Oxyle receives 16 million US dollars to combat "perpetual chemicals" in our water
Revolutionary water treatment technology destroys over 99% of PFAS and changes the way industries deal with toxic water pollution
Even as a child in Delhi, Fajer Mushtaq asked himself the same question every time he turned on the tap: Is this water safe to drink? Today, this question is more relevant than ever - not only in India, but worldwide. The reason for this is PFAS, so-called "perpetual chemicals", which are found in a variety of products such as non-stick pans or fire-fighting foam and are polluting our water supply to an alarming extent. This is precisely where the Swiss start-up Oxyle comes in. The company has now announced a seed funding round of 16 million US dollars to expand its groundbreaking technology to destroy PFAS in wastewater. The round builds on pre-seed funding of $3 million in 2022 and underpins the company's mission to sustainably protect water supplies. The seed round was led by 360 Capital, with participation from Axeleo Capital and existing investors Founderful and SOSV.
While conventional methods such as filtration and adsorption merely remove PFAS from the water and transfer it to other waste streams - a cost-intensive and environmentally harmful cycle - Oxyle goes a decisive step further: the system completely destroys the PFAS molecules. The technology achieves elimination rates of over 99% and consumes 15 times less energy than alternative processes. The three-stage process combines foam fractionation, catalytic destruction and machine learning to ensure real-time monitoring and continuous optimization. There is no need for time-consuming laboratory analyses - the results are available immediately.
From idea to global solution
"Five years ago, we were a small team with a big idea: to rid water of harmful chemicals. Today, this idea is a reality. The current funding allows us to get our technology into the hands of those who need it most - be it in industry or in communities worldwide," explains Dr. Fajer Mushtaq, CEO and co-founder of Oxyle.
Oxyle was founded by Dr. Mushtaq and Dr. Silvan Staufert at ETH Zurich. Both recognized the urgent need for innovation in water treatment and developed a technology that can break down "perpetual chemicals" within minutes.
In just four years, Oxyle has made the leap from research to application. The company now employs 26 people, has completed over 20 customer projects and received prestigious awards such as the Swiss Technology Award, the SEIF Tech for Impact Award and is part of the World Economic Forum's UpLink Top Innovators. With revenue-generating pilot projects and the commissioning of the first commercial plant, Oxyle is setting standards in water treatment. Oxyle is now in the process of securing multi-year treatment contracts.
The effectiveness of the technology can be seen in numerous areas of application. In groundwater treatment, PFAS concentrations are reduced from 8,700 ng/l to below 14 ng/l. In the treatment of soil washing water, the system achieves a removal rate of 99.8% for 11 different types of PFAS. The Oxyle technology eliminated 98% of short-chain PFAS and reduced concentrations of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) by 96% in trials with an industrial customer. In November 2024, Oxyle commissioned a large-scale system in Switzerland that treats 10 cubic meters of contaminated groundwater per hour with less than 1 kWh/m³.
Why the time has come for Oxyle
"We are proud to lead the investment in Oxyle, whose breakthrough technology addresses the massive global challenge of PFAS pollution," says Thomas Nivard, Partner at 360 Capital. "Unlike traditional methods that merely contain these harmful chemicals, Oxyle permanently destroys them, setting a new standard for addressing this pressing environmental crisis. Oxyle is a true game changer. The team's exceptional commercial and technical momentum has created a strong foundation to establish a true technology leader in the coming years."
The timing for Oxyle's solution could hardly be better. Increasing waves of PFAS-related lawsuits and multi-billion dollar settlements in the US are putting pressure on companies to implement preventative solutions. Stricter regulations in the EU and the US are driving demand for innovative technologies that can ensure compliance and minimize liability risks. Studies by the Forever Lobbying Project show that the cost of inaction is enormous: Cleaning up PFAS-contaminated soil and water in Europe could cost €100 billion annually, adding up to €2 trillion over the next 20 years.
Oxyle has set itself the goal of treating 100 million liters of contaminated water in the next five years. The company plans to use its technology in a wide range of sectors - from the chemical and consumer goods industries to semiconductor production and municipal water treatment. The company will use the fresh capital to continue to grow in all areas and is already looking to strengthen its team. In this way, Oxyle will make a decisive contribution to ridding our waters of perpetual chemicals - down to the last drop.
Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.
Other news from the department business & finance
Most read news
More news from our other portals
Something is happening in the chemical industry ...
This is what true pioneering spirit looks like: Plenty of innovative start-ups are bringing fresh ideas, lifeblood and entrepreneurial spirit to change tomorrow's world for the better. Immerse yourself in the world of these young companies and take the opportunity to get in touch with the founders.