Reading time 3 min2022 has allowed us to consolidate our position as a leading company in air quality monitoring.
As we recently highlighted on our LinkedIn, we have forged new partnerships, developed innovative products, garnered recognitions and, in short, broadened our horizons.
But 2022 was also the year of our 10th anniversary, one of those milestones that all companies like to celebrate.
How does a leading company in air quality monitoring become a reality?
Ours is not one of those epic tales of companies starting up in a garage.
It is much simpler, but with an ambitious goal: to achieve a world with cleaner air to improve the quality of life.
The story of Kunak started back in 2012, with two telecommunications engineers, Javier Fernández Huerta and Francisco Javier Alonso, determined to bet on the then-emerging concepts of connectivity and the internet of things.
We started to develop and manufacture technological solutions that are able to
- monitor and control remote and difficult-to-access areas;
- transmitting data through different mobile networks and communication protocols, and
- make the information collected visible and accessible from a mobile phone or a website.
As a result of this effort, dedication and confidence in technological innovation resulted in the first prototype of a portable device for measuring water consumption in the home and the first datalogger, the K-101.
The Kunak AIR family is born
In 2015 we launched the first version of our Kunak Cloud software and the first stations based on Kunak AIR sensors, which were tested in the Life+Respira project in Pamplona.
In the following video, Javier explains the details of the technology used in that project.
Since then, we have received several grants to develop innovative technological projects based on these devices.
But it was in 2018 when we took our big leap thanks to the Horizon 2020 programme promoted by the European Commission.
This funding opportunity allowed us to develop and commercialise on a large scale the Kunak Smart Environment system, a pioneering technological solution comprised of
- hardware (Kunak AIR solution), and
- software (Kunak AIR Cloud web platform)
10 years to become a world-renowned air quality measurement company
For the past decade, we have been at the forefront of air quality monitoring and emission control system development.
Dozens of cities, institutions and companies rely on our solutions designed to provide reliable air quality data.
Thus, among our clients, you can find entities and organisations such as WHO, US EPA, UNEP, World Athletics, Intel, SUEZ, Port of Antwerp, Cemex, Volkswagen, ArcelorMittal, Acciona, Envirosuite, Acoem or the University of Milan, among many others.
From real-time air quality monitoring to the analysis of air quality, we are committed to providing our clients with the most accurate and reliable data that technology allows today. And this business philosophy is clearly reflected in our motto “Large data is the goal, but accurate data is the key“.
Our passion for a well-done job and the knowledge we have achieved over the years have established us as a leading company in air quality monitoring.
And this leadership has turned us into an award-winning air quality monitoring company.
These include the Honourable Mention from the US EPA, the award for the most accurate multi-pollutant sensor in the Airlab Microsensors Challenge 2021 and the most recent award from the AQE’s Smart Network Monitoring, which recognised the solution implemented in the Balearic Islands’ seaports as the best air quality monitoring network.
The future challenges of a leading company in air quality monitoring
We are currently in full expansion, providing, for example, real-time air quality monitoring technology to cities that are involved in the implementation of Low Emission Zones (LEZs).
We continue growing in knowledge and capacity to solve problems thanks to the professionals who are joining our team and we are expanding our presence around the world through our network of official distributors, which we invite anyone who is interested to join.
In the pipeline, we are increasing the variables that our sensor-based stations can measure with new cartridges and enhancing our Kunak Cloud software with innovative features that make it easier to manage and maintain sensor networks.
Our story tells that anything is possible when you combine passion, ambition and innovative technology.
We have transformed the way air quality is measured and continue improving the quality of life in cities around the world.
And we are sure that the next 10 years will be exciting and full of challenges that we will tackle with your help.
