India’s air pollution challenge doesn’t end at our doorstep, and room purifiers offer no protection once we step outdoors. This is the critical gap atovio aims to solve. Co-founded by Anmay Shahlot, the company is developing personal air-protection solutions designed for India’s dynamic and high-exposure environments. Its flagship device, Pebble, is a wearable purifier powered by Advanced Variable Anion Technology (AVAT), designed to reduce airborne pollutants in the user’s immediate breathing zone. Independent validation by IIT Kanpur’s National Aerosol Facility reinforces its safety and real-world efficacy.
atovio is witnessing strong traction from commuters, office professionals, parents and health-conscious consumers. DeviceNext had the opportunity to speak with Anmay Shahlot, Co-founder, atovio, who shares the company’s journey, technology breakthroughs, and what’s ahead in their mission to make clean air mobile and accessible for everyone.
What inspired the founding of atovio and how did your team decide to focus on wearable/portable air purifiers rather than traditional home purifiers?
The problem is simple: people spend large parts of their day outside the rooms that home purifiers protect. Masks are useful but uncomfortable for long wear. We built atovio to solve that gap: a portable, stylish device that protects your immediate breathing zone wherever you are. The team (IIT Kanpur + IIM Indore founders) saw a clear product-market fit for a personal, design-forward solution tailored for Indian pollution conditions.
How does the Pebble work and what independent validation have you sought?
Pebble uses our Advanced Variable Anion Technology (AVAT) to release a controlled stream of negative ions that attach to airborne particles, making them fall out of the breathing zone. We validated performance at IIT Kanpur’s National Aerosol Facility. Independent tests there showed ~90% reduction in particulate concentration in the personal breathing zone within 30 minutes. We have separate lab verification showing zero measurable ozone generation during operation making it safe to use.
How did you balance portability, noise, battery life and efficacy? What was the toughest engineering challenge?
We prioritized a simple user experience: light weight, near-silent operation, and long battery life while keeping measurable efficacy and safety. Pebble targets ~30 g weight and multi-day standby with a usable active time per charge that meets everyday commuting and office use. The toughest challenge was tuning ion output and dispersion to maximize particle capture without creating secondary emissions or excessive power draw. That required over a year of iterative PCB, airflow and materials work.
Who is the atovio customer today and what use cases drive demand?
Early adopters are commuters, parents, office professionals, people with respiratory sensitivities and urban families. Primary use cases are commuting, office/cafe use, travel, and giving extra protection for children and elders in high-AQI days.
Consumers often find purifier claims confusing. How do you demonstrate real-world efficacy and build trust?
We lead with transparency: independent lab reports (IIT Kanpur), ozone safety tests, user testimonials, and physician endorsements. We publish the methodology and encourage simple at-home smoke tests to show users the effect themselves. We also avoid overclaiming: Pebble is a personal protection device, not a replacement for medical N95/N99 masks in extreme exposure scenarios.
How receptive are Indian consumers to wearables vs masks or room purifiers? Any repeat or word-of-mouth traction?
Initial skepticism converts quickly after trial. Since launch we have seen strong organic growth and repeat buyers; customers value continuous. Our repeat and referral metrics indicate product-led adoption among health-conscious urban users.
What is the addressable market and which channels are you prioritizing?
The urban market for personal and portable air solutions in India is large and growing. We focus on a multi-channel GTM: D2C on our website, marketplace listings (Amazon, Flipkart, quick commerce partners), airport and experiential retail, and healthcare/corporate channels. We also run offline activations and kiosk pilots to drive trial.
Are you planning new variants, child-specific models, or integrations? Any upcoming launches or improvements you can share?
Yes. Near term: Gen-Z styling line, a child-specific wearable, and an N99 modular mask. Roadmap next 12–18 months: AQI-enabled wearables with app integration, a compact car purifier and a small-room purifier to broaden the ecosystem.
What are your growth targets over the next 12–24 months, and how do you plan to scale manufacturing, testing, and distribution while maintaining quality?
Over the next 12–24 months we aim to expand unit volumes significantly while keeping rigorous testing standards. That means scaling our Haryana manufacturing footprint, standardizing QC, and embedding lab validation into every new SKU. Distribution will scale across D2C, marketplaces, 5,000+ offline touchpoints and targeted B2B channels such as airports and corporate gifting.
