In the backdrop of Mumbai grappling with poor air quality, four students studying at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay have created a ‘carbon-negative cycle’ that captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and lets out filtered air. Innovated by engineering students Aryan Gupta, Aryan Shah, Mohit Jajoriya, and Vaibhav Garg, the bicycle is shortlisted to be presented at the International Digital Incubator round at the Hult Awards on July 9, 2025.

These cycles use a Direct Air Capture (DAC) system that functions with the help of solid reactants. These reactants absorb the carbon dioxide and need to be refilled every 2-3 weeks. This process helps in net reduction in atmospheric carbon by removing more carbon than it emits. “It so happened that we were discussing this while cycling, and we thought, why not use the rotational motion of bicycles to actually do something. That’s where the conceptualisation of this device began,” said Aryan Gupta, an MS Chemistry student.