Electric vehicle (EV) charging can be a frustrating experience, especially for fleet drivers who rely on their vehicles to make a living. Broken chargers, unresponsive touchscreens, and blocked stalls can lead to lost time and revenue. To address this issue, former Uber executives Ashwin Dias and J.J. Raynor have founded Presto, a startup that has just raised $15 million in seed funding to develop an app that points fleet drivers to the most reliable and cost-effective charging stations.

The idea for Presto was born out of Dias and Raynor's experience at Uber, where they led efforts to electrify ride-share drivers' vehicles. They realized that the existing charging infrastructure was fragmented and inefficient, with multiple networks and providers offering different levels of service. This fragmentation led to a poor user experience, with drivers often encountering broken or unavailable chargers.

Presto's solution is an app that uses machine learning to recommend the best charging stations for fleet drivers based on their specific needs. The app takes into account factors such as price, reliability, and availability to provide drivers with the most efficient and cost-effective charging options. By doing so, Presto aims to reduce the frustration and downtime associated with EV charging, allowing fleet drivers to focus on their core business.

The $15 million seed round was led by Union Square Ventures, with participation from Congruent Ventures, Jetstream, and Powerhouse Ventures. The funding will be used to further develop Presto's technology and expand its reach to more fleets and charging networks.

One of the key challenges in the EV charging industry is the proliferation of different charging networks and providers. According to Raynor, nearly 60% of all new DC Fast chargers in the US came from over 40 different networks last year. This fragmentation makes it difficult for fleets to integrate with multiple networks and for charging networks to support multiple customers. Presto's platform provides a solution to this problem, offering a single integration point for fleets and charging networks to connect and exchange data.

Presto's technology has already been adopted by several major fleets, including Hertz, Avis, and ZipCar, as well as Uber drivers. The startup is also in talks with major automakers, although its current focus is on serving the fleet market.

In the long term, Presto's goal is to drive API integration, encouraging fleets to add its recommendations inside their own apps and dashboards. By doing so, the startup aims to create a seamless and efficient EV charging experience for drivers, reducing the pain points associated with fragmented charging infrastructure.

As the EV market continues to grow, Presto's solution is well-positioned to address a major pain point in the industry. With its $15 million in funding, the startup is poised to make a significant impact on the EV charging landscape, improving the experience for fleet drivers and paving the way for widespread adoption of electric vehicles.