A Montreal entrepreneur was named as part of Forbes’ 30 under 30: Energy list for 2021. HaiLa Technologies founder/CIO Charlotte Savage earned the nod.

HaiLa says it is developing novel radio technology that enables data from wireless sensore to “ride” on existing signals in the air. It enables a new generation of sensors and radios that don’t need batteries or other power supply. The startup says this exponentially reduces the power consumption of sensor devices, enabling the first ever radioless IoT platform.

According to HaiLa, battery consumption has been a significant pain point in the adoption of the Internet of Things, an industry that McKinsey estimates will generate between a $4 and $11 trillion-dollar economic impact by 2025.

HaiLa says its technology “has the potential to save billions of batteries from ending up in landfills, reducing the demand for precious metals sourced through harmful mining practices.”

Furthermore, by allowing for sensor networks that are less costly and easier to maintain, HaiLa’s technology increases the number of sensors that can be deployed in a given network, leading to better data collection to optimize resource consumption, reduce waste and increase efficiency.

Savage previous earned grand prize at the Nokia Open Innovation Challenge in 2019. Since then, the company has raised $5 million in venture funding. The startup expects a commercial prototype in Q4 2020.

HaiLa was founded via the company creation incubator TandemLaunch, with Ole Christian Andersen serving as CEO.

Savage previously served as product manager at NXTSENS Microsystems.