Oxyle secures USD 16M to permanently remove PFAS from water

30.01.2025 08:05, Rita Longobardi

PFAS—hazardous "forever chemicals" found in everything from firefighting foam to non-stick cookware—have contaminated global water supplies, posing severe health and environmental risks. While existing treatment methods merely relocate PFAS, Swiss startup Oxyle has developed a technology that destroys them permanently. Now, backed by a USD 16 million funding round, the company is set to scale its solution and address a growing regulatory push for effective water treatment.

Conventional PFAS treatment relies on filtration and adsorption, which transfer contaminants to other waste streams requiring costly incineration or landfilling. Oxyle's system takes a different approach, eliminating PFAS molecules through a three-stage process involving foam fractionation, catalytic destruction, and real-time monitoring. This method achieves over 99% elimination rates while consuming at least 15 times less energy than alternative destruction technologies.

The round was led by 360 Capital, with participation from Axeleo Capital and returning investors Founderful and SOSV. It builds on Oxyle's USD 3 million pre-seed round in 2022, further strengthening its position in the fight against water pollution.

Founded at ETH Zurich by Fajer Mushtaq and Silvan Staufert, Oxyle has grown rapidly, completing over 20 customer projects and deploying its first full-scale system in Switzerland in late 2024. The system processes 10 cubic meters of contaminated groundwater per hour at less than 1 kWh/m³, demonstrating its viability for large-scale adoption.

With stricter PFAS regulations in the U.S. and Europe, industries face mounting pressure to comply and mitigate legal risks. Oxyle is well-positioned to capitalize on this demand, aiming to treat 100 million liters of contaminated water within five years. The company's technology is already used across groundwater treatment, industrial wastewater management, and municipal applications, offering a scalable solution to one of the most pressing water contamination challenges. Looking ahead, Oxyle aims to treat 100 million cubic meters of contaminated water in the next five years.

“The visibility we have gained through Venture Kick and Venture Leaders—awards, events, and media coverage, has greatly helped us amplify our mission to key stakeholders. For an early-stage deep-tech startup, this kind of recognition has played a crucial role in building trust, opening doors, and supporting the growth we are achieving today,” highlighted Fajer Mushtaq, Co-Founder and CEO of Oxyle.

The cleantech startup was ranked among the TOP 100 Startups in 2023 and 2024, participated in Venture Leaders Deeptech in 2021, and won Venture Kick in 2019. 

Oxyle's team
Credit: Daniel Kunz, Aldiswil, Switzerland