Photio | A forest in the palm of your hand
1. Applicant Information
Matias
Moya
CEO
Photio
Badajoz 45, Department 1701B, Las Condes, Santiago
Chile
Teammates
Constanza Escobar | Chief Science Officer
Jaime Rovegno | Chief Operating Officer
2. Criteria - Applicants Responses
Which clean technology categories does your innovation cover?
Other (please specify)
Clean Air
Sustainable Buildings
Please select the category you’re submitting your application for
New Product, New Solution
Please select the phase of your innovation:
Operation
3. Questionnaire - Applicants Responses
Proposal/ Submission Title
Photio | A forest in the palm of your hand
Problem Statement
In Chile, air pollution affects more than 12 million people, generating more than 11,300 deaths a year. On the other hand, worldwide, according to the WHO, 9 out of 10 people breathe polluted air, and more than 7 million people die from diseases related to air pollution. Although today climate change and air pollution are a problem for which solutions are being sought, the main problems for their implementation are the large investments required for the capture processes, and the long term that is required. to establish strict regulations and standards that promote the reduction of emissions from different industries.
For the founders of Photio it is essential to support the solution to the problem of air pollution because they understand the impact it has on people.
Which do you think are the innovative factors of your idea?
Photio is a complex of nanoparticles that can be added as an additive into paints, asphalt, concrete, and other materials. When the additive comes into contact with radiation, it promotes the degradation of polluting gases, transforming walls or roads into air purifiers, which are capable of transforming polluting gases into substances that no longer represent a danger to people's health or the environment.
The innovative factors of Photio are: (1) The technology has been validated to treat around 10 different types of gases, through tests in real environments; (2) It has a unique versatility, which lies in the fact that it is an additive and not a final product, which allows us to add it to practically any surface; (3) Photio's main competitors use a lime-based carbonation process, which promotes carbon dioxide capture for only 28 days, while Photio extends the gas capture process for a time proportional to the useful life of the product.
Which benefits would your idea bring to the industry?
One square meter coated with Photio has the same decontaminating potential as 2 mature trees. In this sense, the technology was developed with a strong focus on generating a positive environmental impact by transforming infrastructures and mass-use products into intelligent materials capable of purifying the air. On the other hand, the social impact of the technology lies in transforming roads, buildings and house facades into huge pollution sinks, which has resulted in impacting the lives of more than 50 communities in Chile, Peru, Italy and the United States, and transforming schools in sacrifice zones and medical centers into places with better air quality for the people who live there on a daily basis.
(www.instagram.com/reel/Cg2ngInDyG7/.)
To which challenges does your idea provide a solution to?
Photio when incorporated into different materials, and when in contact with a light source, promotes the degradation of pollutant gases on contact, transforming roads or building facades into air purifiers. The technology in a transversal way has a maximum decontamination potential equivalent to that of 2 mature trees (about 204 kg CO2,eq per square meter).
Through tests developed with different organic compounds, and validations carried out with gases with the support of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and validations carried out in the world's leading laboratory on pollution issues, called CE-CERT located in California, the technology is currently capable of treating about 10 different types of gases. On the other hand, the compatibility of the technology has been validated with most types of paint on the market, synthetic leather, plastics (PLA), fabrics (cotton and synthetics), asphalt membranes and folders, among other materials.
4. Supporting attachments and links
https://forbes.cl/sostenibilidad/2023-05-09/humanos-purificadores-aire-startup-photio-sostenibilidad