Membrion Raises Fresh Funding to Expand Wastewater Technology

Seattle-based industrial wastewater treatment startup Membrion has secured $11.3 million in new investment, according to a recent filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The latest funding marks another milestone for the clean technology company as it continues to grow its customer base and expand its wastewater treatment solutions.

While the SEC filing reports $11.3 million in new funding, Membrion founder and CEO Greg Newbloom declined to confirm the amount or provide additional details about the financing round.

Advanced Technology for Industrial Water Recycling

Founded in 2016 as a spinout from the University of Washington, Membrion develops modular wastewater treatment systems that help industrial companies clean and recycle contaminated water directly at their facilities.

The company’s technology combines electrical fields with specialized ceramic desalination membranes to remove salts and harmful heavy metals, including lead, mercury, arsenic, and copper, from industrial wastewater.

One of Membrion’s key innovations is its proprietary membrane technology, which is manufactured using a silica gel material similar to the moisture-absorbing substance commonly found inside small desiccant packets packaged with new shoes.

Newbloom, who holds multiple patents related to the technology, founded the company with the goal of making industrial wastewater treatment more efficient, affordable, and environmentally sustainable.

Strong Momentum After Nine Years

Earlier this year, Newbloom celebrated Membrion’s ninth anniversary in a LinkedIn post, highlighting what he described as the company’s strongest year to date.

He said Membrion experienced rapid customer growth, received numerous industry awards, and continued making steady progress toward its business goals. Newbloom also praised the company’s employees, customers, investors, advisors, and partners for contributing to its success.

Building on Previous Funding

The latest investment follows Membrion’s $12.5 million Series B funding round, which closed in August 2023. At that time, the company had raised a total of $23 million.

Previous investors include Samsung Venture Capital, Lam Capital, and PureTerra Ventures, all of which have backed the company’s mission to improve industrial water treatment through innovative membrane technology.

Serving Major Industrial Markets

Membrion’s customers include companies operating in several water-intensive industries across the United States.

Its technology is currently used by businesses in the microelectronics and semiconductor, automotive, food and beverage, and oil and gas sectors.

Instead of transporting contaminated wastewater to off-site treatment facilities, companies can use Membrion’s modular systems to clean and recycle water directly at their production sites. This approach helps reduce transportation costs, lower environmental impacts, and improve water reuse.

The technology also enables businesses to recover valuable minerals from wastewater, creating additional economic benefits alongside environmental improvements.

Successful Pilot Project

One of Membrion’s recent commercial milestones came through a pilot project with Colgate-Palmolive.

During the project, the company’s treatment system successfully recovered 93% of Colgate-Palmolive’s wastewater using a reverse osmosis process, demonstrating the effectiveness of its technology for large-scale industrial applications.

According to the company’s website, Membrion currently employs 23 people.

With fresh capital now added to its balance sheet, the Seattle startup appears well positioned to continue expanding its wastewater treatment solutions as industries increasingly seek cost-effective technologies that support water recycling, environmental compliance, and sustainable manufacturing practices.

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