Hi IQstat, it’s great to have you as part of our interview series! Your work in the DDAccelerator Cohort 2 has already caught our attention, and we’re excited to learn more about your journey and innovations.

Turning energy data into meaningful savings isn’t easy, but it seems like you’re making it possible. Can you walk us through what IQstat does and what problem you’re solving?
IQstat is a cloud platform that controls large appliances through smart plugs and relays, ensuring they consume electricity when it is cheapest and greenest, without interfering with the user’s comfort. For example, when the sun is shining and solar panels are producing a lot of electricity, IQstat will automatically turn on your water heater so that you use this excess electricity. Then, in the evening, when there is less electricity available and it is much more expensive, your water is already heated and ready to use, with no effort on your part.

Do you have any personal experience with inefficient energy use or high electricity bills that inspired this project?
Šimon Falta: The whole project started as a small experiment. When I was about 17, my father installed a photovoltaic system on our house and began experimenting with it. At the time, I already had some programming experience, so I offered to help. Together, we gradually developed smarter and more efficient ways to optimize our electricity usage. After a few months, I realized that others might find this useful too. Soon after that I was joined by my cofounder – that’s when IQstat was born.

Your platform doesn’t rely on your own hardware. How has this decision influenced your pricing, scaling, or speed to market?
That’s correct – and it’s essential. In the very beginning, we actually made our own hardware. It was 3D-printed, homemade devices. We sold a few of those, but it wasn’t scalable at all, so we decided to pivot and focus solely on software. This was a very important decision for us, as it kept our fixed costs low in the early stages and allowed us to advance rapidly with our development.

Energy efficiency is not just about cost, but also sustainability. How do you see IQstat contributing to broader environmental goals?
The concept is very simple: electricity cannot be effectively stored on a large scale. This means that whatever is produced must be consumed instantly. There always has to be a balance – otherwise, the grid becomes unstable, and in extreme cases, blackouts can occur. Unlike traditional fossil fuel power plants, renewable sources are intermittent and difficult to predict. This creates a challenge: there's often plenty of electricity when the sun is shining or the wind is blowing, but not necessarily when we need it. The solution is to adapt our consumption to match production. That’s exactly what IQstat does – it automatically shifts certain types of electricity usage to times when energy is plentiful, helping to stabilize the grid.

How did you come together, and what are the backgrounds of the team members involved in IQstat?
There are two founding members: Šimon Falta (CEO) and Šimon Kala (CTO). We were high school classmates, and that’s when we started the company. I still remember the very first time we talked about it: on our way to a math olympiad. :) Now we are both university students in Prague. I (Šimon Falta) study at CTU and Šimon studies computer science at the Charles University.

Now that you’re partway through the DDAccelerator, how has the experience been so far compared to what you expected going in? Are there any moments, mentors, or sessions that have already made a strong impression on you?
We have participated in several accelerators, but the DDAccelerator stands out in one key aspect: its mentors. The people running the program are highly experienced and competent. I’m always impressed by our mentoring sessions with Marian Gazdik – he's very honest, straightforward, and holds us accountable, which is exactly what we need.

What’s next for IQstat after the DDAccelerator? Are you planning to expand into new markets or industries?
We began by selling our solution to households, but we are now also offering our product to SMEs and large companies. It’s a logical step, as businesses can save much more on energy costs, making the value we provide significantly greater. It’s both exciting and challenging, just like startup life always seems to be.

Thank you to the IQstat team for sharing their inspiring journey and insights with us. It’s exciting to see how a project that started as a home experiment has grown into a scalable solution with the potential to make both a financial and environmental impact. We look forward to seeing where their passion for smarter energy use will take them next – and wish them every success as they continue to innovate and help shape a more sustainable future.