Bioengineered Air-Purifying Plants

Neoplants, a Paris-based biotechnology startup, is redefining how we purify indoor air—through smart nature. Their flagship product, Neo Px, transforms the familiar Marble Queen pothos into a powerful, living air-cleaning system. It pairs an eco-designed planter with specially engineered microorganisms to tackle harmful VOCs—making it both beautiful and functional.

Science Behind Neo Px

At the heart of Neo Px is biome engineering: the plant’s soil is enriched monthly with powdered Power Drops, containing lab-evolved bacteria optimized to metabolize harmful pollutants like formaldehyde, benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTEX).

These bacteria work in synergy with the plant’s root system to transform VOCs into plant-friendly metabolites like sugars and amino acids—supercharging its natural air-purifying ability by up to 30× compared to a regular plant.

Design & Maintenance

Neo Px includes a thoughtfully engineered Shell planter made from compostable PLA (polylactic acid) infused with flax, designed for both beauty and airflow efficiency.

The built-in water reservoir simplifies upkeep, needing replenishment only every 2–3 weeks, depending on the season. Power Drops come bundled with the plant (usually covering the first three months) and are used monthly to sustain its peak VOC-clearing performance.

Real‑World Performance & Considerations

Lab studies show Neo Px can be up to 30 times more effective than standard houseplants at filtering VOCs.

However, experts and reviewers urge caution—real-world efficacy remains challenging to quantify without standardized metrics like CADR. Achieving meaningful air purification in living spaces may still require multiple units or complementing with ventilation or mechanical purifiers.

Innovation in Context

According to HVAC.com, the Neo P1 (a bioengineered version of Neo Px under development) offers novel metabolic pathways—turning formaldehyde into fructose and BTEX into amino acids—elevating each cell into an organic purifier.

Neoplants balances biotech and design with ambition—backing their work with a €20 million funding round, a state-of-the-art lab in Paris, and over 40,000 consumer waitlist sign-ups.