German manufacturer finds flexibility to scale U.S. operations at Launchbox

Please introduce yourself and tell us a little about Instagrid.

I’m Rich Romer. I’m the CEO of Instagrid Inc., the U.S. entity for Instagrid GMBH. The company was founded in Ludwigsburg, Germany, outside of Stuttgart, in 2018 with the mission to democratize and decarbonize off-grid power.

Instagrid’s portable power systems were designed to replace fossil fuel generator sets, providing systems that give you the same power with better economics, better ergonomics, and a better environmental footprint. Instagrid units are used in the construction, film, media events, utility, and emergency response markets, providing grid-like power in off-grid settings.

What is it about your business that motivates you most?

I love coming to work every day, and my energy and excitement and passion around what I do comes from three different areas. One is the people I work with. The people back home at headquarters in Germany and the people that we’ve hired and are integrating here. They’re just great people. I learn from them every day. Second, I really believe in the product; the way it’s manufactured and the value proposition that we can deliver into a space. There’s a real need in the market, and this product fits that need. And lastly is the purpose of the company, and the purpose associated with the product. All around sustainability. Reducing carbon emissions today. So, making an impact now.

What made the Albany area right for Instagrid’s first headquarters in the U.S. market?

We located Instagrid Inc. in upstate New York for a couple of reasons. One was access to really good workforce, so local colleges and the ability to hire. Secondly, it’s part of the electrical energy storage ecosystem so New York is making great investments in that community, and we wanted to be positioned in that space as well.

How did Launchbox factor into that decision?

The biggest challenges associated with establishing an Instagrid presence in the U.S. were finding a place that was flexible enough to service our needs. We are a hardware company, not a software company, and so we need the ability to have warehousing and service and engineering spaces, coupled with an office infrastructure that allows us to tie into headquarters back in Germany, and with customers throughout the U.S.

One of the benefits that Launchbox provided us was the ability to increase space as we grew. We’ve moved from one warehouse spot and an office suite to adding another warehouse spot, and we’re looking at a third right now. When Instagrid Inc. moved into Launchbox, we were five people. We’re now at 22. And we’re planning to end the year at close to 50 and then grow from there.

We are currently importing Instagrid units from Europe, so we need to bring them in, and get them through customs. Then get them here, get them tested, and prepare them to go out to customers for demonstration. The loading dock here, the access to this facility 24/7, and the ability to set up those service and engineering spaces out in the warehouse were critical to our success.