Building the Future of Electric Vehicles

Executive Summary

In this Startuprad.io episode, host Joe Menninger interviews Max Scherer, COO of Monta, about their innovative software platform managing electric vehicle charge points. Monta secured €80 million in fundraising, eyeing expansion into the US and Europe. They aim to make charging stations hardware-agnostic, enhancing user experience. Scherer, who moved to Copenhagen for family reasons, has a rich background in entrepreneurship and consulting. Monta, poised for growth, values transparency and is actively seeking new investors and talent. The episode wraps up highlighting Monta’s role in green energy and inviting listeners to explore career opportunities at the company.

Introduction

Welcome to another electrifying episode of Startuprad.io, the podcast that plugs you into the heart of innovation. I’m your host, Jörn “Joe” Menninger, and today we’re charging up the conversation with Max Scherer, the COO of Monta. In a world where electric vehicles are accelerating onto the scene, Monta is powering through with a software platform designed to manage an intricate web of charge points for various use cases and locations. 
Join us as Max shares Monta’s journey through a booming electrification market, fueling an impressive revenue growth and securing €80,000,000 in fundraising, all in 2023. We’ll explore their charge towards the US market, their vehicle-to-grid technological ambitions, and their strategic expansions.

But it’s not all business; Max takes us on a personal detour to Copenhagen — we’ll find out how a family move led him to Monta and what’s brewing with the Danish Christmas beer tradition. Discover how Monta’s software-first approach is streamlining the hardware-heavy world of EV charging and how they’re pioneering a hardware-agnostic future.
Beyond the tech, Monta’s company culture of transparency resonates with their growth story, and we’ll hear how this ethos is helping them in their continuous search for new talent and investors.

So, plug in and stay tuned as we drive into the story of Monta with Max Scherer — right here, on Startuprad.io. And don’t forget, we’ve got Max’s LinkedIn and career links lined up for you, just in case this talk sparks your interest in joining their team.

Questions Discussed in the Interview

How does Monta’s software platform aim to simplify the management of EV charging infrastructure, and what challenges does it address?

Can you elaborate on Monta’s business model that involves charging a monthly fee per connected charge point? How does this create value for your clients?

Given the rapid revenue growth experienced by Monta in 2023 and the successful fundraising of €80,000,000, what key factors do you attribute to this success amidst challenging market conditions?

As Monta prepares to expand into the US market, what are the specific challenges and opportunities you foresee in integrating vehicle-to-grid capabilities within different regulatory environments?

Can you share more about the initial problem that led to the founding of Monta, and how did the founders’ backgrounds contribute to Monta’s current direction?

What are the unique aspects of Monta’s approach to making charging stations hardware-agnostic, and how does this impact the overall user experience?

With the recent funding of $130,000,000 and the €80,000,000 raised in January 2024, how does Monta plan to allocate these funds to achieve its strategic goals, particularly in new market expansions and product development?

Given your diverse background in entrepreneurship, consulting, and geography, Max, how have these experiences shaped your role as COO at Monta, and what perspectives do you bring to the company?

Monta emphasizes transparency in salaries, culture, and funding. Why is this an essential element of your company’s ethos, and how does it affect employee morale and investor relations?

With Monta actively seeking new talent, can you discuss the qualities and skills you look for in potential team members, and what advice would you give to someone interested in pursuing a career with your company?

The Guest

Max Scherer is the pragmatic and forward-thinking Chief Operating Officer of Monta, a company at the forefront of the electric vehicle (EV) revolution, innovatively governing multiple charge points for EVs through their cutting-edge software platform. Scherer’s extensive experience has been key in steering Monta’s vision, with a rich background that includes co-founding startups in Berlin, honing his expertise in the dynamic world of food delivery with Rocket Internet, and strategic consulting with the Boston Consulting Group. His academic journey is just as impressive, having delved into geography and carried his curiosity about the interplay of location, people, and business to Dartmouth as a Fulbright Scholar, enriching his perspective which he now applies to advancing Monta’s technology and operations.

Relocating to Copenhagen was not just a career move for Max; it was influenced by his family’s needs, as they seized the opportunity presented by his wife’s new job. It was in this family-friendly city, known for its high quality of life and quaint traditions like the annual release of flavored Christmas beer, that he crossed paths with Monta. Amidst the calm of Copenhagen, Max found a stark contrast from the hustle of Berlin, yet he has continued to be at the heart of a thrilling entrepreneurial journey with Monta. His story exemplifies how personal and professional worlds can fortuitously align, leading to innovative contributions to the burgeoning field of EV infrastructure.

The Startup

In this episode of Startuprad.io, host Jörn “Joe” Menninger delves into the world of electric vehicle infrastructure with COO Max Scherer from Monta. Monta distinguishes itself in the rapidly evolving EV market by developing a cutting-edge software platform designed to seamlessly manage a diverse array of charging stations, an endeavor that is not only ambitious but also essential in a landscape with accelerating demand for electric mobility solutions. Striking a chord in both revenue growth and investor confidence, Monta has been on an impressive upward trajectory, successfully securing €80,000,000 in its latest fundraising round announced in January 2024. This substantial injection of capital brings the company’s total funds raised to over $130,000,000 — evidence of the robust market confidence in Monta’s approach despite challenging economic conditions. By focusing on software rather than hardware, Monta is shaping a future where charging solutions are hardware-agnostic, ensuring greater flexibility and interoperability for users, an angle that positions them ahead of many competitors fixated on physical charging units.

Monta’s innovative strategy does not stop at simplifying charging point management; the company is ambitiously expanding its offerings through vehicle-to-grid (V2G) capabilities, intending to leverage the stored energy in EV batteries for grid support, thereby enhancing the renewable energy ecosystem. This exemplifies Monta’s forward-thinking ethos, recognizing that the future of energy goes beyond transportation, tapping into the potential of EVs as mobile energy storage units. Their imminent geographic expansion into the US market, starting with an East Coast office, signifies their commitment to becoming a global player in the EV infrastructure sphere. The unique blend of an IoT SaaS business model, robust software solutions, and the passion for creating a more interconnected and sustainable world of electric vehicles gives Monta a distinctive edge, carving out a name for themselves among a sea of startups vying to make their mark on the future of transportation.

Venture Capital Funding

Monta has already raised 130 M € from investors, including — but not limited to — byFounders, Energize Capital, Creadum, AENU, Headline, GreenPiont Partners, and Quantum Light. 

Monta is open to talking to new investors, let us make an introduction.