Jessica Matthews, CEO of Uncharted Play just raised the largest Series A round ever by a black female CEO.

“By embracing the power of diversity, play, and community, we are changing the way the world looks at innovation – and innovators”, says Matthews.

Founded in 2011, Uncharted Play, a clean energy startup known for the SOCCKET and the PULSE just closed an equity seed round of $7 million. The round was led by The NIC Fund, a syndicate from the African continent focused on investing in renewable energy opportunities. Also participating the seed round are Kapor Capital, Magic Johnson Enterprises, BBG Ventures, and Lingo Ventures.

Expanding from its roots in developing energy generating sports products for resource-poor communities, Uncharted Play is taking its core technology and revolutionizing the renewable energy field with the introduction of self-sufficient, customizable, energy systems that have the ability to harness motion to power electronics, removing the need for external power systems.

The new technology is called ‘M.O.R.E.’, (Motion-based, Off-Grid, Renewable Energy). M.O.R.E. is a customizable, low-cost micro-generator that can be seamlessly integrated into almost any product. M.O.R.E. harnessing the product’s kinetic energy to power small electronics like mobile phones and other mobile devices. From luggage, to baby strollers to bicycles, to infrastructure, the new Uncharted Play technology will create new innovative approaches for clean, cost-efficient, renewable energy that may eventually replace other energy systems currently in use!