UK-based Watercycle Technologies closes Series A round ahead of MENA expansion: UK-based climate-tech startup Watercycle Technologies raised USD 5.6 mn in a series A round led by a syndicate of VC firm Par Equity and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, business accelerator Aer Ventures, and the University of Manchester Innovation Factory, according to a company press release (pdf).

Watercycle Technologies? The startup’s mission is to “provide secure and sustainable supplies of critical raw materials to support the net zero transition.” To do this, it is working to develop its mineral recovery systems and water treatment systems that extract saleable products from waste products like industrial wastewater and old batteries to lessen the need for further mineral extraction and its environmental cost.

Where are the funds going? The funds raised will help the company “scale up and commercially deploy its technology to deliver sustainable, low-cost, high-yield mineral recovery systems.” The funds will also help the startup develop new products, strengthen existing commercial relations and forge new ones.

The company is also eyeing expansion in the MENA region: Watercycle Technologies is “currently in negotiations with various entities within the MENA region to implement their latest innovations in seawater desalination. These efforts aim to eliminate the brine disposal problem that desalination faces by selectively recovering the minerals that the brine contains and selling them into a range of strategic industries.”

Egyptian DNA: The startup was founded by Egyptian water treatment technologies expert Ahmed Abdelkarim (LinkedIn) and Sebastian Leaper (LinkedIn).

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