R-Zero Raises $105 Million Series C to Improve the Indoor Air We Breathe

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Feb 16, 2023, 09:00 ET

R-Zero's UV-C Technology Improves Indoor Air Quality for Millions of People; Reduces Reliance on HVAC Systems and Chemicals that Harm Environment

SALT LAKE CITY and SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- R-Zero, a global leader in healthy buildings and green buildings, today announced it has closed a $105 million Series C to continue scaling the adoption of its UV-C technology to address a growing health crisis: disinfecting the indoor air we breathe.

The round brings R-Zero's total amount of capital raised to more than $170 million. Funds from the Series C will help the company scale deployments of its disinfection and risk modeling technology to meet growing demand across public and private sectors, including K-12 schools, college campuses, corporate campuses, hospitals, senior care communities, parks and recreation, and other government facilities. R-Zero's disinfection technology has a positive impact on people, by neutralizing 99.99% of harmful microorganisms that live in the indoor air we breathe, and on the planet through lower energy consumption and waste production.

"We spend 90% of our time indoors, but there has been a lack of innovation around improving indoor air health," said Jennifer Nuckles, CEO of R-Zero. "R-Zero is setting the new standard for indoor air, offering a sustainable solution that removes customers' reliance on harsh chemicals and HVAC systems that cause harm to humans and the environment."

"R-Zero's technology is a vital part of enhancing our existing disinfection processes, adding a crucial measure to provide healthier environments in our schools for our students, faculty, staff, and our community," said Dr. Christie Whitbeck, Superintendent of Fort Bend Independent School District. "Schools across the nation now recognize how air quality impacts student outcomes. We are proud of our work with R-Zero to create indoor environments that foster productivity and achievement and help us protect our populations with confidence."

R-Zero's technology includes UV-C products (Arc, Beam, and Vive) that neutralize 99.99% of airborne and surface microorganisms and optimize disinfection for every type of indoor space. These products, together with R-Zero's data sensors, capture and convert occupancy and disinfection data into insights that optimize how spaces are used, and enable customers to model, identify, and mitigate risk. Using R-Zero's products results in more than 90% fewer greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and waste across air and surface disinfection compared to HVAC and chemical approaches. Organizations across the country are adopting this technology to protect their communities with sustainable solutions that improve air and surface quality efficiently, cost less, and use less energy with higher efficacy.

"There is an increased need for more efficient and sustainable technology-driven solutions to improve indoor air quality in shared spaces", said Quinn Li, Senior Vice President, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and Global Head of Qualcomm Ventures. "R-Zero's intelligent and connected solution transforms indoor air quality for organizations, helping keep workforces productive and our economy thriving. We look forward to supporting the R-Zero team as they continue to scale to meet this demand."

"As an early investor in R-Zero, we envisioned an opportunity to disrupt a legacy disinfection industry that is inefficient, manual, and harmful to people and the planet,” said Ira Ehrenpreis, Founder and Managing Partner at DBL Partners. "The company is redefining what it means to effectively, safely, and sustainably disinfect the places we all work, learn, and play. R-Zero embodies the double bottom line approach: it provides the highest efficacy hospital-grade level technology for disinfection and a strong ROI through energy and cost savings, while also dramatically improving the health of building occupants and janitorial staff. And finally, from a sustainability standpoint, this novel approach significantly reduces chemical usage, waste, and carbon emissions."

Investors include BMO Financial Group, Qualcomm Ventures, and Upfront Ventures, and existing investors DBL Partners, World Innovation Lab, Mayo Clinic, Bedrock Capital, SOSV, and John Doerr.

About R-Zero
R-Zero is a healthy buildings and green buildings company dedicated to making our shared indoor spaces safer and more efficient, sustainable, and productive. R-Zero combines the power of UV-C light, IoT-connected hardware and sensors, and AI to enable organizations to create safe shared environments for our education, healthcare, corporate, and public sector communities to thrive. R-Zero's system of connected biosafety technology protects millions of people and provides automation, greater visibility, and smarter risk reduction to bring people together safely. For more information, visit www.rzero.com.

About Qualcomm Ventures
Qualcomm Ventures, acting through Qualcomm Ventures LLC or its affiliated entities, has been making strategic investments in technology companies that have the potential to dramatically transform our world since 2000. As a global investor, we look to help entrepreneurs build revolutionary businesses that reshape the world around us. For more information please visit: www.qualcommventures.com.

SOURCE R-Zero