Greenairy – After a health emergency in their university makerspace, two engineering students developed a plant-based solution to combat the invisible threat of indoor toxic gases.
The turning point for Tanvi Thombre and Lakshya Saraf didn’t come in a boardroom, but in a hospital room. While the pair were engineering students working in a university makerspace. they spent countless hours surrounded by laser cutters. 3D printers. and soldering irons. They were breathing in toxic fumes. unaware of the danger until the moment a close friend collapsed. requiring an emergency trip to the hospital.
That incident forced a shift in perspective. The pair began scrutinizing the air in commercial buildings—offices. schools. hotels. and salons—where modern air-conditioning systems prioritize climate control over fresh airflow. Even in spaces equipped with standard air purifiers, a critical gap remained. While those devices effectively catch dust and pollen. they often fail to capture the invisible. chemical threats lurking in the workspace: carbon dioxide. formaldehyde. and benzene. These volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are known contributors to chronic disease and the nebulous “sick building syndrome.”.
To combat this. the founders launched Greenairy. a startup appearing at this year’s TechCrunch Disrupt as part of the Startup Battlefield 200. Their approach bypasses the frequent filter changes required by traditional purifiers, instead using specialized plant towers. By altering the environmental conditions around the plants. the units accelerate the natural process of air purification. breaking down toxic gases more rapidly than a typical potted plant ever could.
The startup has already completed short-term pilots in Singapore. Testing conducted with RESET-certified air monitors compared three distinct office setups: one utilizing Greenairy towers. one using a medical-grade ionizer. and a third equipped with a HEPA air purifier. The data showed the Greenairy towers outperformed both, achieving the lowest VOC levels and the fastest removal rates. Within regular office hours, the towers triggered a 50% reduction in both daily average and peak VOC levels. These findings are currently being validated by German certification firm TÜV SÜD. with full results slated for publication soon.
Operating as a trans-continental team. Saraf is currently based in Berkeley. California. focused on fundraising. while Thombre manages testing operations from Singapore. This geographic split is a temporary strategy; the founders intend to consolidate in Singapore by the first half of 2027. That timeline aligns with their goal for the first mass-market production and installation of their towers for initial customers. Beyond the technical metrics. early office occupants have noted a shift in atmosphere. reporting a preference for the natural “fresh” aroma and the organic aesthetic the towers introduce to the workplace.
Greenairy indoor air quality startup TechCrunch Disrupt VOC air purification Lakshya Saraf Tanvi Thombre