From The Japan Times · Louise George Kittaka · · 2m
Cooling innovation from a hot startup
Startup Eztia Materials' HydraVolt cooling tech helps workers in extreme heat.
In brief
Startup Eztia Materials' HydraVolt cooling tech helps workers in extreme heat. Eztia Materials' HydraVolt cooling material reduces skin temperature by up to 10 degrees Celsius for 8 hours without electricity, aiding workers in construction, logistics, and defense. Originally reported by The Japan Times.
Startup Eztia Materials
Eztia Materials is a US-based startup offering reliable heat relief through wearable cooling solutions.
HydraVolt technology
HydraVolt is a next-generation cooling material that lowers skin temperature by up to 10 degrees celsius for 8 hours without electricity.
How it works
The material absorbs and dissipates body heat through evaporative cooling, recharged by water exposure and launderable like regular clothing.
Tiffany Yeh's background
Yeh was born in Taiwan, studied materials science at mit, earned a medical degree from pennsylvania university, and conducted fieldwork in asia, africa, and latin america.
Inspiration for innovation
Yeh's research on cooling polymers for buildings and vaccine packaging inspired her to develop HydraVolt as a side project after medical school.
First Tokyo partnership
Kajima Corporation, a major construction firm, used HydraVolt at a Tokyo construction site and helped refine the technology through detailed feedback.
Global applications
HydraVolt is being used by police and corrections officers in singapore and construction firms in the us and japan for heat relief.
Social impact
Eztia's production base in taiwan employs women, international students, and trade school graduates, providing opportunities for historically overlooked talent.
SusHi Tech Challenge 2026
Yeh was selected as a finalist for the SusHi Tech Challenge 2026 pitch contest at Tokyo Big Sight from april 27-29, 2026.
Co-creation strategy
Eztia uses a co-creation approach where initial partners provide detailed feedback to improve the technology before wider adoption.
Future plans
Eztia aims to expand partnerships globally while deepening collaborations within organizations to scale implementation across multiple sites.
Heat relief impact
HydraVolt could improve city resilience against heatstroke and support public safety workers in extreme heat conditions.
Here's the gist
Eztia Materials' HydraVolt cooling material reduces skin temperature by up to 10 degrees Celsius for 8 hours without electricity, aiding workers in construction, logistics, and defense.
