UPDATE:
Coverage from UVa: Startup Launches Crowd Funding Campaign
https://batten.virginia.edu/school/news/breathe...
We've created a patent pending process to produce fabric that can trap the most dangerous particulate matter at a cost and speed that was previously not possible.
Our technology relies on metal organic frameworks (MOFs), which are more effective and better for the environment than the polymer-based masks and scarves currently on the market.
To get our life-improving technology to the people of the world who need it the most as quickly as possible, our first product will be a scarf. Simple to design and manufacture, the HAVA scarf will set us on a path towards expanding into other wearable items, such as masks.
By creating an easy-to-wear, ergonomic product that can be used as a common clothing accessory we also hope to eliminate the stigma around personal pollution filtration devices.
The Global Problem of Air Pollution
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Outdoor air pollution is a major cause of death and disease globally. The health effects range from increased hospital admissions and emergency room visits, to increased risk of premature death.
Our Technology: Key Benefits
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MOF starting materials are inexpensive and degrade much faster than polymers, reducing the waste and additional plastic pollution accumulation.
By using MOFs in combination with natural fibers, such as cotton, hemp and bamboo, we are offering an alternative to the synthetic and sterile-looking products typically offered.
MOFs have the potential to capture harmful gas pollutants such as SOx and NOx that frequently accompany particulate matter emissions from combustion processes.
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A Social Enterprise
Most air masks available for purchase are made from polymers, but these masks cannot be easily produced cheaply, hence the high ( > $ 1/mask) retail prices. Masks made from clothing fabrics are also available, but they don't effectively capture pollutants and gases.
Our scarf addresses both of those limitations, making it possible to serve vulnerable populations in the developing world. Initially we will partner with NGOs and humanitarian aide groups who can help us provide the world's poor with a truly effective way to protect themselves from toxic air. We are in talks with the United Nations and several other organizations to make this happen.
In the long term, we envision our's to be a double bottom line business. We'll have a social return on investment and a financial. In other words: do well by doing good.
The Team
Prof. Gaurav Giri Co-founder + CTO
Gaurav graduated with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Caltech, a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University and finished his postdoctoral work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has been a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Virginia since 2016, where his research group is focused on studying the fundamental processes behind metal organic framework thin film crystallization, and applications of metal organic frameworks.
Prof. Bala Mulloth Co-founder + CEO
Bala is a globally oriented educator and entrepreneur who has lived and worked in Asia, Europe and North America. His focus areas are innovation and social entrepreneurship and he is currently an Assistant Professor of Public Policy at the University of Virginia's Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy.
Luke Huelsenbeck Co-founder + COO
Luke is currently working towards a PhD in Chemical Engineering. He brings several years of technology development experience from a diverse range of international start ups and R&D departments focused on a cleaner, brighter future.
Way Forward
Your donation will help us with the crucial next steps to bring HAVA scarves to the world.
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January 2019: Move into wet lab space, purchase required equipment and confirm distribution partnerships.
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February 2019: Tooling build-out, complete assembly testing and international quality control certifications.
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March 2019: Part qualification and pre-production builds, pilot production and quality assurance.
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April 2019: Begin manufacturing of scarves.
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May - June 2019: Begin order fulfillment and delivery.
More About How We Got Started
"When Gaurav Giri returned to his native country, Nepal, two summers ago to get married, he should have been walking on air. Instead, he was getting sick from it.
Had the air in Nepal always been this difficult to breathe, or had it gotten worse since he had last been home?
“You just couldn’t drive through the city with the windows down,” recalled Giri, an assistant professor of chemical engineering at the University of Virginia, who has lived in the United States since he was 14 and had last visited Nepal in 2011. “The air pollution was just too severe.”
That’s when Giri got the idea. Continue Reading..."