FDA-cleared device kills airborne microbes in hospitals

This article is a part of Startup Spotlight, a series that features young, up-and-coming startups.

Photo credit: Biomoneta

Infectious disease researchers often spend their time understanding microorganisms and developing treatments. The founders of Biomoneta wanted to intervene earlier to prevent infections before they occur. This led them to investigate airborne microbial contamination in healthcare settings.

😟 Problem

Visual cleanliness fails to reveal viable microbial contamination. The World Health Organization estimates that 15 in every 100 acute-care patients in low- and middle-income countries acquire healthcare-associated infections. Air is one of several transmission routes, which makes the environment especially important for ICU patients, newborns, and people receiving cancer treatment.

💡 Solution

The company builds proprietary hardware to capture airborne pathogens and software to track environmental microbial conditions.

• ZeBox: Core technology using an electric field to trap and inactivate microbes on an antimicrobial surface.
• Avata Rx: A US FDA-cleared air decontamination device built for healthcare facilities.
• Avata Air: A consumer-facing air purification unit combining microbial treatment with particle filtration.
• qAMI: An environmental surveillance platform that estimates a microbial index and issues alerts.

Image credit: Biomoneta

📊 Market size

Grand View Research projects the global air purifier market to reach US$30.1 billion by 2033, with healthcare facilities accounting for US$2.9 billion in market spending as of 2025. The Indian air purifier market is also expected to reach US$1.8 billion by 2034.

🤝 Team

• Arindam Ghatak. Co-founder and CEO. He specializes in biophysics and infectious biology.
• Janani Venkatraman. Co-founder and director. She previously worked on infectious-disease drug discovery at AstraZeneca.
• Santanu Datta. Co-founder and director. He held senior scientific roles at AstraZeneca and Bugworks.

🚀 Traction

• Secured US FDA 510(k) clearance for Avata Rx as a Class II medical recirculating air cleaner.
• Launched Avata Air to consumers through Panasonic’s MirAIe Lifestyle platform.
• Established an India distribution agreement with an international infection prevention company.
• Built a portfolio of patents and published research in healthcare and laboratory settings.

🏆 Competition

Hospitals currently evaluate alternatives like WellAir or Novaerus for air decontamination. Consumer air purifiers are dominated by brands like Dyson, Philips, and Coway. Biomoneta differentiates itself by pairing US FDA-cleared microbial inactivation hardware with a dedicated surveillance platform.

💰 Financials

Biomoneta generates revenue through direct hardware purchases and annual software monitoring contracts. The startup previously raised seed funding from Beyond Next Ventures and ArthaVida Ventures.

The company is currently raising US$3 million to fund international expansion.

🚩 Risks