NaturVention raises €1.1 Million

    There are a few companies out there producing and maintaining walls with plants on them for interior design purposes, but Finnish startup NaturVention has taken a more scientific approach to indoor plants with the purpose of cleaning out the air. According to the company, their patented Freshwall has the air purification capacity of 6300 ordinary houseplants. Growth seems to be good for the company and as we mentioned from last week’s article on Butterfly Ventures’ H1 2014 activity, NaturVention has raised a €1.1 million round led by Sitra, with participation by Butterfly Ventures, Oy Hammaren & Co Ab, D. Med. Leena Niemistö, LL.M. with court training Olof Rehn and partners and employees of NaturVention.

    The company explains on their blog how the system works:

    The basis of this growing technique was originally discovered by NASA upon researching the efficiency of plants in air purification. During this research they also found out that plants’ root zone plays the most crucial role in the air purification process. We have continued this research and developed it further, taking it to the next level with the help of multidisciplinary scientists: In our patented growing method air is circulated through the root zone. We’ve continued the development and combined aero- and hydroponics to create growing method called turboponics. It has completely surprised us by how efficient it is and how much easier it is to use plants this way.

    The company says that NaturVention has been put into 200 spaces in Finland and Russia, and turnover for the company has been improving quickly. Next up, they’ll be pushing their Freshwalls further into the European and Asian markets. The company has plans to put their solution into every metropolis by 2020.

    “We have developed our solutions together with our customers and helped thousands of people to enjoy the best, natural indoor air, every day. For example in Asian countries it is not possible to get rid of the unhealthy indoor air by opening the windows because then air pollution would flow indoors. In Finland this is still possible. Our technology aims to produce natural indoor air in every space”, states one of the founding partners Aki Soudunsaari.