Electric vehicles are on the rise and owners are anxious about running out of power on the road. SparkCharge created the Roadie, the first portable charger for electric cars, to solve exactly that problem. Founders Chris Ellis and Josh Aviv pitched it on Shark Tank and bagged a deal with Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner. In today’s market, SparkCharge is worth $110 million.
Meet Chris and Josh
Chris Ellis hails from Boston, Massachusetts and has two associate’s degrees in engineering science from Onondaga Community College. He attended UC San Diego for a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering.
Joshua Aviv is from Somerville, Massachusetts and went to Richland College for an associate’s degree in Liberal Studies. He then enrolled at Syracuse University to get a bachelor’s degree in Economics and a master’s degree in Information Management.
Establishing SparkCharge
While sitting in his college dorm, Aviv and his professor asked themselves what happens to EVs when they run out of power in the middle of nowhere. With the aim of tackling this problem, Josh set up SparkCharge in 2017.
Chris Ellis was brought on as the startup’s Chief Technology Officer. Together, they developed the world’s first mobile charging tool for electric vehicles and called it the Roadie.
The Roadie quickly gained attention for its ability to deliver one mile of range per minute of charging. The team raised $3 million from venture capital firms and $2 million from grants. By 2020, the firm was on track to make $1 million in revenue.
Closing a Deal on Shark Tank
SparkCharge appeared on season 12 of Shark Tank, seeking $1 million for 6% equity. Chris and Josh’s company was struggling to meet the demands of a booming market and needed to scale production.
They only made 50 units at the time, which were given to roadside stores. No consumer models were available yet. It was clear that the product could do better in terms of sales.
Daymond John backed out early because he didn’t know anything about the industry. Lori felt the same but couldn’t pass up on the opportunity. Lori teamed up with Cuban, agreeing on a deal for $1 million for 10% equity with 4% advisory shares.
After Shark Tank
The deal with Mark and Lori closed after the episode aired, and the exposure attracted significant additional investor interest.
SparkCharge has since raised a total of over $107 million across 13 funding rounds. The original Series A in May 2022 brought in $23 million, led by Pendulum and Tale Venture Partners, with celebrity investors including rapper Pusha T and singer Summer Watson also participating.
In August 2022, a further $7 million was raised to fund expansion into 12 new California cities. Most recently, in May 2025, SparkCharge closed a $30.5 million round consisting of a $15.5 million Series A-1 led by Monte’s Fam, alongside a $15 million venture loan from Horizon Technology Finance Corporation.
The company has also broadened its business model. Rather than selling hardware to consumers, SparkCharge now operates as a Charging-as-a-Service (CaaS) provider, signing deals with fleets to deliver electricity on a per-kilowatt-hour basis and handling all charging logistics. Major partners now include Hertz, Amazon, Lyft, AAA Northeast, Kia, and the Boston Water and Sewer Commission, among others.
The business has expanded its operations across all 50 states, as well as into Canada and Mexico. In January 2026, SparkCharge was also awarded a $1 million grant from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Centre to deploy mobile, off-grid DC fast charging hubs at high-traffic retail sites, with a focus on Environmental Justice communities. Additionally, SparkCharge was selected as the official EV Charging Partner for the 2025 Masters Tournament.
Revenue has grown substantially since the Shark Tank days. SparkCharge projected over $27 million in revenue for 2024, a dramatic jump from the $5 million recorded in 2021. SparkCharge expects to reach profitability in the near term. The $110 million valuation reflects the company’s growing role as the infrastructure backbone for commercial fleet electrification across North America.
