Atium, a Göteborg-based startup dedicated to sustainable mercury removal from water, has secured €593,8K (SEK 6.7M) in its latest funding round, led by existing investors Chalmers Ventures and Gladium, alongside new backers Butterfly Ventures, NextSTEP, GOKAP Invest, and 5J Holding. This funding will propel Atium’s mission to combat heavy metal pollution globally with its innovative electrochemical filters, offering a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution for industries facing mercury contamination challenges.
The startup, born from research at Chalmers University of Technology, is poised to launch its first product in 2025, targeting dental clinics with a high demand for effective mercury removal solutions. With successful pilots in Swedish dental clinics and ongoing industrial collaborations, Atium is well-positioned to make a significant impact in the water treatment sector.
Mercury contamination poses severe health and environmental risks globally, with the WHO listing it among the ten most toxic chemicals of major public health concern. Despite stringent regulations on industries such as mining, energy, and chemical production, conventional mercury removal methods are often costly, inefficient, and environmentally unfriendly.
Atium’s innovative water treatment technology offers a superior solution, enabling selective mercury removal with reusable and energy-efficient electrochemical filters that perform well even in acidic solutions.
“Atium’s mission is to tackle the critical issue of heavy metal pollution in waters with a sustainable and cost-effective solution for global industrial applications,” comments Johan Björkquist, Co-founder and CEO. This funding will enable us to launch our first product, scale up our industrial pilots and expand our team. We are very happy with the group of investors we have gathered, as they add significant value to our company and our journey.”
Atium’s technology stems from the research of Associate Professor Björn Wickman at Chalmers University of Technology. Through his work in electrochemistry, Björn developed a circular method for selective removal of heavy metals from various liquids. This laid the foundation for Atium’s patented solution, offering significant environmental and economic benefits for global industries.
“We are glad to see such great progress in Atium’s development. Atium’s solution speaks of great potential in both impact and business,” says Björn Westman, Investment Director at Chalmers Ventures.
“I am thrilled to make this announcement along with the team at Atium and the amazing co-investors who are joining in this round. Atium is helping to solve a very old and big problem: reducing mercury in water, resulting in a safer, more environmentally friendly world for our children… I am very excited to start to work with the team on strategy and expansion of their technology throughout various geographies, including the US market,” states Tanya Horowitz, Partner at Butterfly Ventures.
“We are committed to sustainability and recognize the crucial importance of water purification. We are excited to have invested in Atium, a decision that reflects our values and our commitment to effectively combating climate change,” says Claudio Colombo, Managing Director at NextSTEP.
Atium is set to launch its first product in 2025: a selective mercury removal filter designed for dental clinics. These clinics, which often have mercury emissions significantly higher than industrial sites, face stringent regulations with limited commercial solutions available. A successful nine-month pilot with Swedish dental clinics demonstrated positive results, highlighting a clear demand. Atium is also scaling up ongoing industrial pilots with global actors in the mining and energy sectors, to launch a modular water treatment solution for a variety of industrial applications.
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