Membrion raises $12.5 million for ceramic wastewater desalination membranes

Seattle-based Membrion closed a $12.5 million Series B round for its ceramic desalination membranes that recover up to 98% of industrial wastewater. Indian industrial and semiconductor manufacturers facing water-recycling mandates and scarcity may track such circular treatment technologies that lower operating costs.

Membrion, a Seattle company specializing in industrial and semiconductor wastewater treatment, closed its Series B funding round totaling $12.5 million. Founded in 2016, Membrion produces ceramic desalination membranes recovering up to 98% of water under challenging conditions, removing the need for thermal treatment, chemical precipitation or offsite transport. The second stage of the round, led by Samsung Venture Investment Corporation and Lam Capital, raised $5.5 million, following a prior $7 million tranche led by PureTerra Ventures. Applications span microelectronics, oil and gas, and food and beverage industries.

The technology affects industrial water users across microelectronics, oil and gas, and food and beverage sectors, particularly semiconductor facilities producing harsh, metal-laden wastewater. CEO Greg Newbloom said the technology creates circularity of valuable resources from challenging wastewater and that commercial installations coming online will save each customer hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. Membrion positions itself among the few sustainable wastewater treatment options that lower facility operating costs, a key driver of adoption versus resource-intensive conventional methods.

Indian semiconductor, electronics, oil and gas, and food-processing firms facing water scarcity and zero-liquid-discharge expectations should monitor Membrion's commercial deployments and the claimed up-to-98% water recovery at lowered operating cost. Manufacturers evaluating wastewater circularity should track whether ceramic membrane desalination proves cost-competitive against thermal and chemical methods, while investors and water-technology integrators may watch the company's scale-up following its $12.5 million Series B and multiple commercial installations.

Key figure — Water recovery rate: up to 98%