Water scarcity, aging infrastructure, and tightening environmental regulations are pushing water technologies into the spotlight for investors around the globe. After years of moderate attention, the WaterTech sector saw a record-breaking year in 2024 and the trend is continuing in 2025. Innovations now range from smart leak detection and AI-driven optimization to lithium recovery and the removal of persistent pollutants from wastewater.
In 2024, global investment in WaterTech startups reached approximately $1.12 billion, a 29% increase over the previous year. It marks the highest funding volume ever recorded for the sector. The sharp rise underscores growing awareness among investors, utilities, and public institutions of the urgent challenges facing global water resources.
Oxyle (Switzerland): Targeting “Forever Chemicals”
Oxyle is tackling PFAS contamination in wastewater. PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are synthetic chemicals widely used since the 1940s and commonly referred to as "forever chemicals" due to their extreme persistence in the environment and human body. They have been linked to metabolic disruptions, certain cancers, and reduced immune function.Oxyle’s technology concentrates PFAS in water, making the remaining effluent safe for release, and then destroys the harmful compounds. In 2025, the company raised €15.2 million in a seed round led by 360 Capital, Axeleo Capital, Founderful, and SOSV.
StormHarvester (UK): AI to Prevent Overflows
StormHarvester, a startup based in the UK, focus their efforts on wastewater management through AI. They use rainwater forecasting to adjust the level of water in stormwater and wastewater tanks, and thereby prevent overflowing or flooding. With projects on the go with a variety of water and sewerage companies within the UK, they raised €9.7 million in a Series A round, from investors YFM Equity Partners and Emerald Technology Ventures.
Pluvion (Germany): Smarter Sewer Network Management
Freiburg-based Pluvion raised €1 million in a pre-seed round led by D11Z Ventures. The company’s WATER+ platform identifies and predicts water infiltration in sewer systems—an issue that increases treatment costs by adding unnecessary volume to wastewater plants. By pinpointing leaks, utilities can act faster and reduce operational inefficiencies.
RootCamp, together with industry partners such as K+S, is actively looking for water technologies through its Water Challenge. This initiative includes three sub-challenges, each targeting a specific area of industrial water management:
Test and implement your solution directly with K+S under real-world production conditions. Startups, corporates or researchers can apply until September 2nd. Learn more about each challenge it on our website.