A London technology company that makes floor tiles which turn footsteps into small amounts of electricity and measure how people move through a space.
Pavegen makes interactive floor tiles that capture energy from people walking on them. Each footstep presses the tile down by a few millimetres, and the company says that produces about 3 joules of electricity, enough to power things like LED lights or phone charging points nearby. The tiles also collect information on how many people walk across them and in which direction, and can talk to smartphones using low-energy Bluetooth so brands can build rewards and games around footfall. Its range includes a kinetic tile, a solar-plus version, a Walk to Light product and custom software.
Laurence Kemball-Cook founded the company in 2009 and is its chief executive. He came up with the idea during a university placement at E.ON, then developed it into a final-year project at Loughborough University. Pavegen's website says it wants to empower individuals to make a positive impact through a footstep, and to create smarter, more sustainable built environments that connect people to cities and brands. It describes this as an Internet of Beings.
Pavegen is headquartered in London, at 68 Hanbury Street, with its research and development based in Cambridge. Its first notable installation was at West Ham Underground station in London during the 2012 Olympics. Its London projects since include the UEFA Champions League Final fan activity, Ford's Ride London event in Trafalgar Square in 2023 and 2024, and installations at the London headquarters of HSBC and Citi. It says it has delivered over 250 installations and reached customers in 40 countries, and it won awards including the UK PropTech Social Impact Award and a South by Southwest Smart Cities award.
The pages we could read do not describe team culture, values or headcount in detail, so we do not make claims about them. What they do show is a company that blends engineering with design and events: it works with stadiums, retailers, transport hubs, car makers and architects, and plans further growth in the Middle East and the US. Some engineers and commentators have questioned how much usable energy footsteps can produce, and some sources suggest the data about people's movement is at least as valuable as the electricity.
A company with this mix employs mechanical, electronics and software engineers, industrial designers, project and installation managers, data and product specialists, and sales, marketing and partnerships staff who work with architects, brands and councils. People who like practical engineering that is visible in the real world, or who care about sustainability and cities, will find an interesting mix of work, from design in the lab to installing tiles at big public events.
Website: www.pavegen.com
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