A switched-capacitor converter, comprising: an input; an output; a rectifier at the output; a plurality of legs coupled between the input and the rectifier, each leg comprising a capacitor (C1-C5), wherein the plurality of legs comprises a first group of legs coupled to a first branch of the rectifier and a second group of legs coupled to a second branch of the rectifier; a respective switch device (Q1-Q6) connected to each leg; and a controller configured to alternate switching the switch devices (Q1, Q3, Q5) connected to the first group of legs and the switch devices (Q2, Q4, Q6) connected to the second group of legs after startup, to transfer energy from the input to the output during a first part of each switching cycle via the first group of legs and during a second part of each switching cycle via the second group of legs, wherein the controller is configured to control the switch devices (Q1-Q6) during startup so that a combination of the switch devices connected to the first group of legs and the second group of legs which are normally switched alternatingly after startup are on at the same time to pre-charge at least one of the capacitors (C1-C5), wherein each leg of the first group of legs further includes an inductor (L1, L2, L3) connected in series with the respective capacitor (C1, C3, C5), wherein the first group of legs includes a first leg including a first capacitor connected to the input via a first switch device, and wherein to pre-charge at least one of the capacitors (C1-C5) comprises to pre-charge the first capacitor and then transfer energy from the first capacitor to other ones (C2-C5) of the capacitors (C1-C5), wherein to pre-charge the first capacitor comprises to turn on the first switch device and a switch device of the rectifier for some time, wherein the first switch device and the switch device of the rectifier are switched alternatingly after startup, wherein the switched-capacitor converter further comprises measurement circuitry configured to sense or estimate the voltage across each of the capacitors (C1-C5) during startup, wherein the controller is further configured to turn off each switch device (Q1-Q5) during startup when the voltage sensed across the capacitor (C1-C5) connected to that switch device (Q1-Q5) reaches a predetermined level for that capacitor (C1-C5), so that the switch devices (C1-C5) connected to the capacitors (Q1-Q5) with lower predetermined levels are turned off before the switch devices (Q1-Q5) connected to the capacitors (C1-C5) with higher predetermined levels during startup, and wherein the first capacitor is the capacitor closest to the input. an input; an output; a rectifier at the output; a plurality of legs coupled between the input and the rectifier, each leg comprising a capacitor (C1-C5), wherein the plurality of legs comprises a first group of legs coupled to a first branch of the rectifier and a second group of legs coupled to a second branch of the rectifier; a respective switch device (Q1-Q6) connected to each leg; and a controller configured to alternate switching the switch devices (Q1, Q3, Q5) connected to the first group of legs and the switch devices (Q2, Q4, Q6) connected to the second group of legs after startup, to transfer energy from the input to the output during a first part of each switching cycle via the first group of legs and during a second part of each switching cycle via the second group of legs, wherein the controller is configured to control the switch devices (Q1-Q6) during startup so that a combination of the switch devices connected to the first group of legs and the second group of legs which are normally switched alternatingly after startup are on at the same time to pre-charge at least one of the capacitors (C1-C5), wherein each leg of the first group of legs further includes an inductor (L1, L2, L3) connected in series with the respective capacitor (C1, C3, C5), wherein the first group of legs includes a first leg including a first capacitor connected to the input via a first switch device, and wherein to pre-charge at least one of the capacitors (C1-C5) comprises to pre-charge the first capacitor and then transfer energy from the first capacitor to other ones (C2-C5) of the capacitors (C1-C5), wherein to pre-charge the first capacitor comprises to turn on the first switch device and a switch device of the rectifier for some time, wherein the first switch device and the switch device of the rectifier are switched alternatingly after startup, wherein the switched-capacitor converter further comprises measurement circuitry configured to sense or estimate the voltage across each of the capacitors (C1-C5) during startup, wherein the controller is further configured to turn off each switch device (Q1-Q5) during startup when the voltage sensed across the capacitor (C1-C5) connected to that switch device (Q1-Q5) reaches a predetermined level for that capacitor (C1-C5), so that the switch devices (C1-C5) connected to the capacitors (Q1-Q5) with lower predetermined levels are turned off before the switch devices (Q1-Q5) connected to the capacitors (C1-C5) with higher predetermined levels during startup, and wherein the first capacitor is the capacitor closest to the input.