Active Membranes, developer of revolutionary, award-winning electrically-conducting membranes used in desalination, has closed its initial round of Seed Funding to further develop its game-changing desalination technology. This investment will facilitate Active’s further corporate growth, technology scale-up, and commercialization, as well as the execution of several extended field pilot tests, all of which are co-funded by various US federal and state government agencies.
The funding round includes investments from Natural Ventures, Echo River Capital, and Pacifica Water Solutions, one of Active Membranes’ co-founders.
“Active Membranes is innovating the future of fresh water by redefining the technology used in reverse osmosis membrane desalination for both seawater and brackish water applications,” said Arian Edalat, Co-founder and CEO. “This round of funding enables us to further refine our revolutionary technology and accelerate its commercialization. We greatly appreciate the confidence that our investors have placed in us and also recognize that their experience brings a significant value to our company that goes far beyond the infusion of capital,” he added.
“Natural Ventures is thrilled to announce its investment in Active Membranes, a pioneering company in the field of desalination technology. As the global demand for fresh water continues to rise, especially in regions heavily reliant on desalination, the need to reduce both the economic and environmental costs of this vital process becomes increasingly urgent. Active Membranes takes a novel approach to desalination, augmenting membrane technology with unique characteristics that allow for efficient scaling. This investment underscores Natural Ventures' commitment to supporting innovative solutions that address critical challenges in water resource management and sustainability. We look forward to contributing to Active Membranes' journey and witnessing its impact on the global water crisis,” stated Dr. Benjamin Tam, Operating Partner, Natural Ventures.
“Active Membranes will be a leader in advancing desalination through its innovative smart membranes. Active's unique electrically conducting coating will reduce the costs of water desalination among the existing installed base of reverse osmosis plants around the world,” said Peter Yolles, Managing Partner of Echo River Capital. "This will fulfill Echo River's mission of innovating decentralized water treatment and satisfy our contribution towards SDG 6 – fresh drinking water for all," he added.
Active Membranes brings a new and entirely different approach to desalination membrane technology. Its membranes utilize the company’s patented technology that incorporates tunable electrical potential into a spiral wound desalination membrane module to make it actively resistant to scaling and fouling during the desalination process.
With their anti-scaling, anti-fouling properties, these membranes require minimal pre-treatment and minimal usage of chemicals and consumables. They also operate at a higher recovery rate and significantly simplify operation. This results in a much lower footprint, lower capital costs, and reduced operating costs. In so doing, Active Membranes transforms desalination into a technology of choice rather than a technology of last resort.
Active membranes also offer another benefit.
“Not only can our membranes be used in large scale desalination projects and in commercial plants; they can also be used in point-of-use/point-of-entry systems in the household or office to produce clean potable water,” said Edalat.
Based in California, Active Membranes has received numerous awards including the prestigious Technology Idol Award, the Global Prize for Innovation in Desalination hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the More Water Less Concentrate Prize presented by the US Bureau of Reclamation and is a finalist for the 2024 Earthshot Prize.
