Molekule has a new technology called Photo Electrochemical Oxidation, or PECO, which uses UV-A wavelength LED lights to simulate solar light. This creates a chemical reaction on the filter's surface. The filter takes things like bacteria, allergens, mold, chemicals, and viruses; breaks them down into elements that aren’t harmful; then releases these elements back into the air. For example, Molekule can convert 3.9 million E. Coli bacteria into trace amounts of water, carbon dioxide, and elemental nitrogen in two minutes, the company says.

This air filter can be preordered today for $499 with a year of free filters. It’s expected to ship in early 2017, and will cost $799. New filters for Molekule can be bought through a subscription for $99 a year, and the device will automatically determine when your filters need to be replaced, sending you new ones.

Of course, air filters aren’t new. HEPA filters, which are used today in many popular air filters, have been around since the Manhattan Project in the 1940s. These suck in air and capture particles. But the co-founders of Molekule say their device gets rid of pollutants that are 1,000 times smaller than what HEPA filters catch, and HEPA filters can be harmful. "HEPA filters can only catch some pollutants and can be a place where mold and bacteria multiply," says Dilip Goswami, Molekule's CEO and co-founder. "PECO breaks down the full spectrum of pollutants," he says. Molekule is based on over 20 years of solar research by Dr. Yogi Goswami, Dilip’s father. Dilip co-founded the company with his father and sister, Jaya Goswami Rao.