Airborne?

If Steve Levine rolled the dice several years ago in acquiring the rights to a new clean-air system, it was in a floating casino last February that he may have set the stage for sales to finally take off.

Like many entrepreneurs ”“ both established and budding ”“ Levine is eyeing the arrival of 2012 with a mix of anticipation and uncertainty, as businesses attempt to gauge the spending climate with implications for orders going forward.

Levine knows a thing or two about the climate, business and otherwise ”“ his AtmosAir Solutions sells an air purification system that features tubes installed in HVAC equipment. Air passes through the tube, which charges it with ions before flowing to rooms.

The ionized air molecules attack contaminated air in multiple ways, including causing foul particles to become attracted to each other, forming larger clumps large enough to get easily picked off by filters; or even dropping to the ground from sheer weight.

AtmosAir touts several other elements to the system, including its ability to allow for the use of clean, recycled, room-temperature air in HVAC systems, cutting the cost of building systems having to heat or cool air drawn inside from outdoors.

But AtmosAir remains a relatively small company six years after Levine sold off a security business and like many others glommed onto the idea of an environmental product.

“I thought water; I thought air; I thought energy ”“ where was the best place where we could truly have an impact?” Levine said. “Who knew that this was going to be an energy saving technology, when we got into the business to improve air quality?”

The company has yet to achieve supercharged growth, despite landing multiple high-profile clients including the Dallas Cowboys and other NFL teams. And it is not alone ”“ venture capital investments in clean technology companies fell in the third quarter, by 13 percent nationally from the second quarter according to the National Venture Capital Association and PricewaterhouseCoopers. NVCA says venture capitalists are leery of changes in public policy, entering an election year when federal, state and local governments are treading water.

For his part, Levine says he wishes he had raised more funding early in the company”™s formation phase, but says AtmosAir is well positioned to capitalize on commercial businesses looking to improve on the environmental impact of their facilities ”“ including the floating variety.

Among AtmosAir”™s newest clients is Norwegian Cruise Lines, which is using the system on multiple ships. By happenstance Levine introduced the company to the product while on a cruise.

“Every time I travel, I bring a portable unit with me ”“ it cleans the room (air),” Levine said. “Then what I usually do is bring the general manager into the room.”

Looking ahead to 2012, he is thinking beyond ships to trains and planes, if not automobiles. Levine is hopeful of AtmosAir landing a big contract to install its systems in a major transportation manufacturer, declining to name the company publicly.