Solar Foldy

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Personal Portable Solar Light

FOLDING UP SOLAR FOLDY

August 2025

Charge Ahead LLC

240 Centre St. #2G,

New York,

United States

413-219-4037 hello@solarfoldy.com

Hours

Dear Friends,

I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to inform you that I will be discontinuing the Solar Foldy project and closing Charge AheadLLC.

For those of you who have purchased one or more units, I would appreciate your feedback on the following:

1. Where do you typically keep your unit? Is it on your window sill?

2. How often have you used it, and in what ways?

3. Did your unit arrive in working condition? If not, were you able to charge it successfully?

4. Is it still functioning?

5. I've been made aware that some units were delivered unprogrammed and may not have worked. If that's the case for you, I’m happy to send you a replacement in exchange for the non-functioning unit.

My aim was to inspire people to incorporate solar energy intotheir daily lives by offering accessible and enjoyable tools to do so.

What I learned: The battery and solar panel sizes were inadequate for reliably charging a phone. As a result, the product became more of a novelty—a colorful solar light—rather than a functional charging device. Additionally, the initial design aimed at facilitating power charging and lighting was compromised to expedite its market release, which ultimately did not meet expectations.

Ironically, my original, smaller prototype from 2014, which features only a white light, continues to function perfectly. This earlier design did not include a way to plug into an outlet for power, yet it has thrived all these years, harnessing solar energy alone with a rechargeable battery that performs well when placed near a window.

Technology has progressed significantly since I first began. Other companies have developed solar-powered lights and phone chargers with varying levels of success. However, due to the current international economic climate, the costs for me to continue are no longer feasible. It seems prudent for me to step back at this time.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. I still believe in the potential of affordable solar power and hope that future advancements can be pursued by those with greater resources than this sole proprietor.

Thank you for your support.

Best regards,

Anne

Anne Griffin 413-219-4037