Lifesaver Power Interview: The First Swap & Go Power Bank

In 2026, a dead phone in a city like London isn’t just an inconvenience; it is a genuine crisis. Your phone is no longer just a communication device; it is your wallet, your travel pass, your map, and your safety line. But what if the city itself could keep you charged? What if power was as shareable and accessible as a rental bike? In this exclusive Lifesaver Power interview, we sit down with CEO Archie Wilkinson to solve your low-battery anxiety.

Lifesaver Power isn’t just a rental service; they are the world’s first outdoor, renewable power bank solution. As a certified B-Corp, they keep you charged with 100% green energy – no lockers, just grab, swap, and go.

If you have been moving around London recently – whether you are commuting through major transport hubs, grabbing a drink at The O2, or navigating the busy streets of the capital – you might have noticed their sleek, illuminated machines. They are quietly revolutionising how we interact with energy in the city. The genius lies in the model. It’s not about charging; it’s about swapping. Instead of tethering yourself to a wall socket or a locker, you rent a power bank from a machine, plug it into your phone, and walk away. You are back in the crowd, back dancing, and back filming Instagram stories within seconds. When the power bank runs dry? You simply swap it for a fresh one at any machine across the venue. For the event industry, this is a game-changer. But convenience is only half the story.

Archie Wilkinson, the CEO and driving force behind the brand, has steered the company through the tricky waters of hardware development and the even trickier waters of the global pandemic (which, let’s be honest, wasn’t great for the events industry). Yet, they came out the other side stronger and more sustainable than ever.

Read on to see how they are powering the UK’s biggest events sustainably!

Huge congratulations on the recent win at the Festival Supplier Awards! That is a massive achievement. What does winning ‘Best Supplier’ mean for the team in Essex, and what do you think set you apart from the competition this year? 

A.W. Thank you. Being awarded Best Supplier to an International Outdoor Event is definitely something to celebrate and shows how our work is not just innovative but also works at scale in real-world, high-pressure environments.

It represents eight years of really building a business, listening to customers, and being recognised finally for the work we’ve done and the unique tech we’ve built, as well as unlocking both for clients and brand partners.

You’ve gone from a start-up idea to an award-winning staple at major international events. What has been the biggest challenge in scaling up to that level?

A.W. Cash flow is always the biggest challenge for any startup —  and we were no exception. During Covid, we lost 97% of our revenue overnight. We had to work hard just to keep the lights on. But we believed in the idea, which became a product that’s genuinely changing how people stay charged on the move. That belief, and a lot of hard graft, has turned into real momentum and strong commercial growth. The recent award is a powerful recognition of how far we’ve come.

We’ve all been there – stranded with 2% battery at a festival or just as our train ticket needs to load. Can you walk us through the moment when you realized the world needed an outdoor power bank vending machine?

A.W. For me, it was running the London Marathon and getting to the finish line and having a dead phone. I couldn’t find my parents because they’d been tracking me on an app. I missed my train back to Amsterdam, so I had to get a flight the next day and it showed me how much we need charging power. This was back in 2018.

Steven, my other co-founder, was at the football, and he was like, “Why can’t we just get Uber for power?” These two different experiences of the problem kick started the business. It is something everyone has experienced some time but we found a solution.

For my readers who are planning their festival tours or big trips this year, how does the ‘swap and go’ system actually work? Is it really as simple as grabbing a coffee?

A.W. It’s probably quicker than grabbing a coffee because you’ve not got 10 different milks that go with it. You’ve just got one product and you pop in the empty power bank and out pops the charged power bank. Some festivals we would charge for this, but effectively you’re getting unlimited power all weekend. So imagine having just one milk in your coffee, the one coffee that did every coffee. That’s what we do.

 I love that Lifesaver Power is a B-Corp. Can you tell us a bit more about the ‘circular’ nature of your power banks? 

A.W. Of course, we were the 199th B Corp in the UK back in 2019, and we’ve just recertified for the second time last week. We have three pillars that were built on:

• Fairer – all of our staff get paid a fair living wage.

• Cleaner – all of our power banks are filled with renewable energy. We charge them in our HQ in a central place which also means we clean them. Every power bank will be clean – won’t be covered in beer or bogies.

• Circular – our whole business model is to reduce battery waste. If you do have an old power bank and it’s battered and bruised, we’ll recycle it and send it to SK Tes in Scotland who will then turn it into recycled cobalt in China and put it back into the supply chain.

 I’m writing this from North Yorkshire, and while I see you dominating the London scene and major festivals, my readers up North would love this technology in our coastal towns and national parks. Are there plans to expand your permanent units beyond London to other UK staycation hotspots?

A.W. Yes, very much. We operate from Edinburgh to Budapest, so we aren’t just a London-centric business at all. We have machines down every O2 Academy in Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, and Liverpool, and we’re in discussions to add our machines into more venues in the North. If there are any that you know of, please do send them our way. We’d love to add more!

If you could place a Lifesaver Power machine in any location in the world—no matter how remote or difficult—where would it be?

A.W. Great question. My first one would be to put one on the moon, but let’s say that’s space, so maybe that’s not allowed. I mean, I think it would be pretty cool to put one at the bottom of Base Camp at Kilimanjaro. Because not only is it the highest point in the world, but also there will actually might be a need ironically for people who are climbing up there and need to charge their various kit.

As we discussed throughout this Lifesaver Power interview, the units are durable, waterproof (an absolute must for the British weather), and designed to be shared. The “World’s First Outdoor Power Bank Vending Machine” claim is bold, but it is necessary.

We are living in a digital city. Our train tickets are on our phones. Our bank cards are on our phones. Our maps are on our phones. When your battery dies, you don’t just lose Instagram; you lose your ability to navigate the physical world. But by making the vending machines weatherproof and 24/7, the company has turned power into a true utility. You no longer need to leave your house with 100% battery and a backup cable. You can leave with 20% and the confidence that the city has your back.

Lifesaver Power interview: A Final ‘Thank You’

I want to extend a massive ‘thank you’ to Archie Wilkinson for taking the time out of his incredibly busy schedule to chat with me. His insights into the events industry and his vision for a connected future were truly inspiring.

If you haven’t tried it yet, keep your eyes peeled next time you are at The O2, a major festival, or wandering through UK and Ireland. Look for the glowing machine and grab a power bank. Your battery (and the planet) will thank you.

A Note on the Photography: All images featured in this article have been provided courtesy of Lifesaver Power. These images are the intellectual property of Lifesaver Power and have been used here with their express permission for the purpose of this Lifesaver Power interview. They must not be copied, reproduced, distributed, or used in any other publication or on any social media platform without prior written consent from the Lifesaver Power press team.