Smog is not scary for newborn babies!
Air-purifying pram covers have been created in Wroclaw!
The cover, created and manufactured by Heilo, has sensors that monitor the state of the air, protecting children from inhaling harmful gases and toxic PM particles, but also from viruses, bacteria, allergens and mould. It also has a thermometer and a filter wear sensor. In addition, is pleasantly humming, which promotes sleep for toddlers. The Heilo cover fits both gondolas and pushchairs.
“The idea was born during a meeting with friends, where it turned out that one of us, a newly minted mum, had not been able to go out for a walk with her daughter for a week because of the terrible air condition.”
-Małgorzata Walichiewicz, CEO Heilo
According to Heilo’s owner, Poland has the most polluted air in Europe (according to AQLI). According to WHO estimates, nearly 93 per cent of the world’s children breathe polluted air. Smog is the cause of one in five deaths worldwide. Asthma, cancer, strokes, lung diseases – these are just some of the diseases caused by smog.
“After research, it became obvious that there was no solution in the world that would protect against the dramatic effects of inhaling polluted air, especially for the most vulnerable group, children up to the age of three. We then decided to act.”
-Małgorzata Walichiewicz, CEO Heilo
The design, testing and certification of the product has now been completed. The first cover has also been produced and has been sold. More and more interested customers are also appearing. These include parents and carers of young children who want to protect their children from the negative effects of smog.
“We are ready to start manufacturing and sales. In order to do so, we are currently focusing on raising funds from EU programmes and investors. We have drawn up a development path and hope that, with the help of investors, we will quickly deliver our solutions to parents of young children, including in foreign countries.”
-Małgorzata Walichiewicz, CEO Heilo
Heilo was awarded as a semi-finalist of the Startup Contest during Infoshare in 2023, where more than 4,000 entries were received. The Wrocław-based startup was also recognised at Impact Startup during the Web Summit and was a finalist for an ING bank grant. According to Małgorzata, there was a lot of interest in the product and positive feedback during these events.
Heilo already has a brand strategy in place – sales and marketing, a website with a shop and a profile on Instagram (heilo_baby) where it educates about the dangers of breathing toxic air.
Plans are to meet the needs of the local market first. However, according to the owner, the problem of the terrible state of the air affects children in many parts of the world – from Asia to South America, especially in large, developed metropolises such as Los Angeles, Chicago, London and Barcelona.
