By Daniel Perez-Crouse
In August OpConnect celebrated the grand opening of its new Central Eastside Headquarters with a bevy of local and state politicians, and with the support of Prosper Portland. The organization’s expansion of EV charging technology purportedly supports Portland’s net-zero carbon emission goals, while providing additional jobs to the area.
OpConnect, as described on their website, is a turnkey provider of EV charging solutions for public and private fleets. For example, the OpConnect network transforms any OCPP-compliant charging station into a “smart charger.” Their comprehensive software gives real-time visibility and control over every charger’s status, usage and performance in one dashboard. Some of their main customers are government agencies, municipalities, school districts, apartment communities and corporate campuses.
CEO Dexter Turner, quoted in a Portland Business Journal article, said OpConnect was his third tech startup. His second, OP Technologies, was a low-cost electronic flight system that he sold for $2.5 million and gave him some seed capital for what to do next.
OpConnect’s mission is to accelerate the transition to electric mobility by providing reliable, accessible charging infrastructure. While headquartered in Portland and offering services in over 20 states, they are expanding to serve international markets, with operations already deployed in Canada and Puerto Rico.
Prosper Portland has a long relationship with the company. Senior Communications Coordinator, Yume Delgado, said that, “Our Business Advancement Team provides support for traded sector businesses that will help those companies start, stay and grow in Portland. OpConnect is a key company in our Green Cities Industry. Prosper Portland has supported OpConnect for more than a decade, and it has been incredibly rewarding to see them grow from a small startup to an industry leader that now powers critical local fleets like the City of Portland, Portland General Electric, Beaverton School District and Multnomah County.”
This expansion to their new 115 SE Yamhill St. location allows them to scale local manufacturing for electric fast chargers. While not open to the public, the new facility has an open-concept vibe where you can see a large chunk of their main operations and beautiful mural with heavy Portland vibes.
The facility also allows them to add 45 new jobs over the next five years. You can stay updated on their future career postings on LinkedIn. Their most recent Portland position was for a Field Services Engineer.
At the opening, State Representative Rob Nosse, US Senator Jeff Merkley, US Senator Ron Wyden and Portland Mayor Keith Wilson were present and had positive marks about how the company supports Portland and Oregon’s emissions goals. Wilson also noted that this move is part of “revitalizations” for Portland’s business sectors, like the Central Eastside.
Prior coverage from news sources like KOIN intimated that the company debated moving operations out of Portland. In a discussion with the Portland Business Journal, Turner said they were eyeing Arizona, but thought Portland was a better long-term culture fit. The financial support they received from Prosper Portland helped too.
Delgado said they provided OpConnect with a $2 million working capital loan to expand their manufacturing capacity and a $100,000 forgivable job-creation loan. “Like many of the businesses that we work with, we have provided a variety of supports including Enterprise Zone incentives, workforce grants to support training for existing employees, connections to the Oregon Manufacturing Extension Program to support manufacturing efficiencies and the Green Cities Industry Liaison has made introductions to investors and strategic partners. They have also been active participants in our Portland Means Progress initiative to engage in public benefits.”
In a public statement, OpConnect said, “This milestone marks an exciting new chapter as we grow our team, expand our capabilities and continue investing in Oregon’s clean energy economy.”
To learn more about OpConnect, visit opconnect-ev.com.