20 hours ago
The Colombian innovator turning air pollution into raw materials
Colombia faces one of the most severe air pollution challenges in Latin America, with 99.3% of its population living in areas that exceed World Health Organization guidelines.
Against this backdrop, Colombian entrepreneur Mariana Pérez has developed a solution that tackles both environmental and health crises – earning her a place among the top ten innovators in the Young Inventors Prize 2025, awarded by the European Patent Office (EPO).
At just 27, Pérez is the founder of Ecol-Air, a startup behind a technology that captures not only carbon dioxide but also nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide – gases linked to respiratory illness. Unlike traditional carbon-capture devices, her system mimics the human respiratory system, using artificial 'bronchioles' and 'alveoli' to absorb pollutants from the air.
'My invention is just like a giant vacuum that captures a volume of air and puts it through this system and breaks down all the contaminants into a tank,' she explains. Installed on chimneys or as free-standing air purification stations, the machine treats polluted air and processes the toxins into biodegradable polymers – materials that can be repurposed into sustainable packaging or industrial components like tiles and bags.
'We can transform the pollutants and contaminants into raw materials that can be used,' says Pérez, 'I decided to create this machine because people ignore that air is as important as water.'
Pérez's interest in air quality began when she was just eight years old. 'I remember watching rain wash residue off my dad's car and wondering where all that black dust went,' she recalls. That childhood curiosity grew into a passion for science, leading her to participate in school science fairs and eventually develop early prototypes of the machine that would inspire Ecol-Air.
'There were moments in my journey when I doubted myself,' she admits. 'But I believe all scientists need to realise that, while we can create incredible solutions for the planet, health and people, scaling our projects and turning them into businesses is what gives our inventions a real future. We can't stop at just having an idea; we need to develop it further.'
After facing initial scepticism from manufacturers, Pérez offered to install her units for free in large factories to demonstrate their effectiveness. Sumicol was the first to adopt the system commercially, followed by Incolmotos Yamaha. In 2021, the first air treatment plant using her technology opened in Girardota, processing 70 tonnes of air daily with an 82% efficiency rate, according to company data.
Now living in New York, Pérez is preparing for global expansion. 'Right now I'm focused on a global expansion because all the world needs to purify air,' she says. 'We are focused on trying to put our machine in large industries. Our invention is in the Commercial Readiness Level9 stage, meaning that it is fully functional, fully operative and, of course, tested, and ready to be adopted by the market.'
With her innovation, Pérez is directly addressing multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action). As one of the EPO's 2025 Tomorrow Shapers, she's helping reshape how we think about pollution: not just as a problem to contain, but as a resource to transform.
