Fuuse co-founder launches energy startup TOGL with £850,000 pre-seed funding

Lancaster entrepreneur Will Maden, former co-founder of electric vehicle charging software company Fuuse, has established a new energy technology business called TOGL.

The platform enables commercial operators of electric vehicle fleets to automate charging schedules based on electricity grid demand and pricing structure. By scheduling charging cycles and managing related equipment around off-peak hours, the software aims to lower operating tariffs for commercial fleet managers.

TOGL has closed an £850,000 pre-seed funding round to support its commercial deployment. The raise was led by angel syndicate network Haatch, an investment manager for the British Business Bank, with participation from Setanta Vehicle Importers, the authorised importer for Renault Trucks in Ireland, and private investors from Lancashire County Council’s Fhunded Angels syndicate.

Fhunded Angels forms part of the broader local authority-backed Fhunded initiative, which has secured over £2 million in equity capital for early-stage regional ventures since its establishment last March.

TOGL founder, Will Maden, commented: “With TOGL, we are building a platform that makes the transition to electric vehicles more affordable, flexible and sustainable. This significant funding round will help us get to the next stage of our development; enabling us to expand our team, strengthen our technology, and accelerate our work with vehicle operators, energy partners, and industry stakeholders.

“But in addition to securing a proportion of the finance through the Fhunded Angels network, the wider support we have received from LCC’s Fhunded programme has been invaluable. It has helped guide us through the complex pre-seed investment landscape, enabling us to maximise our potential when speaking to investors.”

Councillor Brian Moore, cabinet member for economic development and growth at Lancashire County Council, added: “This announcement clearly demonstrates how the Fhunded programme offers Lancashire entrepreneurs more than just introductions to potential investors. Rory and his team not only helped TOGL raise investment from some of our Fhunded Angels, they have also advised the company on how to unlock additional funding from other sources. It’s a great example of the added value Fhunded brings to Lancashire’s tech and innovation economy.”

Prior to the funding round, TOGL secured £25,000 in early funding after joining the Baltic Ventures Accelerator 2026 cohort. The company has also been selected as one of 11 participants in the Freight Innovation Fund Accelerator, where it will run a trial program with haulage business Welch Group to test its charging software against active vehicle timetables and site grid capacities.

Prior to founding TOGL, Maden served as Chief Operating Officer at Lancaster-based EV charging software developer Fuuse, where he helped scale the business through its Series A funding round to over 12,000 managed charge points. Fuuse was named among the fastest-growing companies at the Northern Tech Awards, establishing the commercial software track record that underpinned investor backing for Maden’s latest venture.