Harry Pike, of Havelock North (left), with business partner Jett Swanberg of Tauranga, created SoloBoost, a compact phone charging device designed for festivals and nights out.
Harry Pike, of Havelock North (left), with business partner Jett Swanberg of Tauranga, created SoloBoost, a compact phone charging device designed for festivals and nights out.
When Harry Pike was on a night out with fellow Otago University mate Jett Swanberg, their phones went flat, but their brains went into overdrive.
Pike, a former Lindisfarne College student from Havelock North, said he and Swanberg, of Tauranga, not only realised there was a need for a compactcharging product, but it was vital for safety.
“The idea came from a pretty ordinary but frustrating moment,” the 22-year-old said.
“We were at a festival, and our phones died, we couldn’t find any of our mates, buy a drink or even book a ride home, and it quickly became obvious that it wasn’t just annoying, it was actually a safety issue.
“We both had similar experiences on nights out too, leaving bars and nightclubs with flat phones ... that’s when we realised we weren’t alone, this actually happens all year round.”
The graduates, who met through the Bachelor of Entrepreneurship, initially came up with the idea in 2024, and created the product in their fourth year in 2025.
He said SoloBoost is a compact rechargeable phone charger, designed specifically for festivals and high-energy environments.
Harry Pike and fellow Otago University mate Jett Swanberg created SoloBoost, a compact phone charging device.
He said the pair used the idea for their entrepreneurship programme and thought “this could be a viable business”.
Pike, who had always been business-minded, said with nothing to lose and everything to gain, the pair invested an estimated $7000 into their idea.
He said Swanberg was the “maths and strategy brain” of the business, while he was more the creative brain.
“He’s a hard worker, and I’m a hard worker, and we gel really well, obviously, there are a lot of ups and downs when creating a business, and highs and lows, but you make sure you stay level.”
Pike said they had worked hard to keep a healthy balance between studying, the business and their social lives.
“Its been a bit of a push having university and trying to start a business at the same time, but we still have a bit of fun.
“We were able to market our product on nights out and test it on people, so it was the best of both worlds.”
Harry Pike said they wanted to create a product that reflected the fast paced environments it was designed for.
He said he and Swanberg wanted to change the stigma around business start-ups, especially for young people.
“There is a real fear of failing and getting it wrong. SoloBoost exists because we were willing to try, learn and pivot along the way.”
He said the biggest lesson he had learnt was not to let the “speed bumps” stop the progress.
“If you fail, you are in the same place as you were when you started off so there is nothing really to lose when you’re young, so take advantage of it.”
He said the product can be bought directly from their website or at festivals they have partnered with, such as Rhythm and Vines, Northern Bass, Rolling Meadows, and Fisher at Bay Oval, and they were launching into Munchy Mart.
Each unit comes pre-charged and ready to use, at a cost of $20.
Pike said they wanted to ensure the product was affordable and, therefore, accessible.
“It’s meant to be just above the price of a drink, so it’s not going to affect you too much.
“People really enjoy the convenience of it, how small it was, plug in, how it can fit in a purse so easily.
“We did a big advertising campaign targeting mums to buy their kids a SoloBoost for festivals ... they are the ones with the money, we realised.”
Pike said he hoped to turn his SoloBoost work into a full-time gig, and they wanted to explore the emergency market and ski resorts.
“There is a whole bunch of channels now were are looking to target, which is really exciting.”
Michaela Gower joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2023 and is based out of the Hastings newsroom. She covers Dannevirke and Hawke’s Bay news and loves sharing stories about farming and rural communities.
