Don’t you hate it when you’re in the middle of an important phone call and your cell phone dies? Ever wish you could charge it fast from anywhere you are?

Your answer … Hercules Networks. Founded by Paul King in 2008, Hercules Networks is a U.S. based manufacturing and distributing company of Automated Charging Machines, public charging stations that rapidly charge a variety of devices.

After being laid off from his job at Carnegie Mellon, King returned to school and graduated in 2005 with a degree in psychology. From here he began building what would become his own 40-agent real estate business in Miami. But when the real estate market tanked in 2008, King decided to return to his earlier business idea of making and selling standalone charging machines for mobile devices.

King came up with the concept and partnered with a Beijing technology manufacturer, becoming its exclusive distributor for the Americas and most of Europe. Soon after his vision became a reality they began producing a machine that can charge any mobile device in about 10 minutes. The device has a TV screen that plays a 10-minute loop of ads as well as content from a partnership with CBS.

King's 12-employee business has offices in New York and Miami, and makes money selling advertising and by leasing the machines to companies looking to attract crowds to their booths at conventions (Google was the company's first convention client). In 2008 the company raised about $1 million and about $500,000 in revenue in 2009, with a goal of $1.5 million to $1.75 million in 2010. His mission is to set a new trend in digital media advertising - to make the ACM as widespread as the ATM.

www.herculesnetworks.com