Salinity Solutions, a Birmingham-based tech start-up, has received a £1 million investment from SQM Lithium Ventures, allowing for further development and growth. This partnership gives SQM Lithium Ventures a minority stake in Salinity Solutions, with options for future equity acquisitions.
Salinity Solutions, a University of Birmingham spinout, has developed HyBatchä, a pioneering water treatment technology emphasising environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, and operational superiority over traditional methods. This venture aligns Salinity Solutions with leading companies within SQM Lithium Ventures’ portfolio, aiming to revolutionise water treatment globally.
Salinity Solutions’ co-founder and CTO, Tim Naughton said: “We are delighted to have SQM as a partner as we commercialise our world-leading technology. Global water demand is set to double over the next five years. Water treatment consumes 4% of the world’s total electricity production and conventional reverse osmosis systems are energy intensive. Working with SQM, we can bring significant energy and water savings to the mining sector and many other industries, in Chile and around the world.”
Since launching in 2021, Salinity Solutions has completed trials in multiple industries, including lithium mining, industrial and municipal wastewater, and food production.
“SQM’s investment will help us accelerate Salinity’s growth and achieve our 2024 goals of increasing unit sales and securing our first licencing agreement. Their strategic interests in lithium and water, combined with their geographical reach from Chile to China, offer a perfect fit to support our ambitious growth plans,” said Salinity Solutions’ CEO, Richard Bruges.
The investment aligns with SQM’s commitment to enhancing operational efficiency and minimizing its environmental footprint in line with its sustainability objectives. These ambitions encompass a significant reduction in groundwater usage and brine extraction in the Salar de Atacama, aiming for carbon neutrality in lithium production by 2030. Salinity Solutions will conduct a pilot project in the Salar de Atacama, with its team working from Antofagasta and other northern Chilean locales as part of their collaboration with SQM.
Angeles Romo, Director of SQM Lithium Ventures, commented: “SQM Lithium Ventures is investing in Salinity Solutions in hopes that the company, through its revolutionary technology, will be capable of scaling and making an impact across different industries and geographies. This marks our first investment in water, one of our core focus areas for investment along with lithium and electromobility. At SQM Lithium Ventures, we are always seeking to fund projects in cleantech, specifically water, to accelerate start-ups like this one. In doing this, we seek not only to scale the business, but also make an impact on the quality of life of multiple communities.”
Salinity Solutions’ co-founder and CTO, Tim Naughton, commented: “We are delighted to have SQM as a partner as we commercialize our world-leading technology. Global water demand is set to double over the next five years. Water treatment consumes 4% of the world’s total electricity production and conventional reverse osmosis systems are energy intensive. Working with SQM, we can bring significant energy and water savings to the mining sector and many other industries, in Chile and around the world.”
Pablo Melipillan, SQM’s Lithium Process Director for China, who will join the board of Salinity Solutions, commented: “It is a great pleasure to join the water treatment business through this international partnership. With our experience in running innovation and scaling up and building cutting edge industrial projects, SQM can support Salinity to be successful in reaching its technical and commercial goals.”
Salinity Solutions emerged from a decade of research at Aston University and the University of Birmingham, guided by Professor Philip Davies. Its establishment was fueled by funding from an Innovate UK ICURe grant, Clean Engineering seed investment, and successful crowdfunding on Crowdcube. The University of Birmingham and other existing investors recently contributed £960,000 to this round of funding, culminating in a total of £1.96 million in new investment for Salinity Solutions, alongside the financial backing from SQM.
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