COLUMBUS, Ohio, December 20, 2016

Wireless power innovator, Nikola Labs won best pitch at Plug and Plays’ Winter Summit, held this past week at the Plug and Play Tech Center in Sunnyvale, California. The Summit marked the end of the 12-week internet of things (IoT) business accelerator program run by Plug and Play. Past Plug and Play accelerator companies include PayPal, DropBox and LendingClub.

The Winter Summit was held December 14-15 at Plug and Play’s Tech Center in Sunnyvale, California, in the heart of Silicon Valley. Hundreds attended the event, including representatives from corporate partners and venture capital firms. All attendees were encouraged to vote for their favorite pitch using a mobile app. Nikola Labs won the popular vote and was named “Plug and Play Internet of Things Expo Winner,” beating out 23 other companies in IoT Batch 5.

In September, Nikola Labs was invited to participate in Plug and Play’s fifth IoT accelerator (Batch 5). The 12-week program connects startups to some of world's largest corporations innovating in the IoT space, including Philips, Panasonic, SC Johnson, Honeywell, Fujitsu, Henkel and Caterpillar. Plug and Play's venture arm initially looked at over 800 startups and narrowed the list down in collaboration with participating corporate partners. The remaining 31 startups attended Selection Day where they pitched their ideas in-person. Out of those finalists, 24 were chosen to join the program, including Nikola Labs.

In response to winning the Plug and Play award, CEO Will Zell said:

“Nikola Labs had a great experience in the Plug and Play IoT program. Winning the Expo event was further proof of the traction we have made, the interest from potential customers and the general excitement about our wireless power technology.” Adding “I would highly recommend Plug and Play to any startup looking to build relationships in Silicon Valley and beyond.”

About Nikola Labs
Nikola Labs is a wireless power company with an advantaged far-field technology that converts radio frequency (RF) energy into usable direct current (DC) power. We are a devoted and capable team that includes world-renowned electrical engineers and distinguished business leaders united by a common goal – advancing wireless power into the marketplace. nikola.tech

About Plug and Play Tech Center
Plug and Play Tech Center is a global innovation platform. We connect startups to corporations and invest in over 100 companies every year. Since inception in 2006, our programs have expanded worldwide to include entrepreneurs from 24 countries, providing necessary resources to succeed in Silicon Valley. With over 6,000 startups and 126 official corporate partners, we have created the ultimate startup ecosystem in many industries. Plug and Play provides active investments with 180 leading Silicon Valley VCs, and more than 365 networking events per year. Companies in our community have raised over $3.5 billion in funding, with successful portfolio exits including Danger, Dropbox, Lending Club, PayPal, SoundHound, and Zoosk. For more information, visit: plugandplaytechcenter.com

Media Contact:
Michelle Moore, media@nikola.tech, +1.614.633.8124