Funding will be used to enhance the company's flagship product, an innovative respiratory protection device called the Atmos, with a special antiviral filter for added protection.
AUCKLAND, New Zealand and PORTLAND, Ore., July 20, 2020, today announced the close of a successful funding round totaling $1.8 million USD, led by Australian & New Zealand-based VC fund Blackbird Ventures. In addition to the new funding from Blackbird, the company received funds from the Oregon Sports Angels, a network of investors looking to grow the next generation of sports companies as well as a $300,000 USD grant from the New Zealand government via the COVID-19 Innovation Acceleration Fund. The combined $2.1 million in funds will play an instrumental role in the continued development of the company's flagship product, the Atmos.
"The last year has brought into sharp focus how outdated the existing solutions for respiratory protection are. From healthcare workers, firefighters, military and other regulated industries to ordinary consumers, the world needs better solutions. We are excited to make Ao Air our first investment from our inaugural New Zealand Fund," said Samantha Wong, Partner at Blackbird Ventures.
The Blackbird investment will be used to support general product development and eventual delivery of the Atmos, an innovative new product that is poised to supplant the popular N95 mask as the leading solution in the respiratory protection device category. The Atmos' PostivAir technology has been independently validated by the Auckland University of Technology to provide up to 25 times better protection against airborne particulate matter than the standard N95 mask.1 The Atmos mask was originally designed to protect consumers from air pollution, and was first made available for limited pre-sales in January 2020.
The New Zealand government grant will be deployed specifically towards an ongoing R&D initiative that aims to address the threat of COVID-19. The funds will support Ao Air's efforts to develop a special antiviral filter for the Atmos that will be effective against the novel coronavirus. Funding from the New Zealand government will also support the launch of clinical translation studies, potentially enabling the Atmos' entry into the regulated healthcare sector. This push into regulated space has been motivated, in part, by recent inquiries from several proactive regulators who are seeking better protection for at-risk healthcare workers.
"The core design of the N95 has hardly changed at all since the 1970s," said Dan Bowden, CEO of Ao Air. "And since the earliest days of the pandemic, we've heard serious complaints from frontline workers about how the tight seal of the N95 masks can cause discomfort, fatigue, and headaches. The Atmos is unique in that it requires no seal, allowing users to breathe normally and comfortably. This patented solution not only provides better protection, but also delivers a much more positive user experience."
Today, the N95 mask is the most popular tool in the world for allowing humans to operate in areas where air quality may be poor, or where airborne illnesses may be present. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored some of the N95's many shortcomings. To be effective, users of the N95 mask must maintain a tight seal around the mouth and nose, but that may be impossible if the wearer begins to sweat, leading to critical issues of compliance. N95 masks are also produced using a "one-size-fits-all" model that does not account for the diversity of face shapes and sizes, meaning that the mask is more effective for some users than others.
The Atmos, by contrast, only lightly touches the user's skin when worn properly-meaning that the device is equally effective for users of all shapes and sizes, and that its performance is unimpeded by the presence of glasses, makeup, or facial hair. The device's transparent design allows others to see the entirety of the wearer's face, smile included, and ensures that the hard of hearing can read lips without difficulty when communicating with Atmos users.
The Atmos arrives paired with an app that provides real-time information about the device's activity, as well as information about air pollution levels at the user's current location and potential travel destinations. These design benefits are driven by Ao Air's belief that respiratory protection solutions can be a vehicle for wider change, and reflect the company's mission of creating a world where everyone can live, work and play without fear of the air that they breathe.
1AUT (Auckland University of Technology) Biodesign Lab Comparative Performance Study, October 2017
About Ao Air
Ao Air Facewear offers unsurpassed personal protection from harmful air pollution via a unique "no seal" solution to provide clean, cool air anytime you need it or want it. Ao Air is the first respirator to inform users when they need protection, when they are protected and what is in the air around them. Ao Air revolutionary design was recognized by Fast Company's Innovation by Design Awards. To learn more about the technology, and its role in longer term environmental change, visit our website at: www.ao-air.com
About Blackbird Ventures
Blackbird is an Australian venture capital firm that exists to supercharge our most ambitious founders. Blackbird partners with founders at the very beginning and surrounds them with other founders who have built successful technology companies before. We earn a front row seat to the best business stories of our time and then invest at every stage of their life. The firm was founded in 2012 and currently manages just less than half a billion dollars.
Media Contact
The Bulleit Group for Ao Air
aoair@bulleitgroup.com
