Gradiant, a leading water treatment solutions start-up, recently achieved unicorn status by raising $225 million from venture capitalists. The funding will bolster its efforts to address international water shortages and conserve the global water supply, which concerns the heavy industry sector, one of the world’s biggest water consumers.
This funding surge is a nod to Gradiant’s effective contribution to sustainable practices by recycling industrial wastewater. The company’s disruptive water treatment technology addresses rising demand worldwide due to increased drought instances. Key industries, including pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, mining, and power, have increasingly adopted water recycling techniques in a quest to reduce waste, protect the environment, and cut costs.
As the global water and wastewater treatment market are projected to reach half a trillion dollars by 2023, companies like Gradiant aim to streamline water treatment processes — currently dominated by energy-intensive and chemical-based techniques. Gradiant is investing in sustainable, cost-effective technologies that not only deliver clean, safe water, but also curb the environmental impact significantly.
Founded in 2013 by Prakash Govindan and Anurag Bajpayee, Gradiant has introduced a “natural distillation” technology to treat polluted wastewater. The unique process mimics natural water recycling and involves heating polluted water, much like how sun heats surface water bodies.
Gradiant’s unicorn ascent via sustainable water treatment
The evaporated water is then collected and cooled to provide pure, fresh water.
Gradiant’s innovative technique enables industries to purge harmful pollutants from wastewater, thereby endorsing sustainable and environmentally friendly waste management. With a wide range of applications spanning industrial uses to municipal water treatment, Gradiant’s ground-breaking approach is critical for our planet’s environmental health.
The company’s technology cuts traditional water treatment costs by up to 50%. Simultaneously, it helps lessen the reliance on harmful chemicals and mitigates waste brine issues. The result is purified water that industries, agricultural sectors, and even individuals can safely use — promising cost savings and access to safe, purified water.
Gradiant’s solution operates at relatively low temperatures compared to conventional systems that require high energy consumption, thus underscoring energy savings. Its scalable ‘natural distillation’ method can meet the needs of different settings, making the treatment process attractive and sustainable.
Gradiant has also achieved a significant breakthrough in the industry, with a reported 99% water recovery rate as compared to the industry standard of 50-60%. Major clients, like Adnoc, work with the company, saving millions of gallons of water daily. Gradiant’s technology and efficiency are registering new possibilities for the future of industrial water usage.
