Is Innovation about one Eureka moment? Deekshith VR, CEO — AirOk says ‘No, it’s more!’.

You can start by imagining a regular undergraduate student who wants to make it big, in life. Dreams, aspirations, the pressure of bright scoring cards, and what not.

But, Deekshith Vara Prasad, one such student, wanted more. For a long time, he couldn’t exactly point out what ‘doing things differently’ meant or how to do it. On the last day of his undergraduate project at IIT Madras, India, a prestigious institute, his guide asked him about his plans. He asked something that Deekshith’s inner voice was already questioning him about. At that moment, Deekshith decided that it was time for action. “The first & most challenging task was to discuss with my parents & get time from them. Luckily, after two conversations with them, I was granted two years”. This set him thinking on what he wanted to do, where to start and how. This led to AirOK which is determined to bring health and happiness in the lives of working individuals. In this journey towards purification, AirOK aims at being one stop solution for indoor air pollution and air quality management and serve the working community. Even today, he is passionate about doing things differently. As he puts it, “it’s the only thing popping up in my mind continuously”.

This industry needs innovation that is affordable and self-explanatory. We asked Deekshith where innovation is heading. “With so much of ideation happening in the world today, I am asked this question often. Well, maybe to replace humans? (Laughs!) No, I really don’t think it’s possible. The world is dealing with massive data. There is a need for innovation in data management. The focus should be on addressing real needs and then, adding comfort. What works for me is an inside-out-inside-in approach in innovation. To give you a simple logic, if an egg breaks from inside we have a new life, if it breaks from outside it becomes food to existing lives. To me, knowing that even one life has breathed easier because of my work inspires me to do more.