Passion and skill have come together to create unique cooling solutions that are environmentally friendly yet reduce temperatures similar to typical air conditioning systems. Tiger Aster and Jeeten Desai (JD), co-founders of Ambiator Private Limited, are ready to lower temperatures for us without harming the environment
Like much of the world, India also experiences rising temperatures year after year. As mercury rises, so does the demand for cooling solutions. Currently, cooling accounts for almost 10% of the country's total electricity consumption, and this figure is expected to triple by 2030. While air conditioning systems provide much-needed relief, they have significant drawbacks: high energy consumption and significant carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to climate change.
Desert coolers, often viewed as a cheaper alternative, have their own limitations. They are ineffective in humid climates, provide uneven cooling and often affect air quality. These limitations raise a critical question: Can we design a cooling system that is energy efficient, environmentally friendly and effective?
That is the challenge that Sukhdarshan Dhaliwal, known as DD, and his son Tiger set out to solve in the early 2020s. As an expert in cooling systems, DD had developed a heat exchanger for his personal use. Unfortunately, he passed away in August 2022 while still working on the project. Without his father's guidance, Tiger almost gave up on the idea until a chance meeting changed everything.
Jeeten Desai recalls, “I met Tiger at a demo center and heard about the concept he had worked on with his late father. I immediately saw the potential and asked if he would consider continuing the project. While Tiger was confident he could handle the technical side, he was hesitant to tackle the business aspects. I offered to take it on for him to focus on the technology could concentrate. He agreed and we continued together.”
Later that year, the two co-founded Ambiator Private Limited, a startup based on the vision of providing sustainable and efficient cooling solutions, carrying forward not just a technological innovation but a legacy.
Although Ambiator is based in Hyderabad, the startup was founded at the Venture Center in Pune.
The mechanics of cooling
“It started with a simple question,” says Jeeten. “Can we make comfort cooling sustainable? The core temperature of the human body is about 36.5°C. If you lower the room temperature by even five to ten degrees, it will be comfortable enough. Air conditioners do this effectively, but at a price. They not only cool the room, but they also dehumidify it, drying out both the air and the people in it. You will notice that your skin and sinuses will feel better in an air-conditioned room feel dry. Additionally, many modern glass buildings retain heat, forcing air conditioners to work even harder. The real cost of air conditioning is not only financial, but also environmental.”
He continues: “The wet bulb temperature is always lower than the dry bulb temperature. The dew point, the temperature at which water vapor condenses, is where the potential for sustainable cooling lies.”
Although Ambiator is based in Hyderabad, the startup was founded at the Venture Center in Pune. After two and a half years of research and development, they had a working proof of concept (PoC). Jeeten explains: “The Ambiator efficiently transfers heat from the air to the water, providing what we call sensitive cooling. The air finds its own level, so our continuous air exchange cycle effectively cools the room even when the doors or windows are open. We use both dry and wet bulb cooling principles, but the real magic happens in the dry cooling phase. It’s like putting a gloved hand in a can of cold water, you feel cool but your hand stays dry.”
The startup now holds two granted patents for its innovative techniques.
The creation of Ambiator
While one part of Ambiator focuses on research and technological innovation, the other, often more difficult, area is prototyping and manufacturing.
“When we built our first prototype, it was big and made of steel,” says Jeeten. “We were struggling with leakage problems. We later switched to LDPE for the inner casing, which lightened the unit and solved the leakage problem. Tiger's father, DD, had done much of the early work on the heat exchanger and went through several design iterations.”
Finding the right manufacturing partner proved to be a challenge. Most steel manufacturers were unwilling to accept small, special orders. Eventually they found a company that manufactured precision products for multinational companies.
“It turned out that the owner was one of my former colleagues from business school,” recalls Jeeten. “That helped open the door, but relationships alone don't guarantee quality. We agreed to pay 1.5 times the regular cost on the condition that the products met our high standards. If a device didn't meet our criteria, it was rejected. It's worth paying more for precision.”
Coming to market
Her first customer came from an unexpected source. A neighbor of Jeeten had an architect friend who recommended Ambiator to a client in Warangal, Telangana.
“This customer had already completed his bungalow and the contractor had installed air conditioning, but he also wanted cooling in the common areas,” says Jeeten. “We retrofitted Ambiator there. Luckily it had solar panels, so the running costs for cooling were practically zero.”
Their next big breakthrough came through the SELCO Foundation in Bangalore, which ran a competition to develop sustainable cooling solutions for social spaces.
“We used Ambiator to cool a metal shed where employees worked,” explains Jeeten. “It has been shown that even people who cannot afford air conditioning can enjoy thermal comfort. The shed, which was previously unusable in the summer, has become a functional workplace.”
Since its commercial launch in January 2024, Ambiator has deployed 35 units across India, from Jaipur to Vellore, including Baroda, Pune, Panchgani, Warangal and Bangalore. Installations range from industrial kitchens and hospitals to tin sheds, houses and shop windows.
Competition and market
Sitting right between traditional air conditioners and desert coolers, Ambiator redefines the middle ground in the Indian cooling market. “Air conditioning systems provide consistent comfort, but consume 6-10 kW per unit and use refrigerants with a global warming potential over 2,000 times higher than CO₂,” says Jeeten. “Desert coolers are cheaper, but inefficient, water-intensive and often unhygienic.”
Ambiator aims to offer the best of both worlds: AC-like comfort with just 1 kW of power, five times less water and no refrigerant. “It’s cleaner, healthier and far more sustainable,” he adds.
This unique combination of comfort, efficiency and environmental responsibility makes Ambiator one of the few Indian companies developing climate-positive cooling solutions for widespread use.
Financing and further path
So far Ambiator has lifted ₹83 lakh through a mix of grants, awards and funding. This includes, among other things: ₹30 Lakh Startup India Seed Fund structured as a convertible grant in April 2028. Now the company is gearing up to raise ₹34 crore to scale production, expand research and development and build a nationwide service infrastructure.
One of the company's most ambitious goals? Introducing a bioclimatic housing unit that works in the diverse climates of India without compromising on energy efficiency.
What's next?
“We are expanding our reach through sales partners,” says Jeeten. “Cooling is a feeling; you have to experience it. That's why we work with places like restaurants and clubs where people can really feel the Ambiator difference.”
Channel partners also provide leadership, logistics and customer service support, which is critical to providing a seamless customer experience.
“Nowadays, people expect next-day delivery,” he notes. “But our manufacturing process is different. Ambiator units currently take about 75 days. That's why we're looking to partner with companies that can store inventory and manage installations to help us serve customers faster.”
Cooling-as-a-Service: A sustainable change
Ambiator's next big step is the introduction of Cooling-as-a-Service (CaaS). “We help our customers save over 80% on electricity bills, so why not convert capital expenditure (Capex) into operating expenditure (Opex)? It's a win-win for companies, for us and for the planet,” says Jeeten.
The company is also in discussions with solar energy providers to integrate Ambiator into renewable systems. “These companies are already installing solar panels. Why don't they offer Ambiator as an add-on?” Jeeten explains. “We can charge a fee that is still lower than operating traditional air conditioning. This benefits them, us and, above all, the environment.”