POLLUTION KILLING OR BILLING?
Ah Taj�the iconic white marble walls of the�Taj Mahal�turning green.
Indian capital region and various other cities home to millions of people, are choking on
severely polluted air.
The cities are facing a major air quality crisis, as perilous pollution levels forced flight
cancellations, caused traffic accidents, closed schools, and sparked protests. Delhi is
being described as a �gas chamber,� and the city has declared a public health
emergency.
Unprecedented pollution-induced haze has brought about the end of the zenith for
unimpeded industrial growth and thoughtless human consumption. The central and local
governments are forced to issue standards and regulations for pollution control, making
emissions control an imperative for industrial enterprises.
�It�s definitely a new normal -- the intensity of the pollution is unprecedented,� said
Sunita Narain, director general of New Delhi�s Centre for Science and Environment.
While we gasp for air�while breathing is killing us �we see people smiling to the
bank�.cashiers counting money�.firms minting them�.and new crop of entrepreneurs
making money out of thin air.
With many entrepreneurs eager to find new ways for improving air quality, the air
pollution control technologies could become a huge business opportunity in coming
years.
Let�s have a look at the few initiatives taken by the startup fraternity�to battle against air
pollution:
1. Smart Air Filters
Delhi-based Smart Air Filters produces an indoor air purifier that is highly effective
against PM 2.5, the primary air pollutant affecting urban Indian cities.
2. On Mask Life Sciences
The Hyderabad-based start-up produces anti-pollution masks�which are washable and
reusable.
3. Helpchat
Bengaluru-based personal assistant app�Helpchat�app will show the�Air Quality
Index�(AQI) reading from 0 to 500+ and suggests a precautionary measure depending
on the air quality. The moment the app senses air quality getting below a certain point, it
will send an alert to the user's smartphone. Additionally, it also suggests areas that one
should avoid visiting in their city.
4. Kurin Systems
Delhi-based Kurin Systems offers a range of air purifiers�for cars, offices, and living
areas.
5. Nirvana Being:�Incepted in 2015 by Wharton Business School alumnus Jaidhar
Gupta, Nirvana Being offers a range of innovative anti-pollution products and solutions �
Vogmask (multilayered mask offered in single and double valve), Laser Egg (smart air
quality monitor), PuraCar (car air purifier), and Airgle (room air purifier).
6. BreatheFresh:�Launched in 2017 by Gaurav Arora and Bhawani Bhateja,
BreatheFresh offers indoor air purification solutions that are reportedly natural and
chemical-free.
These are new crop of Ecopreneurs�(�green entrepreneur� or �environmental
entrepreneur�) to name a few.
These ideas encourage us to see the potential of such situations to act as drivers of
environmental innovation. Their combination of entrepreneurial zeal and green
motivations is seen as providing them with the ability to transcend the usual tensions
between business and the environment.
In academic circles a new literature is beginning to emerge around this perspective,
�eco-preneurship� a new trend that we need to wait and watch as academicians and as
environmentally concerned members of the society.
From small bags of activated charcoal that clean up indoor air to bigger outdoor
devices, startups are developing many anti-pollution devices. Let�s see how far this
goes or are we ready to think and work on the root cause.