Oxwash, founded by former NASA engineer Kyle Grant, uses ozone generation technology and delivery to provide coronavirus (COVID-19) disinfection for customers. Oxwash combines ozone disinfection with thermal and chemical processes to wash to pharmaceutical-grade and to ensure the full eradication of bacterial, fungal, and viral agents in customers' items. The startup also uses no-contact pickups, the use of electric-cargo bikes adapted with portable ozone generators to sterilise items, dissolvable laundry bags to eliminate coronavirus transmission through fabric and clothing.
Kyle Grant, CEO and co-founder, said, “We’ve developed a service in the last 2 months that is available to provide coronavirus disinfection. Our original goal for the business remains to help the planet - originally focussing on the eco-friendly nature of our tech compared to traditional laundry options. However, in recent weeks it’s become apparent that our help is needed in keeping people safe. In light of the current coronavirus situation, we are working closely with NHS and vulnerable groups to provide support when needed as well as doubling down on our software development, including our app, and rolling out the service to London later this year while continuing to focus on our original locations - Oxford and Cambridge.”
“Our world is in unknown territory and people are turning to tech for options to improve their lives. Oxwash is using revolutionary technology that can be utilised to prevent viral transmission on textiles during this period and give people reassurance about their safety and those of their loved ones.” Biz Stone, entrepreneur and co-founder of Twitter
Oxwash has turned its attention to how its capabilities and capacity can support the NHS, healthcare and vulnerable people at home. The venture is now providing laundry services to the Oxford University coronavirus vaccine trial as well as GP surgeries. Oxwash is also serving the vulnerable members of our community, including care homes, those who need assistance at home and hotels that have been requisitioned by the NHS to housing their key workers.
"A truly amazing team of dedicated professionals who have quickly stepped up their game to providing a fantastic service to help the NHS in these challenging times." Dr Paul Ch'en GP Partner, Observatory Medical Practice.
“With the team’s brilliant engineering minds working on new ways to adapt the traditional laundry market they are finding ways to make easy and convenient access to medical grade laundry services that have zero carbon emissions and save water at the same time.” Igor Tikhturov from TrueSight Ventures
Oxwash is part of Founders Factory’s accelerator programme and Kyle Grant was recently selected as Forbes Europe’s 30 under 30. The company is re-engineering the laundry process from the ground up and aims to be the first truly sustainable, on-demand laundry company in the world.
Oxwash uses a three-stage sterilisation process to maximise the chances of killing all and any bugs and viruses, including the Coronavirus. "We use the power of the ozone disinfection in our lagoons, chemical sterilisation and finally thermal decontamination." Further information on Oxwash’s approach to COVID-19 sterilisation can be found here.
