Sometimes the best partnerships start in the most unexpected places.

In November 2023, three strangers—Tony Frisone, Mike Ewers, and Philip Johnson—found themselves at a business and investment mastermind retreat in the Smoky Mountains. Hosted in a friend’s cabin, the weekend was meant to spark new ideas and forge connections. None of us knew it would lead to building ArcEdge.

From the moment we met, the conversation flowed. We shared a deep interest in real estate, renewable energy, and technology—and an equally strong drive to take action. By the end of that weekend, we were already sketching out our first project idea: a better-looking, better-performing solar roofing solution.

The Early Days

Our initial idea was a big one: create a solar-powered composite roofing tile that looked as good as it performed. Around that time, we crossed paths with Russ Newton, whose energy and vision matched our own. With Russ on board as President, the four of us set out on a journey—visiting factories, walking production lines, and meeting with one of the country’s largest composite roofing manufacturer. Each step brought us closer to the realization that the breakthrough product we were chasing wasn’t in composites at all. It was in metal roofing—a solution stronger, smarter, and built to last.

That’s when we found Roofit.Solar, an Estonian clean energy technology company with a decade of experience in building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). Their standing seam metal roof system wasn’t just durable and beautiful—it generated clean energy without compromising aesthetics. We knew immediately this was the product we had been searching for.

The Partnership

In September 2024, we sat down with Roofit.Solar’s leadership team in Southern California at the RE+ clean energy conference. The alignment was instant, and before long, we formed an exclusive partnership to bring Roofit.Solar to the United States.

By July 2025, the first containers of product arrived from Europe to our Midwest warehouse, with the first U.S. installations set to begin before the year’s end.

Looking Ahead

ArcEdge isn’t just an importer—we’re building the future of solar roofing in North America. Together with Roofit.Solar, we’re laying the groundwork for U.S.-based manufacturing to serve and grow the market here for decades to come.