Powercast: Pulling Electricity From Thin Air in Pittsburgh

What do Nikola Tesla, Marlin Mickle and the University of Pittsburgh have in common? The power to change everything. And Pittsburgh-based Powercast is making it happen. Jonathan Kersting from the Pittsburgh Technology Council's TechVibe sits down with Charlie Goetz of Powercast, a Pittsburgh-based company turning radio frequency into wire-free power for sensors, devices, and the intelligent edge. Born from technology licensed at the University of Pittsburgh and developed by the legendary professor Marlin Mickle, Powercast has spent over two decades perfecting RF wireless power — the same vision Nikola Tesla imagined more than a century ago. Now, as AI pushes compute to the edge, the demand for always-on, battery-free sensors is exploding, and Powercast finds itself at the center of it. In this episode, we cover: The Pittsburgh origin story — from Pitt's lab to a 23-year-old company How RF wireless power works: intentional, ambient, and anticipated sources Why one-to-many RF beats pads, wires, and batteries at scale Powercast Edge: feeding AI models high-density, real-time sensor data How wireless power eliminates battery replacement for 50+ sensors per room The hardware renaissance: why chips and bespoke hardware matter again Pittsburgh's tech ecosystem and the Pitt-Penn State rivalry at the office If your business runs sensors, monitors equipment, or is betting on physical AI, this episode explains why Pittsburgh might hold the key to keeping the edge powered — without a single wire. The Pittsburgh Technology Council produces TechVibe to explore Pittsburgh's technology and innovation ecosystem.