43North Winner Daniel Shani Named to Forbes' 30 Under 30

Energy Intelligence Founder & CEO Daniel Shani, was named to the Energy Category of Forbes' 30 Under 30.

Energy Intelligence was a $500,000 43North winner in 2014 for its technology that generates electricity at high-traffic locations from the braking power of vehicles.

In an interview for 43 North, Shani reveals that rush hour in Boston was the inspiration for this innovative technology.

"A few years ago, on my drive home from work, I was stuck in traffic. I couldn’t stop thinking about all the cars around me and the gas they were wasting with every start and stop. Then I thought… what a waste of energy when cars slow down in approach to a toll plaza, wearing down their brakes only to speed up a few seconds later. Couldn’t we do something with all of that wasted energy?? That was the day Energy Intelligence was born. The dream was to capture waste energy from braking vehicles by building something on the road, rather than inside every vehicle, to tap into the aggregate power of traffic."

Shani's emerging cleantech company has developed technology that generates clean energy at high-traffic locations from the motion of vehicles. It's an ultra-compact system that lays flat on top of the road where vehicles are required to slow down. When cars drive over, they compress embedded hydraulic channels, generating electricity to power nearby equipment. The patented technology is intended for use at slowdown points, like parking garage entrances, toll plazas, and weigh stations, and can power equipment onsite to reduce electricity expenses.

The inclusion of Shani on the Forbes' 30 Under 30 list is a further indication of the quality of the talent which the 43North business plan competition is bringing to Buffalo, but it could serve to also alert other entrepreneurs to this excellent Buffalo Billion program. And it certainly casts a green, entrepreneurial light on Buffalo.

Congratulations, Daniel Shani!