According to Gravity power CEO Tom Mason, the final design concept took shape in 2008, which was immediately followed by the company's first round of funding in early 2009 from The Quercus Trust, followed by a series of other small investments. The company is currently raising a Series B round to fund final design and testing of the system. The first Gravity Power patent covering its technology was issued by the U.S.Patent Of-fice in May 2012,and other global patents are pending.