Glenn Smith interviews Richard Stobart

What does it take to turn an idea into an EV charging network?

Richard Stobart never set out to start a hardware company—he just wanted to charge his new hybrid Volvo outside his London home. That simple need led to the creation of Char.gy, a company transforming urban EV charging using existing infrastructure: lamp posts. But the journey from a cardboard prototype to a certified, scalable product was anything but simple.

In this episode, Richard shares the challenges of launching a hardware startup—navigating government regulations, iterating through product failures, and learning the hard way that software moves fast, but hardware demands patience. He explains how agile principles—often seen in software development—helped Char.gy test, iterate, and adapt in the physical world. We discuss early setbacks, breakthrough moments, and what it takes to scale an innovative idea in a highly regulated industry. 

If you’ve ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of EV infrastructure, want to build products that interact with the real world or what it takes to build a company from scratch, this conversation is for you.