Sukoon: Cooling India’s workforce in a warming climate

March 4, 2026 Innovation Valli Sarvani

Extreme heat has become a daily reality for millions of Indian workers.

In sectors such as steel, cement, oil and gas, chemicals, construction, and logistics, temperatures often exceed 45-50°C.

Prolonged exposure leads to dehydration, fatigue, cognitive decline, accidents, and even fatalities.

According to the International Labour Organisation, India could lose 5.8% of total working hours by 2030 due to heat stress.

That equals nearly 34 million full-time jobs. Sukoon was founded to respond to this growing workplace and public health crisis.

Incubated at IIT Madras Research Park, Sukoon develops climate-adaptive safety wearables for high-heat environments.

Its flagship product, BluPULSE, uses Hybrid IDEC (Integrated Dynamic Evaporative Cooling) technology.

The system combines passive cooling materials with controlled airflow and evaporative mechanisms. As a result, it reduces ambient temperature exposure by up to 15-16°C.

However, BluPULSE goes beyond cooling. The wearable integrates thermal, activity, and location sensors that monitor how a worker’s body responds to heat.

Supervisors receive real-time insights, enabling early intervention before heat stress escalates. This shift from reactive to proactive safety management sets Sukoon apart from traditional personal protective equipment.

Unlike most cooling wearables that focus only on comfort, Sukoon blends thermal engineering, electronics, advanced textiles, software, and ergonomic design.

The company has invested around ₹40 lakh in research and development, field trials, electronics integration, and pilot deployments. Importantly, it prioritised real-world validation over lab-only innovation.

Industries that piloted BluPULSE reported lower heat fatigue, improved morale, and better productivity during long shifts.

Workers also preferred it over bulky traditional PPE. Early pilots have already translated into revenue and clearer pathways for commercial adoption.

Affordability remains central to Sukoon’s strategy. The company aims to serve not just large enterprises but also small contractors and public-sector organisations.

It is currently developing what it claims will be the world’s most effective and cost-efficient cooling jacket, targeted for summer 2026 deployment.

Recognition as a Jury Favourite in the Healthcare Category at the Infosys Foundation Aarohan Social Innovation Awards reinforced Sukoon’s social mission.

As climate change intensifies, solutions like Sukoon are becoming essential infrastructure.

The company now plans to scale manufacturing, expand sector adoption, and strengthen predictive heat-stress analytics to make climate-resilient safety the new standard.

Image Credit: Tushraa, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons