from concept to market in such a short time is a fantastic example of the innovation potential we have here in Sunderland.
“The Innovation Grant played a key role in helping them take that leap, and we’d love to hear from other businesses with bold ideas to see how we can help bring them to life too.”
Cllr Kevin Johnston, Sunderland City Council portfolio holder for Housing, Regeneration and Business, said: “While the concept sounds simple, the innovation and skill to create these pioneering products is exceptional and it’s brilliant to see STN Systems, and OakEV, committed to growing these businesses in Sunderland.
“This is exactly the sort of project the Innovation Grant was created to achieve – helping talented, ambitious people take the seed of a brilliant idea and grow it into a successful business, and ultimately creating skilled jobs in our city.”
Enterprising Sunderland innovation grants are available now to businesses with premises within the Sunderland local authority area.
The Innovation Grant and support from the BIC forms part of Enterprising Sunderland which has received £523,541 from the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund Programme, managed in Sunderland by Sunderland City Council on behalf of the Sunderland Partnership.