Molekule is Revolutionizing Air Purification by Destroying Pollutants at Molecular Level

The National Pollution Control Day, 2nd December, emphasizes preventing pollution and raising awareness about how we keep exploiting our Mother Nature. On this Day, The Hans India reached out to Dilip Goswami, the Co-Founder, President, and CTO of Molekule, to further learn about the Molekule's life-changing air purification technology.

It is essential to destroy pollutants as many air purifiers use technology that filters to collect pollutants. Still, mold and bacteria can grow and re-release into the air, while viruses and VOCs can slip through the filters completely. Molekule addresses this issue and brings to consumers its patented PECO technology to revolutionize air purification. Assisted by science and 25+ years of R&D, PECO destroys pollutants like mold, viruses, bacteria, ozone, and VOCs at the molecular level instead of just filtering them, eliminating them from the air we breathe, compared to other players in the market.

Dilip's chronic struggle with allergies and asthma issues since childhood inspired his father, Dr. Yogi Goswami, to develop the technology behind Molekule. Together with Dr. Goswami and his sister, Jaya, Dilip co-founded Molekule to commercialize this life-changing technology.

Dilip previously served as VP of Technology at Advanced Technologies & Testing Laboratories, where he led research & development. He completed M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University and holds a B.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Florida.

Homegrown tech start-up brand and how was it formed

Molekule is an air purification technology company founded by my father & Non-Resident Indian Dr. Yogi Goswami, with a mission to deliver clean indoor air to everyone, everywhere. I suffered from frequent allergies and asthma growing up, and my father – a distinguished professor known for his contributions to solar energy – began research into indoor air quality in search of a solution.

He saw that larger particles in the air were only a part of the problem, but the extremely microscopic things like chemicals and viruses that could be airborne were not being addressed well enough. Thus, he developed a technology that would purify the air – not just by collecting larger particles but by actually breaking down harmful pollutants at a molecular level. Over 25 years, he developed what has come to be known as Photo Electro Chemical Oxidation, or PECO, which destroys pollutants, allergens, bacteria, viruses, and airborne chemicals.

The air we breathe every day can impact our health in many ways we may not even recognize. After this first-hand experience and realizing the significant impact that clean indoor air could have on people's daily lives, I knew we had to develop Molekule's air purification technology further.

Brand's entry into India market

Being of Indian descent, I care deeply about India's growing air pollution crisis – my family and friends are directly impacted by it. There is a need for innovative technology that can provide an added layer of protection from airborne pollution. We've also seen that technology like ours can give an added layer of safety when there is a threat of airborne disease. Molekule announced its entry in India with the launch of Air Mini purifier in 2020 through authorized resellers on Amazon.in. With that, Molekule introduced its award-winning patented Photo Electrochemical Oxidation (PECO) air purification technology to Indian consumers. As a brand, Molekule has seen a rapid surge in interest for its products globally. Subsequently, in 2021, the next product Air Mini+ was launched.

• Air Mini is the initial offering from Molekule in India, designed for rooms up to 23 sq meters – ideal for flats, bedrooms, and home offices. The device boasts a clean, minimalist, inviting aesthetic, features a natural wool felt handle, and has five different fan speeds that can be adjusted as required

• Air Mini+ includes the same benefits as Molekule Air Mini but comes with enhanced features, such as a particulate matter sensor, automatic fan speeds via Auto-Protect mode, and a vegan leather handle. The Air Mini+ particle sensor detects particulate matter in the air of the room in which it operates and rates the air quality from "Good" to "Very bad," offering a glance into your indoor air quality. If on Auto-Protect mode, Air Mini+ will automatically adjust its fan speed based on pollutants sensed in the air. With these features, it intelligently purifies the air around it in real-time. Consumers can control their Air Mini+ and receive status updates on their air purifier's filters via the Molekule app, on iOS and Android. The same size as the Air Mini, the Air Mini+ is compact and fits comfortably in most places.

How do you differentiate Molekule from other brands?

Most air purifiers rely on HEPA technology, which was developed back in the 1940s. This technology uses filters to collect pollutants. Molekule uses its patented PECO-technology to destroy pollutants. PECO (Photo ElectroChemical Oxidation) is a fundamentally new approach that cleans the air at a molecular level. Instead of just filtering the air of larger particles like a traditional filter, PECO technology destroys microscopic pollution in the air. It works when light shines on a special catalyst that creates a chemical reaction on the surface of the PECO filter, destroying pollutants and breaking down their molecular structure.

PECO destroys pollutants 1000 times smaller than those tested in HEPA standard tests. Unlike traditional air purifiers that collect pollutants on a filter, PECO technology is proven to destroy airborne contaminants like viruses, chemicals from pollution, allergens, bacteria, and more — inactivating or eliminating them from the air that passes through the device. PECO is well suited to inactivate viruses via oxidation, like the H1N1 flu virus and coronaviruses.

How important is it to not just to filter out pollutants but to actually destroy them?

It is extremely essential to destroy pollutants as many air purifiers use technology that filters to collect pollutants, but mold and bacteria can grow and re-release into the air, while viruses and VOCs can slip through the filters completely. Molekule addresses this issue and brings to consumers its patented PECO technology to revolutionize air purification. Backed by science and 25+ years of R&D, PECO destroys pollutants like mold, viruses, bacteria, ozone, and VOCs at the molecular level instead of just filtering them, eliminating them from the air we breathe, when compared to other players in the market.

Third-party testing of technology and great results – can destroy coronavirus strains

PECO that sits at the crux of Molekule's air purification technology, has been validated by various third-party laboratories and internal testing. In 2020, the University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering and College of Veterinary Medicine undertook a project to test PECO's ability to inactivate viruses from the air that passes through the device. The research was led by Dr. Chris Hogan and Dr. Montserrat Torremorell and demonstrated that Molekule's PECO air purification technology inactivates coronavirus strains (bovine and porcine strains) and the H1N1 flu virus by up to 99.99% in single-pass experiments.

Power of design and sustainability in the brand's journey

On Molekule's journey to providing clean air to as many people as possible, we need to be sure that our purifiers are actually easy - and pleasant - to use. In addition, they need to fit seamlessly into people's lives.

It starts with empathizing with the user to identify what problems the product is intended to solve in their lives. The Molekule ecosystem of products is designed to solve problems, not create them. From using materials that minimize VOC off-gassing to the cord that wraps inside the base of each device, every detail of Molekule products are designed to ensure they clean the air as seamlessly and efficiently as possible.

Molekule products feature a sleek, minimalistic, and modern design and were built with human-centred design principles, ensuring that it's easy to use and can fit effortlessly in any space. Environmental sustainability is also a key consideration in terms of material and finishing. Our packaging supplies are made with 100% recycled materials with minimal material, and we avoid full-colour laminated printing.

Partnerships and installations with other corporates and public spaces like The Quorum

Earlier this year, Molekule partnered with premium lifestyle club, The Quorum Mumbai to help provide a safe environment and access to clean breathing air for all its members. As part of this partnership, we provided 20 units of Air Mini air purifiers to The Quorum Mumbai. The devices are set up in the common areas and co-working spaces in a bid to help people breathe cleaner purified air even in a shared space. This happened at a perfect time when the government started easing lockdown rules on one hand while staying healthy and protecting ourselves from the virus remained the utmost priority.

We are further exploring such partnerships and aim to collaborate with several other organizations to bring clean indoor air and a safe environment to as many people as possible.

The role played by Molekule during the covid-19 second wave

Over 3000 units donated to various reputed hospitals to aid the battle against covid-19 second wave. During the second wave of Covid-19 in India, Molekule partnered with the Department of Science and Technology supported Sophisticated Analytical Instrumentation Facility, Punjab University Chandigarh (SAIF, PUC) to assemble and set up Molekule air purifiers in hospitals across India. The partnership has led to the donation of over 3000 air purifiers Molekule & Air Pro RX units to hospitals across the country to help aid in the battle against the virus and provide patients, doctors, and staff with much-needed clean air.

Any discounts available during festivities and the pollution season to make it affordable for all?

We're offering Air Mini and Air Mini+ at a discount during the pollution season, in line with the brand's mission to provide clean indoor air to everyone, everywhere. The original retail price of the Air Mini is INR 37,999, and it's currently available for INR 25,999 on Amazon.in Similarly, Air Mini is available at INR 29,999, with an original retail price of INR 45,999.