Airth in Shark Tank India: Transforming Air Conditioning into Life-Saving Technology
According to WHO, Air pollution kills an estimated seven million people yearly. It's the world's fourth-leading cause of early death. Many entrepreneurs and scientists are working to deal with this problem. The air purifier is one result, but can we do something more to make it affordable? Yes, recently, Indian Entrepreneur Ravi Kaushik came up with the idea of an Air Conditioning purifier that is less costly and easily fits any AC.
Who is the founder of Airth?
Ravi Kaushik is the CEO and Founder of Airth, which has 64% equity. Airth is a company that aims to protect people from air pollution and disease transmission.
Early Life and Education
Ravi Kaushik was born and raised in Delhi. He completed his B.tech in Civil Engineering from NIT, Kurukshetra, in 2016. He is an IIT Bombay alumnus with expertise in Environmental Engineering Technology. As a child, he saw people struggle with air pollution in Delhi. He witnessed the debilitating effects of asthma firsthand, as his mother struggled with the condition.
Abhimanyu Kumar was born and raised in a small village of Bihar “Chewara”. He completed his B.tech in Mechanical engineering. He worked in Gurgaon but was not satisfied with the job. Then he started his first startup program in food and logistics which unfortunately shut down. He applied for the IIT Bombay Pre-Incubation program and got selected.
Ravi met Abhimanyu at NIT, where Abhimanyu was working as a Product Manager and was helping students “How to make their ideas into reality?”.
Entrepreneurial Journey of Airth
Ravi and Abhimanyu have been dedicated to the idea of reducing pollution for many years. Their entrepreneurial journey began with an air purifier business, but they struggled to scale it as a standalone air purifier and didn’t fit well with the habits of Indian consumers. Despite these hurdles, Kaushik and Kumar remain undeterred and focused on their long-term vision of making clean air accessible to everyone.
Kaushik thought “Why not use air conditioners to clean the air too? ACs are everywhere, but standalone air purifiers are rarely used consistently,”. This simple yet impactful thought became the foundation of Airth’s innovative approach, upgrading existing air conditioning systems to be more efficient and environmentally friendly. They faced criticism, doubts, and investor backlash and some colleagues even left them. Some called their product a waste or predicted it wouldn’t sell.
Finally, their hard work paid off and gave rise to Airth which transformed ordinary air conditioners into advanced air purifiers and created an entirely new product category.
About Airth, What is Airth?
It is an innovative air purification technology company. It started as a response to an emotional and pressing family need and has grown into a groundbreaking solution, revolutionizing how people think about air purification.
Unlike traditional air purifiers, Airth’s solution upgrades equipment people already own. With Airth, they are tapping into something everyone already owns, an air conditioner and turning it into a cleaner, more efficient device. The product is priced between Rs 1549 and Rs 3200. Airth’s products offer an affordable and sustainable alternative for families across India.
The founders’ vision doesn’t stop at homes and offices. Airth is soon expanding into the automotive sector and aims to bring clean air to cars as well. The next step is to bring our technology to cars, making clean air available wherever people are,” said Kumar
The numbers tell an inspiring story of persistence and progress. Airth’s revenue surged from Rs 63.17 lakh in FY23 to an impressive Rs 2.13 crore in FY24. However, scaling a business comes with its challenges, as evidenced by a widening net loss of Rs 43.13 lakh in FY24.
Airth in Shark Tank India
Airth’s journey reached new heights with its appearance on Shark Tank India season 4. The founder was seeking Rs 60 lakhs for a 1% equity stake. Kaushik and Kumar walked into the tank with confidence and a patent-pending product that had the potential to disrupt the air purifier market. Their pitch, is underscored by a dramatic demonstration of their filters’ ability to reduce pollutants by 60%.
“Itna dhamakedar demo pehli baar dekh rahe hain, mind-blowing,” exclaimed Vineeta Singh, and was impressed. The product’s ability to work year-round, even converting ACs into fans during winter without consuming extra electricity, added to its appeal.
While the sharks debated the valuation and business model, a bidding war ensued. Ultimately, Aman Gupta and Vineeta Singh struck a deal of Rs 96 lakhs for a 4% equity stake at a valuation of
Challenges
One of the biggest questions raised during their Shark Tank pitch was why air conditioner manufacturers hadn’t integrated similar filters themselves. Kumar explained that doing so would add at least Rs 12,000 to the per-unit cost, making it an unfeasible solution for manufacturers. By focusing on affordability and ease of use, Airth has carved out a unique niche in the competitive air purification market.
Airth’s journey is a testament to the power of innovation driven by empathy and purpose. While the company faces financial challenges, its rapid growth and commitment to consumer education underscore its potential to become a market leader.
For Kaushik and Kumar, Airth is more than just a business; it’s a mission to improve lives. As families across India breathe a little easier thanks to their technology, Airth’s founders continue to prove that great ideas, when fueled by determination, can truly change the world.