On this World Environment Day, we are highlighting an innovative startup making significant strides in the battle against air pollution in India. As it turns out, what you can’t see can indeed hurt you. A recent report revealed that thirteen of the world’s top twenty most polluted regions are in India. It’s high time we opened our eyes to the invisible poison that grips us. Leading the charge in this battle is an Ahmedabad-based startup known for creating the Air Quality India app under the Oizom umbrella. This clean-tech company is revolutionizing air quality monitoring with the power of IoT, offering solutions that monitor, inform, and analyze, with the potential to significantly improve air quality in the future.
Oizom, an environmental monitoring ecosystem, was founded by three childhood friends—Ankit Vyas, Sohil Patel, and Vrushank Vyas. Ankit, the CEO, is a mechanical engineer and product designer with over five years of business experience. Sohil, the CTO, is an electronics engineer with a rich background in IoT products, having previously worked with Google India. Vrushank, the CDO, holds a postgraduate degree in interactive media and design, complementing his mechanical engineering background. Growing up in the heavily polluted city of Ahmedabad, the trio experienced firsthand the health issues caused by poor air quality, which inspired them to develop a scalable and sustainable air quality monitoring solution.
Their flagship product, Polludrone, measures various pollution parameters such as PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, CO, O3, VOCs, hydrocarbons, and noise. This low-cost, solar-powered device seamlessly integrates into existing infrastructure without occupying space or requiring manpower. “Polludrone is a fully solar-powered, low-cost, ambient air quality monitor. It fits into existing infrastructure (retrofit) and does not occupy any space or manpower,” explains Ankit in a statement.
The Oizom Terminal, their cloud analytics software, empowers users with real-time air quality data modeling and analytics, automated reports, smart notifications, real-time pollution mapping, air quality predictions, and pollution source identification. The Oizom mobile app provides location-based air pollution levels, with data-driven suggestions for users.
Additionally, Oizom launched Airowl, a community project in collaboration with the India OpenData Association. This open-source initiative aims to raise air quality awareness among citizens. Airowl is a DIY kit that enables anyone over ten years old to build their own personal air quality monitoring device, providing real-time data through the Air Quality India app. Initially relying on open-source data, the app now aggregates air quality data from Oizom devices nationwide and from central and state pollution control boards. With over 5,000 installs on Android and iOS, the app is making a significant impact.
As we confront the invisible threats in our air, Oizom’s technology and vision provide a clear path forward in our quest for cleaner, safer environments.
