Wary Of Summer Wildfire Smoke, Seattle Startup Uses Algorithms and Big Data
by Ron Smith grow your businessSeattle, WA --- Puraka Pollution Masks, a Seattle-based
startup, is taking a hi-tech approach to clean air. When local air pollution
reaches unsafe levels, its customers receive an early-morning SMS alert -
called a Smoke Signal - reminding them to
wear a pollution mask when going outside. Using proprietary algorithms, the
company tracks how often its customers should be using their masks, accounting
for factors like age, health status and local air quality. If stock gets low,
Puraka sends a new shipment of pm2.5 filters directly to the subscriber’s home,
with a guarantee that the customer will always have filters on hand during wildfire
season and beyond.
“During the
wildfires last summer around Seattle, my first clue the air was unhealthy was
this feeling like I was having a heart attack,” says Aaron Ansel, Puraka’s
co-founder. Ansel, who designed the algorithms to track its customers’
individualized profiles, is familiar with the dangers of poor air quality, having
battled asthma most of his life. “A lot of people should be checking the AQI
daily, but most people don’t,” he says. “So we take care of that for you.”
Unlike other entrants
into the emerging pollution mask space, Puraka is focusing on function, not fashion.
The pm 2.5 filters provide EPA-recommended protection, but the masks are made
of cotton, not plastic, with plain designs for adults and panda-themed masks
for children. “We’re not trying to make pollution masks super cool”, Ansel
says. “We’re trying to make wildfire smoke something you don’t have to worry
about for yourself, your children, or your parents.”
Andrew Enke, also a
co-founder, explains how the company uses its fulfillment network to ensure its
customers have high-quality filters when they need them. “When a customer signs
up, we send them a pollution mask and some extra filters. Then, let’s say they
have young children, as soon as the air quality becomes unhealthy for sensitive
groups, we’ll ship them child-sized filters from our nearest fulfillment
center, so they always have replacements available.”
In addition to the tech,
the other noteworthy aspect of the service is the price. Puraka’s annual
subscription is just $2 per month, plus $1 per family member. This includes
individualized Smoke Screen alerts,
automated filter tracking, and N95-equivalent filters delivered as often as
needed... a small price to pay for increasingly necessary protection.
Puraka’s N95 filter subscription service launched in June, 2019.
The company also offers a free collection of wildfire planning checklists, air quality data and other resources.
Media
Contact:
Emilie Ansel
info@cleanairresources.com
206-395-3305
https://www.purakamasks.com
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Created on Jun 26th 2019 06:56. Viewed 293 times.