Honolulu-Based Elevator Tech Startup Lands Federal Grant

Hyprlift, Inc., a Honolulu-based technology startup, has been awarded a US$255,857 federal grant to conduct R&D of a “next-generation elevator concept,” the company announced on July 18. The concept replaces traditional elevator cables with an onboard dynamic-tractive drive system that engages with the shaft and propels cabs at high speed. The grant was awarded by the National Science Foundation through the Small Business Innovation Research Program. Hyprlift CEO James Hutchinson founded the company in April 2019 after growing Pacific Elevator to the largest independent elevator company in Hawaii. Prior to that, Hutchinson held positions in business development and project management with Otis and Dover Elevator. “Our revolutionary elevator drive system will transform cabs into self-propelled, high-performance electric vehicles that are not bound to a single shaft, but instead navigate autonomously throughout multiple shafts,” Hutchinson said. “What’s more, the absence of cables will allow multiple cabs to travel within the same shaft, enabling greater transport capacity and shorter wait times using fewer shafts than traditional elevator systems.”