Pluvo

About Pluvo

Pluvo, founded in 2018 by CEO Matteo Maccario and COO Rikesh Chotai, is a London-based company addressing urban air pollution. Maccario's background includes a Master's in Design Engineering from Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art, along with experience in process management and circular economy fellowships. This foundation in engineering and sustainable design directly informs Pluvo's core mission.

The company operates in the cleantech and out-of-home advertising markets, targeting urban areas and businesses concerned with air quality. Its business model centers on a product called the Pluvo Column, which integrates an air filtration system with public advertising displays. This dual-purpose approach generates revenue through advertising while simultaneously providing a public health service. Pluvo has secured $588K in funding over three rounds from investors including Embryo Ventures, and was valued at £1.99M as of December 2022.

The Pluvo Column is engineered to tackle air pollution in high-traffic spaces like railway stations, airports, and commercial centers. It works by creating a fine mist of water droplets that captures a wide range of airborne pollutants, including particulate matter (PM10, PM1), gases (NOx, SOx), and viruses, filtering them out with 99.5% efficiency. Each unit is capable of cleaning one cubic meter of air per second, equivalent to 2,000 breaths, and can reduce pollutant concentration by over 25% within a 25-meter radius. The system also monitors local air quality in real-time and can upcycle the collected pollutants into other materials. By combining environmental technology with a commercial incentive, Pluvo offers a scalable solution for creating healthier urban environments.