Greenairy, a startup founded by Tanvi Thombre and Lakshya Saraf, is developing plant-based towers intended to remove toxic gases from indoor air. The founders began the project after an experience in their university makerspace, where they suspected exposure to fumes from laser cutters, 3D printers, and soldering irons contributed to a friend's hospitalization.
The company argues that conventional air purifiers handle particulate matter well but are less effective against volatile organic compounds such as formaldehyde and benzene. Greenairy's towers are designed to draw in air, break down those gases, and release purified air. The founders say plants in a pot clean slowly, but changing conditions around the plant speeds up the process, and no filter replacement is needed.
In tests using RESET-certified monitors, the company compared its towers against a medical-grade ionizer and a HEPA purifier in three offices. Greenairy said its tower recorded the lowest VOC levels and removed VOCs fastest, with a 50% reduction in daily average and peak levels during office hours. The results have been validated by TÜV SÜD, and the startup plans to begin large-scale manufacturing after certification.
The founders are currently split between Singapore and Berkeley, California. They expect to reunite in Singapore by the first half of 2027 and launch their first mass-produced towers for customers there. Greenairy is set to appear at TechCrunch Disrupt as part of the Startup Battlefield 200.