At a glance
Publicly launched: 2021
Headquarters: Heidelberg, Germany
Technology: Microbial and biopolymer-based solution to treat industrial cooling water
Founders: Lars Havighorst and Michael Simon
Funding or notable partners: €8.5 million ($9.8 million) in 2026 financing, including €3.5 million ($4 million) in equity
It takes vast quantities of water to keep the world’s power plants, chemical factories, steel mills, and other industrial facilities cool. In the US, thermoelectric power plants alone account for about a third of freshwater withdrawals, and most of the water is used for cooling, according to the US Geological Survey.
Lars Havighorst, CEO and cofounder of the water treatment start-up Blue Activity, says companies should be rethinking the chemicals used to keep this water clean. His approach is to replace conventional chemical treatments with bacteria.
