David Washburn
Welcome to the MSU Research Foundation podcast. I warned you we’d have a guest host—and he’s here. Pete Martin, our Director of Portfolio Management and the lead on PitchMI, is taking over for the next four episodes to interview our finalists.
Today, he’s talking with Electric Outdoors, led by Josef Hjelmaker. Hope you enjoy it.
Pete Martin
Hey everyone, welcome to the podcast. I’m Pete Martin, Director of Portfolio Management at the MSU Research Foundation, and I’m joined by Josef Hjelmaker, founder of Electric Outdoors. Josef, how are you?
Josef Hjelmaker
Hey Pete, good to see you. I’m great. How are you?
Pete
Doing well. It’s a lovely day in East Lansing. I drove up without fearing for my life on icy roads, so I think we’re officially past the worst of winter.
Josef
The big snowstorms—sorry about that.
Pete
We survived.
For folks who may not know you, tell us about Electric Outdoors.
Josef
Absolutely. I’m Josef Hjelmaker—yes, that’s a Swedish accent. I’ve been in the U.S. since 2015. In late 2022, early 2023, I started Electric Outdoors with a clear mission: help people access the outdoors more sustainably.
We’re solving a big infrastructure challenge. We help landowners unlock more of their land—without lengthy permitting, without massive capital investments.
Our solution is the EO Canopy. It’s fully self-sustaining. It harvests solar energy with a roof that actually tracks the sun, capturing 20–25% more energy than a fixed system. We store that in 154 kilowatt-hours of batteries—that’s roughly six to eight American homes’ daily usage.
With that energy, we power EV charging, generate water from air, and incinerate waste. So electricity, water, waste—everything you need, off-grid. And then we invite people to come enjoy the outdoors.
Pete
So if I own 20 acres in Michigan and want to generate revenue, I can install an EO Canopy and operate it like an Airbnb?
Josef
Exactly. It’s energy resilience and revenue generation in one. Landowners list their canopy on our digital platform. Guests can book stays, add experiences, stock the fridge, rent bikes—whatever enhances the trip.
It’s nightly rentals, but much more connected to nature.
Pete
I love it. An Airbnb-style experience that’s deeply integrated with the outdoors.
Josef
Yes—but that’s just our beachhead. Our core technology also applies to boating, marine, public safety, disaster relief. Outdoor recreation is our passion, but the platform has broader use cases.
Pete
You didn’t just wake up one day and invent this. What were you doing before?
Josef
I’ve spent about 25 years in corporate America—automotive with Delphi, then Whirlpool, which brought my family from Munich to Michigan. After that, I joined Thor Industries, the world’s largest RV manufacturer, as Chief Innovation Officer.
When the pandemic hit, RV demand exploded. People wanted control, independence, safety. My team was focused on next-generation tech and business models.
As we studied the future of RVing, we realized something: the product wasn’t enough. The industry needed a supporting system—a system-level solution. The industry wasn’t ready for that. But I was.
So I started Electric Outdoors.
Pete
This isn’t just an idea. You’ve built it. You’re deploying.
Josef
Yes. I’m in Colorado right now for business development. We’re deploying soon. We’ve been in Georgia.
We went through prototyping with support from Michigan’s Office of Future Mobility and Electrification. Then we piloted units with early investors—including Michigan Rise. By 2025, we secured production contracts and moved into full-scale operations.
Now we’re deploying commercially.
Pete
What’s it been like building in Michigan?
Josef
Fantastic. I’m amazed at younger founders who take these leaps without decades of corporate experience.
The ecosystem here matters—accelerators like Centrepolis, Plug and Play, Newlab. You’re surrounded by people who want you to succeed. And founders who are facing the same bruises you are.
Because you will get hit in the face. Some bruises harder than others. But you move forward. That’s the job.
Pete
If you’re a founder listening: you will get hit in the face. Surround yourself with people who can help you see around corners. Avoiding one big mistake can change everything.
Pete
Have you deployed commercially in Michigan yet?
Josef
We have pilot units here. No commercial clusters yet—but that’s changing soon. If you want to be first, you need to be very fast.
We’re working with cities and counties from the Upper Peninsula to Southeast Michigan. Units are coming.
Right now we deploy in clusters—four, six, ten at a time—usually with state or federal entities. One-offs will come later as we scale.
Pete
Fast forward. Electric Outdoors is wildly successful. What’s the impact?
Josef
Energy resilience and sustainability.
One canopy—or ten linked as a microgrid—can support a community if the main grid goes down. Renewable, distributed energy.
If we help people become more resilient and independent, that’s meaningful. And yes, I care about the economics—but I also care that our kids can enjoy nature the way we do.
We’re also building a powerful data layer. Our units connect via satellite and 5G. That data has value—for energy companies, emergency planning, insurance. There’s a lot we can unlock there.
Pete
So it’s much bigger than land revenue. It’s grid resilience, sustainability, independence. Love it.
Pete
How has the MSU Research Foundation been involved?
Josef
From day two.
You helped us shape the pitch before we could even clearly explain what we were building. It took time to invest—but once you did, it was early and meaningful.
You’ve opened doors, made introductions, supported us consistently. It’s hard to put a value on that.
Pete
I’ll say this publicly: you’re one of the nicest founders in our portfolio.
Josef
It’s the accent.
Pete
You’re a PitchMI finalist. Let’s rewind. When you first heard about PitchMI?
Josef
I was at Newlab. I saw the announcement and thought, “I’m not sure we’re ready—but we have to try.” It was too good not to.
Pete
You pitched in Traverse City and won $250,000. What was that moment like?
Josef
Shock. Total shock. I remember thinking, “Did they really say Electric Outdoors?”
It was a turning point. We were building, scaling, hiring—and that win was validation. Honestly, any company there could have won.
Pete
We’ve put you through a lot preparing for the championship.
Josef
Yes—and it’s been great. Interviews, training, exercises.
I try to wake up every day asking, “What am I going to learn today?” That’s the startup journey. These past months have been full of learning.
Pete
Join us April 7th at pitchmi.org to see Josef and three other finalists compete for $1 million.
Pete
Advice for founders in Michigan?
Josef
You’re not alone. Lean into community.
There’s capital here. There’s manufacturing. There’s support. If you’re solving a real need—not just a nice-to-have—you’ll find backing.
Pete
Advice for future PitchMI applicants?
Josef
Preparation. Practice. Earn the stage. Don’t wing it the night before.
Pete
One Michigan company you’d love to work with?
Josef
Jeep.
Exploration is part of their DNA—and ours. I think Jeep belongs on our platform. Let’s manifest that.
Pete
Where can people find you?
Josef
electricoutdoors.com. Sign up for the newsletter. Follow us on LinkedIn—we’re most active there, plus Instagram and Facebook. You’ll find contact info there too.
Pete
Josef, thank you.
Josef
Appreciate you, Pete.
