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Every drop of water we drink today is likely to carry traces of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) - ‘forever chemicals’ that threaten our health and ecosystems. With over 23,000 contaminated sites across Europe and rising regulatory pressures, solving this crisis has become a major challenge.

PFAS have been widely used across many industries due to their resistance to water, grease, heat, and chemical degradation. These properties come from strong carbon-fluorine bonds, the most stable ones in organic chemistry. They are thus nearly indestructible. They bioaccumulate in living organisms, and can cause cancer, hormonal disruptions, and immune system damage.

Despite growing regulations on PFAS usage, such as the European Drinking Water Directive - which addresses only 20 out of 14,000 known PFAS compounds - these measures barely scratch the surface of the problem. Decades of industrial use have left a legacy of contamination, with 23,000 sites across Europe already polluted and 21,500 additional sites at risk. Existing remediation methods, including thermal treatments and adsorption, are far from adequate: they are expensive, energy-intensive, and often produce secondary waste. This highlights an urgent need for innovative, scalable technologies capable of completely destroying PFAS.

This is where Oxyle and its groundbreaking PFAS elimination technology stands out. Using a piezoelectric catalyst, Oxyle’s solution can destroy short-, medium-, and long-chain PFAS with 99% efficiency into smaller harmless chemical compounds. This approach is at least 15 times more energy-efficient than conventional technologies, significantly reducing costs while maintaining scalability. With such a promising innovation, Oxyle is well-positioned to become a leader in PFAS destruction for ground water and industrial wastewater remediation.

At Axeleo Capital, we are deeply committed to supporting greentech industrial startups in scaling their operations and transforming their innovations into market-ready solutions. Our Greentech Industry fund is dedicated to empowering founders like those at Oxyle by helping them deploy their first commercial units, ramp up production capacities, and accelerate their go-to-market strategies. Oxyle’s groundbreaking technology and strong execution align perfectly with this vision, and we are proud to support them alongside 360 Capital and Founderful.

The founding team, Dr. Fajer Mushtaq (CEO) and Dr. Silvan Staufert (CTO), brings unparalleled expertise. Both hold PhDs from ETH Zurich, with Fajer specializing in nanocatalysts for the destruction of micropollutants and Silvan in advanced materials and sensor technologies.

Their combination of technical excellence and entrepreneurial ambition is precisely what is needed to tackle such a challenge.

Congrats to the entire Oxyle team on achieving this important milestone! We are excited to support their journey and look forward to seeing their transformative impact on the water treatment industry and beyond!

Let’s “Clean water. Down to the last drop.”

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Photo Credits : Daniel Kunz, https://danielkunzphoto.com/