Kinnos Wins New York Transit Tech Lab’s COVID-19 Response Challenge

Kinnos' Highlight^® for Bleach, a visible color additive for disinfectants, now embarks on a long-term pilot project to improve public safety in Port Authority of New York and New Jersey facilities.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Highlight^® for Bleach, the flagship product of Kinnos, was announced as a winner of the Transit Innovation Partnership’s Transit Tech Lab’s COVID-19 Response Challenge, designed to enhance the safety and health of New York's public transportation system. One of three winners selected, Highlight’s bleach colorant helps workers visualize and improve their disinfection efforts, then fades to clear in minutes.

As an initial finalist, Highlight was trialed in Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) bathrooms during cleaning. Through ATP bioluminescence monitoring, the trial found a 63% improvement in disinfection coverage when Highlight was dissolved into liquid bleach. Workers reported it easy to use and that it made their jobs easier. Kinnos will now enter a long-term pilot with PANYNJ to further confirm the abilities of its product to enhance staff performance and transit public safety.

“Partnering with the Port Authority to validate Highlight’s ability to improve disinfection quality in a quantifiable way and adding to our growing body of scientific evidence has been a fantastic experience,” says Jason Kang, CEO of Kinnos. “We’re proud to add this validation for Highlight’s broad application potential and excited to be enhancing the health and safety of public transit. COVID-19 made us all more aware of surface disinfection, and we know Highlight can instill confidence that disinfection is done right.”

“We are pleased to take part in the Transit Innovation Partnership’s Transit Tech Lab’s COVID-19 Response Challenge,” said Robert Galvin, Chief Technology Officer at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. “This challenge has inspired a great call to action among the tech sector to bring forth creative technology and solutions to address the ongoing challenges associated with the pandemic.”

Kinnos is planning to launch additional disinfectant compatibilities in 2022, including quaternary ammonium and hydrogen peroxide disinfectants that are used widely in transit and healthcare.

About Kinnos

Kinnos pioneers color technology that revolutionizes how we use disinfectants. The company's flagship product, Highlight, is a patented and award-winning color additive platform that improves disinfection technique and compliance. Highlight's real-time color visualization has been reported in independent studies and whitepapers to consistently increase thoroughness of cleaning. Recognized by Harvard Innovations Lab, Forbes, Newsweek, USAID, the USPTO Humanity Award, the WHO and more, Highlight^® is used internationally by hospitals, first responders, and transit agencies. Kinnos is headquartered in Brooklyn, NY. For more information, visit: www.kinnos.com

About the Transit Innovation Partnership

The Transit Innovation Partnership is a public-private initiative formed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the Partnership for New York City with the mission to make New York the global leader in public transit. A board of leaders from academia, business, civic organizations and government guides the Transit Innovation Partnership, which brings together diverse stakeholders to realize public-private projects that address top-priority challenges. Learn more at https://transitinnovation.org.