LivingFilters, a water treatment technology company based in Lund, Sweden, has closed a pre-seed funding round of €420,000 to accelerate the development of artificial intelligence-designed proteins for water purification applications.
The funding round was led by Turbine Capital, with participation from individual investors Filip Larsson and Johan Billgren, as well as venture capital firms Skåne Ventures and Peter Neubauer. The capital injection represents a significant step forward for the Lund University spinout as it moves from laboratory research toward commercial deployment.
Targeting Critical Water Contamination Challenges
LivingFilters is developing innovative solutions to address persistent environmental contaminants that conventional water treatment methods struggle to eliminate. The company’s approach centers on leveraging AI-designed proteins to target harmful substances such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other micropollutants that increasingly contaminate water supplies across Europe and beyond.
The company plans to deploy the funding toward two primary objectives: validating its technology through pilot projects and developing two initial commercial products. These products include biosensor probes capable of detecting contaminants with high precision, and selective filter components designed specifically for use in water treatment plants. This dual-product approach allows LivingFilters to address both the monitoring and removal phases of water purification.
From Laboratory to Operational Implementation
Mikaela Persson, co-founder and CEO at LivingFilters, commented on the significance of the investment: “This investment allows us to take the next step from breakthrough science to real-world impact. Together with our partners, we will validate our technology in operational water treatment environments and accelerate the path towards commercial deployment.”
The timing of this funding aligns with intensified regulatory pressure across the European Union regarding water quality standards. EU directives increasingly mandate the removal of PFAS and other emerging contaminants from drinking water and wastewater, creating both regulatory compliance challenges and commercial opportunities for innovative treatment solutions.
Supporting European Cleantech Innovation
The funding reflects growing investor interest in cleantech solutions addressing environmental contamination. Sweden has emerged as a notable hub for water technology innovation, with ventures focusing on sustainable and biological approaches to traditional engineering challenges.
LivingFilters represents the broader European trend of translating academic research into commercialized environmental solutions. As a university spinout, the company benefits from research infrastructure while operating with startup agility, a model that has proven effective in scaling breakthrough technologies across the continent’s cleantech sector.
The company’s protein-engineering approach distinguishes it from conventional chemical and mechanical filtration methods, potentially offering more efficient and sustainable alternatives for treating some of the water contamination challenges facing European water utilities and municipalities.