Swiss innovation turns the tide on toxic PFAS pollution
Zurich, Switzerland – 30 January 2024 – Toxic PFAS chemicals, found in everything from non-stick pans to firefighting foam, contaminate water worldwide. Now, innovative filtration pellets from Zurich could play a decisive role in solving this global environmental and health crisis. Swiss startup Oxyle just raised $16M to permanently scale its breakthrough technology that destroys PFAS, unlike traditional methods that merely shift the problem elsewhere.
Current PFAS treatments rely on filtration and adsorption, which require costly incineration or landfill disposal, risking recontamination. Oxyle’s energy-efficient system eliminates over 99% of PFAS, using foam fractionation, catalytic destruction, and real-time AI-powered monitoring — all in a modular, scalable format.
A mission rooted in personal experience
For Mushtaq, the fight for clean water is deeply personal. Born in Kashmir, a region of breathtaking natural beauty but also political conflict, she moved with her family to Delhi as a child. The severe water shortages in the megacity left a lasting impression.
That awareness shaped her path, leading her to ETH Zurich, where she earned a PhD in Micro- and Nanosystems, specializing in water remediation. Together with Silvan Staufert, who holds a PhD in Mechanical and Process Engineering, she developed Oxyle’s game-changing PFAS destruction technology—turning a personal concern into a global solution.
A growing ecosystem of high-impact companies
Oxyle is part of a new wave of science-driven, impact-focused companies tackling urgent environmental challenges. These businesses that don’t just reduce harm but actively restore and improve ecosystems are gaining traction as investors seek scalable, tech-enabled sustainability solutions.
Across industries, companies like Climeworks (carbon removal), ECOncrete (marine habitat regeneration), and NotPla (biodegradable packaging) are proving that sustainability and profitability can go hand in hand. Oxyle’s breakthrough in water purification positions it as an important player in this movement — offering industries a real solution to the rising crisis of chemical contamination.
Founded at ETH Zurich, Oxyle has grown to 26 employees, completed 20+ customer projects, and won accolades like the Swiss Technology Award and WEF Uplink Top Innovators. With its first commercial installation live and multi-year contracts underway, the company is set to treat 100 million cubic meters of contaminated water in the next five years.
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