Air quality is all the rage
Well, we would say this wouldn’t we? We are an air quality start-up company after all. But we think that it is fair to say that this time it is different.
In our regular team catch ups, we have discussed this at length. Our team is a mix of leading experts in the field of logistics and air quality, along with experts in building technology solutions. And we are of the same view. Air quality is being taken much more seriously as a public health issue, and even an investment opportunity.
Take the actions of government as just one example. New and more stringent targets on PM2.5 and CO2 are being proposed, along with a new Office for Environmental Protection. 5 cities in the UK have been mandated to produce a Clean Air Zone to tackle emissions, with dozens more developing local action plans. The risks of non-compliance by operators is increasing all the time, and is only likely to increase. The government is also putting its money where its mouth is, with £3.5bn allocated to improving air quality and lowering vehicle emissions.
Amazingly, investors have yet to catch on to the fact that, with air quality being such a big public health issue and with the government effectively creating a market for solutions that assist in air quality management, there is an opportunity here. Between 2014 and 2017, research indicates that just $71m in funding was raised for air quality startups. Cleantech more generally is in ruder health, with a high of $10bn being raised globally in 2018, but this covers industries ranging from energy generation to carbon storage.
It is uncommon for there to be such a disconnect between a wider social issue, and investing in the opportunities to tackle it. Government’s in the UK and across the world are creating this opportunity through their actions. Companies want to be seen as doing the right thing and reducing their emissions and impacts on their cities. The tried and trusted methods of doing this are not enough any more. Intelligence is everything. And with over 60% of local authorities in the UK declaring a climate emergency, investment is needed to keep up with this rapid and urgent demand.
But as we mentioned at the beginning, we would say that. We are an air quality startup who completely believes in the product that we offer, and with great feedback from customers who we have engaged with. We would say this, wouldn’t we?
But perhaps maybe, just maybe, we have a point.
