AirTulip is a New York-based startup that develops cleanroom-grade air purification systems to create “bubbles” of contaminant-free air in everyday indoor spaces. The company’s technology was born during the COVID-19 pandemic and uses controlled laminar airflow (inspired by industrial cleanrooms) to remove airborne viruses, allergens, and pollutants from rooms ranging from offices to bedrooms. Below is an overview of AirTulip’s founding, products, milestones, and the background of founder Arjen de Jong.
AirTulip was founded in 2020 in New York City by Arjen de Jong, a Dutch aerospace engineer, together with co-founder Raoul Valstar. The venture was motivated directly by the COVID-19 pandemic: de Jong, an expert in fluid dynamics, wanted to adapt the laminar airflow technology used in cleanrooms to everyday indoor environments as a way to curb the spread of airborne pathogens. He had witnessed the effectiveness of laminar “downflow” firsthand – in a cleanroom setting, smoke from a cigarette travels straight downward with no plume or odor, indicating no mixing of air. Remembering this phenomenon, de Jong’s team set out to “democratize cleanroom environments” by developing a compact, portable system that could create zones of perfectly clean air in any space. The name “AirTulip” itself was chosen to honor de Jong’s Dutch heritage (the tulip is a Dutch symbol) and because the device’s design vaguely resembled a tulip flower.
By late 2020, early AirTulip prototypes were being tested in real-world venues. The team installed trial units in New York bars, restaurants, gyms, and offices to evaluate how well the system could prevent airborne spread. These pilot tests showed promising results – under AirTulip’s laminar downflow, aerosol dispersion was dramatically reduced (one internal test indicated ~90% lower risk of transmission in a large room compared to normal ventilation). This success earned the project a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Assistance Grantfrom New York State’s manufacturing extension partnership program, helping fund further development. Early on, AirTulip also worked with local organizations (ITAC in NYC and FuzeHub in NY state) to source components and manufacture the units in the region. By mid-2021, AirTulip had spun off as an independent company with a dedicated team of about 8 employees, focused on bringing its clean-air technology to market.
AirTulip’s core technology is laminar airflow purification – the same principle used in hospital cleanrooms and semiconductor labs, now applied in portable devices for offices and homes. Unlike conventional air purifiers that rely on turbulent mixing, AirTulip’s systems create a steady, non-turbulent flow of filtered air so that clean air isn’t re-mixed with contaminants. The company has developed several products around this concept:
- AirTulip Stem: A standalone air purification tower for large indoor spaces. The “Stem” can circulate a very high volume of air through industrial-grade filters, creating a column of downward laminar flow. It is designed to dramatically boost particle removal even in well-ventilated rooms (tests showed over 10× higher particle removal rates when using the Stem). This unit is geared toward commercial and public settings like clinics, gyms, and restaurants.
- AirTulip Canopy: A larger-format ceiling or stand-mounted diffuser that creates an expanded zone of clean air. The Canopy uses a broad laminar downflow (acting “like a lens, but for air”) to concentrate its cleaning power in a given area. It achieves extremely high air change rates (claimed effective ACH > 200 in its zone) by continuously flushing out particles with unidirectional airflow. The Canopy is suited for open offices, waiting rooms, or any space needing a localized clean air environment.
- AirTulip Sleep: A consumer-oriented smart air purifying headboard for beds. Launched in 2022, the Sleep headboard integrates AirTulip’s laminar flow tech into furniture form. It quietly pushes out a curtain of purified air around the sleeper’s breathing zone, creating a personal clean-air “bubble” throughout the night. The unit uses cleanroom-grade ULPA filters (Ultra-Low Particulate Air, H14 class) that capture 99.9997% of particles – 100× more effective than typical HEPA filters – ensuring the air coming through the headboard is essentially particle-free. By preventing any turbulent mixing with the room air, the AirTulip Sleep can reduce the particle count in the immediate area effectively to zero, as verified by independent tests at Eindhoven University of Technology. The headboard also incorporates practical features like built-in lighting and device charging, but its primary function is to improve sleep quality and health by eliminating allergens, dust, and pathogens from the sleeper’s breathing zone.
All AirTulip devices are designed to be compact and quiet despite using industrial-level filtration. De Jong, whose doctorate research was in aeroacoustics, engineered custom fan and resonator systems to keep noise levels very low (around 28 dB) even while moving large volumes of air. This emphasis on silent operation and sleek design was meant to make the technology practical for everyday environments, in contrast to traditional cleanroom equipment which can be bulky and loud. By 2022, AirTulip had effectively made cleanroom-grade air purification available in homes and offices – something not previously feasible due to cost and complexity.
Growth and Key Milestones
- 2020 (Pandemic Onset): Concept inception and initial R&D. When COVID-19 hit, Arjen de Jong shifted from helping design ventilators to focusing on preventative air cleaning. He began prototyping a laminar-flow air purifier to “bring clean air to the masses”. The first prototypes (wooden test rigs) were quickly built and trialed in various New York City venues in late 2020.
- Early 2021: Proof of concept and grant. Real-world pilots demonstrated that AirTulip’s clean airflow could greatly reduce airborne spread – one test showed a ~90% reduction in aerosol dispersion in a room with the system running. These results garnered support from New York State’s COVID Recovery initiative: AirTulip (at that time a project under de Jong’s firm Airdaptive) received a PPE Assistance Grant to accelerate development. Around this time, de Jong also ensured that fabrication could be done locally by partnering with NY-based manufacturers and the ITAC/FuzeHub network.
- Mid 2021: Company spin-off. AirTulip was formally established as its own startup, based in Manhattan. By mid-2021 it had a core team of 8 and began securing early customers. Initial marketing targeted high-risk indoor environments (bars, restaurants), but soon dental clinics and medical offices showed the strongest interest in the new system. AirTulip showcased its technology at industry events (for example, setting up a booth at the Greater New York Dental Meeting) and started a full-service leasing program for businesses to use the units.
- Late 2021: Commercial product rollout. After iterative improvements, AirTulip launched its first products for the B2B market. The AirTulip Stem tower was released and deployed in pilot locations including clinics, dentist offices, bars, and meeting venues. The company also developed a larger “Canopy” system for bigger areas like open-plan offices. Around this time, AirTulip pivoted to new use-cases such as large corporate offices: notably, it retrofitted parts of a major New York bank’s headquarters with its airflow units to create safer workplace environments.
- 2022: Consumer launch and crowdfunding. Building on its commercial success, AirTulip turned to the home market with AirTulip Sleep. The Sleep headboard was announced in early 2022. and officially launched via a Kickstarter campaign on August 30, 2022. The crowdfunding was a success – AirTulip surpassed its initial funding goal within 24 hours and went on to raise around $500,000 by the campaign’s close. This strong response validated consumer demand for the product. By late 2022, manufacturing of the first units was underway, and the company even garnered an endorsement from NFL player Matthew Judon after he tested the headboard and observed personal benefits to his sleep and performance.
- 2023 and beyond: Scaling and partnerships. Following the Kickstarter, AirTulip has been fulfilling orders of the Sleep headboard and continuing B2B sales of Stem/Canopy units. The company is collaborating with researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) to study the impacts of clean air on sleep quality and to further verify health outcomes. It also explored partnerships with established brands – for example, AirTulip entered talks with a well-known luxury bed manufacturer in the Netherlands to potentially integrate or co-market the air-purifying headboards. As it grows, the startup envisions applying its airflow innovation to other consumer appliances (much as Dyson did by transferring its cyclone technology from vacuums to air purifiers and hair dryers). The broader goal is to bring medical-grade air safety and wellness into mainstream settings on a larger scale.
AirTulip’s development has been supported by a combination of grants, crowdfunding, and strategic partnerships rather than traditional large venture rounds (as of 2023). The company’s earliest funding came from the NY MEP grant in 2020, which provided capital and resources to build out prototypes. By mid-2022, AirTulip had secured roughly $300,000 in total funding (from grants and early backers) to sustain its R&D. The major boost came with the late-2022 Kickstarter campaign for AirTulip Sleep, which raised over $500,000 from public backers online. This successful crowdfunding not only provided funding but also helped validate a consumer market for the product.
On the partnership front, AirTulip has actively collaborated with both industry and academic institutions. The startup worked closely with New York’s manufacturing extension partners (ITAC and FuzeHub) to localize its supply chain – ensuring key components and assembly could be done regionally, which was critical during pandemic supply disruptions. In terms of research, AirTulip partnered with the Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands, whose labs independently tested the AirTulip Sleep and confirmed its efficacy in eliminating airborne particles. This academic partnership also extends to ongoing research on how ultra-clean air affects sleep and health. AirTulip has indicated interest in corporate partnerships as well; for instance, as noted above, the company has been in discussions with a luxury bedding brand to jointly reach high-end consumers. By teaming up with established players (whether in bedding, HVAC, or building management), AirTulip aims to integrate its technology into existing ecosystems and scale its impact.
AirTulip’s innovative approach to air purification has garnered attention from media in technology, business, and mainstream news. In 2022, Fast Company profiled AirTulip Sleep, likening the startup’s strategy to how Dyson revolutionized home appliances. Fast Company highlighted the product as “a plush headboard that doubles as a high-quality air filter” which envelops the sleeper in a bubble of clean air. Around the same time, Interesting Engineering and Innovation Origins featured AirTulip as a startup to watch, focusing on its use of aerospace principles to solve indoor air quality issues. RTL Nieuws, a major Dutch news outlet, also ran a story on AirTulip’s Sleep headboard even before its Kickstarter launch, reflecting strong interest in the Netherlands where de Jong hails from.
The public response to AirTulip’s products appears positive, especially in niche communities concerned with health and air quality. The Kickstarter campaign attracted hundreds of backers and exceeded its goal, indicating consumer confidence in the concept. Early adopters (including dentists, clinicians, and an NFL athlete) have provided testimonials about noticeably improved air conditions and personal health benefits when using AirTulip devices. This mix of press coverage and word-of-mouth has helped AirTulip build credibility without overt advertising. The company often stresses factual validation of its claims – such as third-party lab results – to avoid hype. As a result, most coverage portrays AirTulip in a factual light: emphasizing the scientific rigor and engineering background behind its products rather than marketing superlatives.
Founder Background: Arjen de Jong
Arjen de Jong, AirTulip’s founder and CEO, is an aerospace engineer by training with deep expertise in fluid dynamics and airflow technology. He earned a Ph.D. in Fluid Mechanics, focusing on airflow and aeroacoustics, which provided the theoretical foundation for AirTulip’s laminar flow designs. Originally from the Netherlands, de Jong literally grew up in an engineering environment – his family ran a business building cleanrooms and aircraft maintenance equipment, exposing him early to concepts of air filtration and industrial design. This dual background of academic knowledge and hands-on manufacturing shaped de Jong’s approach to innovation. “There are two sides of me,”he has said. “I have all the university degrees. But also, I grew up in manufacturing”.
Professionally, Arjen de Jong spent nearly two decades in high-level engineering roles before founding AirTulip. His career includes stints at Porsche and Ferrari, likely contributing to his expertise in aerodynamics and product development at the cutting edge of design. He also conducted research at NASA’s Langley Research Center, diving into advanced fluid dynamics problems. In 2014, de Jong moved to New York and founded a company called Airdaptive, a product development firm specializing in airflow and flow control solutions. Airdaptive worked on various aerodynamic projects (one of which eventually led to AirTulip’s core idea), giving de Jong entrepreneurial experience and a network in the industry. When the COVID-19 crisis emerged, he leveraged this background to rapidly prototype the AirTulip system, blending aerospace engineering principles with practical design.
Under de Jong’s leadership, AirTulip emphasizes engineering rigor and innovation in equal measure. He has filed multiple patents for the AirTulip technology (the Stem, Canopy, and Sleep are all patent-pending designs) and remains closely involved in R&D. At the same time, de Jong is the public face of the company, articulating its mission of “providing clean air to everyone” and advocating for greater awareness of indoor air quality. His story – from observing a simple airflow trick as a teenager to deploying clean air devices in offices and homes – underscores the company’s narrative. By combining an academic’s problem-solving mindset with an inventor’s practicality, Arjen de Jong has guided AirTulip from a nascent idea during the pandemic into a growing enterprise at the intersection of health, technology, and environmental design.
