Treehouse is Paving the Future for Green Energy
“I love being here in Detroit. We’re going to grow a presence here, that’s been our intention from the beginning,” said Eric Owski, Chief Executive Officer and co-Founder of Treehouse.
Treehouse is an electrification business with a goal of decarbonizing households across the country. Initially they are tackling the installation of charging ports for Electric Vehicles (EV), but have dreams to move into HVAC, plumbing, induction stoves and more.
The concept of Treehouse was originally born from a group of tech workers who wanted to do their part to help the planet. “We knew we wanted to do something in the tech arena. Also, my dad worked for Chrysler, I grew up around cars. It made sense to connect our skills and goals to something familiar, electric vehicles,” said Owski.
From their experiences in tech fields, the cohort had extensive expertise creating software solutions to cumbersome processes. They leveraged this skill to improve customer experience when electrifying the home. “Every electrification project has the same fundamental problem. Someone needs work from a contractor, and they need it turn-key. Currently that involves hiring a contractor, who sometimes hires a sub-contractor, or works with their own vendor, or who is sometimes subcontracted themselves,” said Owski. “It’s burdensome and creates a poor customer experience.”
Treehouse’s solution is a vertically integrated installation mechanism. Their software can create instant pricing, automate permitting processes and then they use their own electricians to execute the contract. “Treehouse owns that process from start to finish. We scope the job; we own the contract with the customer. We don’t pass off the contract to someone else, it’s ours from beginning to end. And, 70% of the jobs we do are executed by our own electricians.”
Detroit Venture Partners (DVP), a Detroit-based early-stage venture capital firm founded by Dan Gilbert in Detroit in 2010, invested in Treehouse early on. “DVP has been with us since the beginning and has been a really foundational partner. They have made introductions for us, helped us conceptualize on the long-term business goals and provided counsel and advice,” explained Owski.
DVP focuses its financial efforts on backing early-stage technology companies that have the potential to move the world forward. “DVP has brought us into contact with incredibly helpful individuals that are important for our growth,” adds Owski. “We’ve already diversified quite heavily beyond EV charging. What we learned in that space can scale to just about every part of the home.”
DVP also passed along their foundational philosophy of placing people—their community, team members, and society—at the forefront of their operations. “Treehouse as a company exists For More Than Profit. We exist to do our part to help the planet, to decarbonize buildings, to create great experiences for electricians, to contribute a solution and become an essential infrastructure partner for homeowners. All of this goes way beyond profit. These are meaningful problems that need to be solved.”
Treehouse was born in Detroit but has grown from a group of five to a team of 20 with offices located in other major cities such as Chicago and San Francisco. They’ve secured several partnerships with large brands like CarMax, Assurant and Holman.
“There’s a clear need to upgrade the contractor experience, specifically in the electrical space. We see ourselves as an electrical contractor for the 21st century and the partnerships we’ve made, especially given our small size, are indicative of our superior customer experience,” concluded Owski. “What we’ve done is unique and we’re just getting started!”
