The Victoria Tech Community Awards showcase the community of 1,000 companies and 17,000 workers who push innovation forward, and drive the city’s $4 billion tech economy. Our spotlight series highlights award finalists and winners so you can get to know them a little bit better. Read about other community members here.

Today, we’re featuring Andrew Crawford, co-founder and CDO of Origen Air.

Describe your company:

Origen Air’s Plant Purified Technologies feature a multi-barrier approach to indoor air purification for improved human performance, health, and productivity. We have combined our enhanced plant biotechnology validated to rapidly metabolize airborne toxins with a commercial-grade HEPA particle filter and indoor air quality sensors. This industry-first combination of healthy building technologies is as alive as the people it protects. Origen Air proudly owns an exclusive global distribution license for the enhanced plant technology with patents registered in six countries including Canada, the USA, India and China. Our BHAG is to integrate our Plant Purified technology within building HVAC systems to deliver a circular economy of safe, clean air for building owners and occupants. This solution projects to reduce annual building HVAC energy consumption by up to 40%.

What problem is your company solving and how is it solving it?

First COVID-19, and then the Great Resignation - The focus, since the eighties, on energy efficiency has made buildings so airtight they are dangerous. A bright, healthy indoor work environment is not a perk, it is a necessity. Unless you can offer employees safer and healthier spaces than they have at home, “...They will not be coming in today…..” Employees are migrating to greener pastures – Origen Air instantly provides those coveted greener pastures with their smart, living air purifiers. The Pinnacle is a beacon of health, based in science. The Pinnacle’s negative emission technology (NET) collects valuable IAQ data for firms seeking to improve Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) ratings.  The combination of biophilic design and multi-barrier indoor air purification solutions delivers measurable increases in staff performance, health and wellness while decreasing rates of absenteeism. Origen Air is the only company who can deliver this solution through an exclusive global license. The enhanced plant patent is patent-pending in six countries including Canada, USA, Indonesia, Singapore, India, and China.

What’s a recent milestone or breakthrough your company is proud of?

We successfully installed four Pinnacle units at the Bentall Centre in Downtown Vancouver, BC. The Bentall Towers, owned and operated by Hudson Pacific Properties. This facility features more than 1.5M square feet of Leed Platinum, Class A office space right in the heart of Vancouver’s Financial District. 

What makes Victoria a great place to build a technology business?

We literally live in the City of Gardens. It’s serendipity that our innovative, plant-based company would take root here and flourish. Both founders are raised Victorian with deep connections within the Victoria business and tech communities. Having local support in the form of advisors, investors and innovators gives us much needed inspiration and energy to keep pushing ahead in the face of uncertain times. 

What is Victoria tech’s biggest hidden secret?

Despite so many brilliant technical people in our industry, nobody can figure out how to get the wifi to work on the BC Ferries.

What is your number one Victoria tech prediction for 2023?

Recession? What Recession. Victoria doesn’t care what you are saying on the news. We are going to push through 2023 with more momentum and certainty than ever. You cannot slow us down in 2023.

What local tech company or product excites you the most right now?

Armon Arani and Cognito Health. Mental Health is critical to our success as entrepreneurs. I think the team at Cognito has taken an approach that scales and addresses the elephant in the room in an innovative way. I’ll be cheering for them!