OX Drive rapidly expanded, leading to its acquisition by CarGuru in just three years. Her expertise spans electric vehicles, sustainable energy, and emerging technologies, reflecting her commitment to driving the transition toward a smarter, more efficient energy future.
Egija Gailuma’s entrepreneurial journey began at an incredibly young age. “My first business was when I was around ten—selling flowers in our backyard. Except they weren’t really flowers, they were weeds I picked up along the street,” she recalls with a laugh. Her parents were her only customers, but she always managed to sell out, foreshadowing the resilience and creativity that would define her career.
Her next venture, at just 16, was an online pet store. “At that time, it was quite innovative. There was only one other company doing it in Latvia,” she explains. However, she and her business partner made a crucial mistake: “The first thing we did was rent an office. We paid the first and last month’s rent before we had anything else—because we thought that’s what businesses do.” Without a product or website, they quickly ran out of money. “We literally just bought dog food from a retail store and tried to sell it at the same price,” she says. Unsurprisingly, the business collapsed, and they spent two years repaying the fast loan they had taken. “I used to check the mailbox first so my mom wouldn’t see the collection letters,” she admits.
Despite setbacks, Egija remained undeterred. After earning a degree from the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga, she gained corporate experience as a country manager for CityBee. But her passion for startups never faded. “The real breakthrough came when I met up with my ex-classmates. We were brainstorming and thought, ‘Hey, let’s build a Tesla car-sharing service.’” The idea started as a fun project, but soon became serious. “For eight months, we fundraised and found investors. We ended up running it for three years, growing to over 150 cars, including a few Audi e-trons and a Taycan.” Eventually, they sold the company.
As part of the car-sharing business, they had developed an in-house repair shop. When their buyer didn’t want that part of the company, Egija saw an opportunity. “We separated it and now we repair EVs, sell cars, and even source rare models like the Lotus Eletre, which isn’t officially sold in Latvia.”
But the biggest pivot came from an unexpected side project. “We had a few leftover batteries and thought, ‘What can we do with these?’ An amazing engineer on our team said, ‘Let’s build an energy storage system for our own use.’” As they experimented, people became interested. “At networking events, we’d mention it, and companies started asking, ‘Can you build this for us?’” And just like that, a new business was born.
Now, Egija is focused on revolutionizing the energy sector. “We help companies cut electricity costs by charging during off-peak hours and discharging when demand is high. It’s a game-changer.” Expansion is next. “We’re targeting Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Spain, and Italy. The goal is to make battery storage a commodity—something every business and household owns.”
Being a Woman in a Male-Dominated Industry
The world of EVs, energy storage, and automotive repair is still largely dominated by men. For Egija, navigating this space meant learning how to assert herself while staying true to her leadership style. “You walk into a room full of investors, suppliers, or engineers, and sometimes you’re the only woman there,” she says.
One of the biggest lessons she had to learn? Confidence “You need to own your space in the room—speak with certainty, make decisions with conviction, and not second-guess yourself.”
Egija sees being a woman in this field as an advantage. “People remember you. When you’re one of the few women in a technical industry, you stand out. And if you back that up with results, you earn respect quickly.”
Egija’s entrepreneurial philosophy is simple: execution beats ideas. “A great idea isn’t enough. A mediocre idea with great execution will always win.” She also warns against rapid, unchecked growth. “People think scaling solves all problems, but it doesn’t. If your unit economics are bad, scaling just amplifies those problems.”
She also believes in balance. “I used to think non-stop hustle was the only way. Then I saw these ‘grind’ entrepreneurs—overweight, unhealthy, and not even the wealthiest. I thought, ‘Do I want to be like them?’ No. I want health, I want money, but I also want to enjoy life.” In her personal time, she loves to do all sorts of sports. She snowboards, wakeboards, does equestrian sports, and recently took up golf. She is also interested in the environment and volunteers at a pet shelter.
For young entrepreneurs, her advice is clear: “Chill the f*** out. Seriously. Learn to enjoy the journey. It’s not just about the end goal.” And perhaps most importantly, she stresses the human side of business. “Every business problem is a people problem. Whether it’s hiring, negotiating, or handling conflicts, people skills matter more than any hard skill.”
Egija Gailuma is not just building businesses—she’s reshaping industries and proving that resilience, adaptability, and a bit of humor can turn any challenge into an opportunity.
