Transparent energy solutions for Kiwi homes
Founded by Matakana local, Phil Metcalfe, and colleague, Stephen Dewar, this duo is disrupting the electricity sector by putting the power back in the hands of consumers. Built to provide independent, secure and trusted energy analysis for New Zealanders, Ahiko makes understanding your energy consumption and analysing your costs effortless.
Meeting four years ago, the pair instantly formed a connection having both lived and worked for multiple large tech corporations overseas, Phil in Australia and the USA, and Stephen in Hong Kong. In this challenging economic climate and having both recently built new homes, the pair became acutely aware of the unprecedented headwinds facing New Zealanders when it comes to the cost and transparency of their energy usage. Combining their shared product management and engineering skills, their passion to solve this problem has resulted in a platform that tackles these challenges at a time when it couldn’t be more important.
There are 1.9 million households in New Zealand facing several challenges and concerns. Growing concern about the environmental impact of traditional energy sources such as coal, oil and gas is leading to a desire for cleaner, more sustainable alternatives. Complex structures of monthly electricity bills, hidden charges, and difficulties understanding electricity tariffs and price increases is causing confusion and frustration. And power outages, especially in rural areas or during the increasing amount of severe weather events, are causing disruptions and inconvenience for households across New Zealand.
Ahiko creates a personalised report to solve the problem of uncertainty and inefficiency in understanding a property's electricity usage and monthly electricity bill. “Many customers don’t realise that, by law, electricity providers must allow access to a minimum of two years of their usage data,” notes Stephen. Given permission to access the data on a customer's behalf, Ahiko will provide the three most cost-effective electricity plans based on a household's usage patterns. Unlike other comparison services, Ahiko is completely independent and does not make affiliate revenue or receive kickbacks from any of the electricity retailers for promoting their plans.
Extending beyond simple household energy plan comparison, Ahiko’s report can also help New Zealanders understand the impact large energy purchases will have on their monthly power bill. For example, what the energy usage might be after purchasing an electric vehicle, installing a spa pool or adding solar panels with a battery to a household.
With a clear vision of sharing and ensuring best outcomes for Kiwi households, Phil and Stephen are focussed on their goal of getting Ahiko’s capabilities in the hands of those who can use it for positive change, including other businesses. “Ahiko is the only energy insights platform available in the New Zealand market, empowering businesses across the energy ecosystem to optimise their operations effectively,” says Phil.
Ahiko is designed to make a manual process easy for consumers while offering the opportunity to save money in the process. With a one-off personalised report and a subscription option available it’s as simple as sending an email today.