Kwabena ("Kobby") Osei-Kusi

I am a builder. I began with power plants, and later transitioned to solving complex problems through building startups.

Startups

Pirl makes EV charging profitable for a new generation of operators. Sign up for a pilot here.Previously, we built the most powerful USB charger at the time, serving 1,700 customers across 15 countries. Backed by Techstars, Village Capital, C3 Fund and TEDCO.

Fun Projects

Free Funding Sheet is one of the largest free databases of programmatic funding opportunities for early-stage founders. 1K users & counting.Thinking GPT is a custom GPT I built using the most effective decision-making tools I've encountered.

Advisory

I'm an Energy Entrepreneur-in-Residence at MEIA, a Principal Advisor at Larta, and Advisory Council Member at the Maryland Clean Energy Center.I've advised over 35 early-stage climate founders, some of whom are building:

  • Thermoelectric power generators

  • Electric bikes

  • Drone-based infrastructure repair

  • Advanced transmission gears

Patents

Field-upgradable EV charger
Issued, 2024
Awarded a top climate patent by USPTOCameras for visual AI in EV chargers
Pending
Non-provisional filed, 2024

Volunteering

I serve on the board of DMV Academy, providing training for the mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) trades in DC, MD and VA.I teach leadership courses at the Pan-African Leadership Institute, founded by my brother.

Work & Education

Work
AES - Developed over 700 MW of greenfield and brownfield power plants in Sub-Saharan Africa.Credit Suisse - Investment banking analyst.Education
Economics, Mathematics, and Statistics at St. Lawrence University; Japanese at Nanzan University; MBA at Harvard.

Writings

Thinking book - A visual guide to effective thinking under duress
Patent playbook - A practical guide for first-time inventors
Standard climate deck - A harmonized template for climate startups