Atovio, a breathing innovation into India’s pollution crisis | Fusion - WeRIndia

Air pollution is an invisible enemy that millions of Indians face every single day.

From Delhi’s toxic smog to Mumbai’s hazy skyline, poor air quality has quietly become a public health emergency.

While traditional air purifiers offer some respite indoors, the moment people step outside, they are once again at the mercy of polluted air.

Recognising this persistent gap, Gurugram-based healthtech startup Atovio has stepped forward with an innovation designed to make clean air portable.

Founded in late 2024 by Anmay Shahlot (IIM Indore), Siddharth Goel (IIT Kanpur), and Aditi Agrawal, Atovio was born from a simple but powerful question.

The result was the Atovio Pebble, a compact, wearable air purifier designed specifically for India’s extreme pollution conditions.

Shaped like a smooth pebble and worn around the neck, the device uses advanced filtration and ionisation technologies to create a bubble of clean air around the user’s breathing space.

Unlike imported models that cost as high as ₹24,000, the Pebble is priced affordably between ₹3,200 and ₹3,500, making it accessible to the middle class and students, the demographic most exposed to outdoor pollution.

Every part of the Pebble, from its printed circuit board to its sleek casing, is manufactured in-house at Atovio’s Hisar facility in Haryana.

The startup is among the few in India to handle end-to-end electronics manufacturing domestically, including software design, moulding, and assembly.

This self-reliance ensures quality control, avoids dependency on imports, and strengthens India’s local hardware ecosystem.

Tested at IIT Kanpur, the device includes a special Turbo Mode, a setting optimised for days when AQI levels shoot above 200, a common scenario in North India’s winters.

The purifier has been certified to emit zero ozone, addressing one of the major safety concerns associated with low-cost ionisers.

Since its launch, Atovio has sold around 8,000 units, with Delhi and Mumbai accounting for 75% of its sales.

The startup’s growing popularity reflects a subtle but important shift: urban Indians are beginning to see clean air as a necessity, not a luxury.

The Pebble has become especially popular among parents, commuters, and people with asthma or bronchitis.

Beyond sales, Atovio is working to transform public awareness.

Atovio is expanding rapidly with two new products set for launch in 2025:

• Atovio Pop – a sleeker, youth-focused version with a magnetic clip.
• Atovio Nino – a child-friendly purifier for ages 5-12.

The company is also developing car and room purifiers and an N99 mask with replaceable filters, creating a complete ecosystem of personal and home air-cleaning solutions.

Atovio’s innovation is more than a technological leap; it represents a mindset change.

For decades, India has relied on imported solutions to address its environmental challenges.

Atovio flips that narrative by developing an India-first, affordable, and scientifically tested product tailored to local realities.

If awareness continues to rise, such innovations could significantly reduce respiratory illnesses and enhance urban livability.

With 83 of the world’s 100 most polluted cities located in India, the startup’s mission resonates deeply: to make every Indian’s breath cleaner, one device at a time.

Atovio’s journey is a reminder that innovation isn’t always about cutting-edge AI or space tech; it can also be about something as fundamental and as human as the air that keeps us alive.

Image Credit: Atovio Website Screenshot

Image Reference: https://atovio.in/