Air pollution now ranks as the second leading risk factor for death, accounting for 8.1 million deaths globally according to HEI’s new State of Global Air 2024 Report. The new report provides a comprehensive analysis of data for air quality and health impacts for countries around the world in 2021. Of the total deaths, noncommunicable diseases account for up to 90% of the disease burden from air pollution, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Berne, Switzerland – June 04, 2024 – Sparrow Analytics SA, a leading Swiss startup specialized in environmental data analytics, collaborates with Swiss Post. Sparrow equippes Swiss Post's postal vehicles with its patent-pending and comprehensive Nodes (Multi Micro Sensors Unit) to collect and aggregate street-level air pollution data, providing crucial air quality information to Swiss citizens right at their doorsteps.

In a key milestone, Sparrow Analytics has completed €2 million seed financing round. Investors are Ground Capital, a Lisbon-based venture capital fund, and Ascending Productions, a Dubai-based fund. The funding paves the way for expansion of the environmental analytics startup in Switzerland and beyond.

A quick trip around Monaco with Sparrow was a remarkable experience. Despite its reputation as a paradise destination, the constant problems with air pollution persist everywhere.