CIWI
Produces water treatment chemicals on-site via electrochemical methods
Website: https://www.ciwi.earth/
Cover Block
PUBLIC
| Name | CIWI |
| Tagline | Produces water treatment chemicals on-site via electrochemical methods |
| Headquarters | Netherlands |
| Founded | 2023 |
| Stage | Pre-Seed |
| Business Model | B2B |
| Industry | Cleantech / Climatetech |
| Technology | Hardware |
| Geography | Western Europe |
| Growth Profile | Social Enterprise / Nonprofit Hybrid |
| Founding Team | Co-Founders (2) |
| Funding Label | Pre-seed |
| Total Disclosed | €25,000 (grant) [YES!Delft] |
Links
PUBLIC
- Website: https://www.ciwi.earth/
- LinkedIn: https://nl.linkedin.com/company/chemical-innovations-in-water-industries
Executive Summary
PUBLIC CIWI is a Dutch cleantech startup that has developed a patented, containerized electrochemical system to produce essential water treatment chemicals on-site, a proposition that directly addresses supply chain fragility and decarbonization mandates in a critical global industry [YES!Delft, Unknown]. The company's founding story originates from a practical problem: co-founders Jasper Schakel and Erik Kraaijeveld identified the high cost and logistical barriers to chemical access in Ghana, which led them to collaborate with TU Delft professor Doris van Halem on a simpler, localized production method [YES!Delft, Unknown]. Their core product generates coagulants, pH agents, and flocculants from basic inputs like steel and salt, integrating into existing water treatment plants without major infrastructure changes, which the company claims can reduce associated CO2 emissions by up to 99 percent [Silicon Canals, Unknown].
The founding team combines engineering consultancy and water treatment industry experience, with strong academic validation through their partnership with TU Delft and a recent win at the Academic Startup Competition 2025 [Silicon Canals, Unknown]. Currently, CIWI operates with a hybrid social enterprise model and is backed by grant funding, including support from the Rabo Impact Fund and the YES!Delft incubator, with its first commercial-scale pilot now running at a Brabant Water facility in the Netherlands [CIWI, Unknown]. Over the next 12-18 months, the key milestones to watch are the technical and economic performance data from this initial pilot, the conversion of broader interest from Dutch water boards into firm purchase orders, and the company's ability to attract its first institutional venture capital round to fund manufacturing scale-up.
Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Core product claims and pilot status are confirmed by company and incubator sources; revenue and valuation figures are from a single database and are unverified.
Taxonomy Snapshot
| Axis | Classification |
|---|---|
| Stage | Pre-Seed |
| Business Model | B2B |
| Industry / Vertical | Cleantech / Climatetech |
| Technology Type | Hardware |
| Geography | Western Europe |
| Growth Profile | Social Enterprise / Nonprofit Hybrid |
| Founding Team | Co-Founders (2) |
| Funding | Pre-seed |
Company Overview
PUBLIC
CIWI, short for Chemical Innovations for Water Industries, was founded in 2023 by engineers Jasper Schakel and Erik Kraaijeveld. The company's origin story is rooted in a practical problem: during a project in Ghana, the founders observed firsthand the limited accessibility and high cost of imported water treatment chemicals, which inspired them to develop a localized, electrochemical alternative [YES!Delft]. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the firm operates as a cleantech hardware startup with a hybrid social enterprise model, focusing on reducing the environmental and logistical footprint of water treatment.
The company's early development was closely tied to academic research at TU Delft. Professor Doris van Halem, a specialist in drinking water technology, collaborated with the founders to translate the electrochemical concept into a patented system, and she is publicly identified as a co-founder [LinkedIn]. This academic partnership provided a foundation for technical validation, which was further supported by CIWI's acceptance into the YES!Delft incubator program [YES!Delft].
Key operational milestones have followed a deliberate path from lab to field. After developing its patented electrochemical coagulant-producing system, CIWI secured a €25,000 financial boost from the Rabo Impact Fund to support early-stage scaling [YES!Delft]. The company's first commercial-scale pilot was installed at Brabant Water’s Zevenbergen process plant, marking a critical step in proving the containerized system's integration with existing infrastructure [CIWI]. More recently, CIWI won the Academic Startup Competition in 2025, signaling recognition within the Dutch innovation ecosystem [Silicon Canals].
Data Accuracy: GREEN -- Founding details, academic partnership, incubator affiliation, and initial pilot are confirmed by the company website and incubator publications. The grant amount and award are reported by secondary press.
Product and Technology
MIXED
The core of CIWI's proposition is a hardware system that generates essential water treatment chemicals on-site, a shift from the industry's century-old reliance on bulk delivery and storage. The company's patented electrochemical device uses electricity to release metal ions from simple base materials, such as steel and salt, to produce coagulants, pH adjustment agents, and flocculants directly at a treatment facility [Perplexity Sonar]. This process is designed to integrate with existing infrastructure without requiring modifications, delivered as a containerized system [Perplexity Sonar, YES!Delft].
The primary public validation of this technology is a commercial-scale pilot. CIWI's first system is installed and operating at Brabant Water's Zevenbergen process plant, a facility for producing industrial process water [CIWI]. A separate, earlier installation was noted at the RWZI Lage Zwaluwe wastewater treatment plant [Jasper Schakel LinkedIn]. The company claims the method can reduce carbon emissions associated with chemical production and transport by up to 99 percent [Silicon Canals]. Its applications are cited across drinking water, municipal wastewater, and industrial treatment segments [YES!Delft].
The technical development is closely tied to academic research at TU Delft. Professor Doris van Halem, a specialist in drinking water technology, is identified as a co-founder and collaborated on developing the patented electrochemical coagulant-producing system [CIWI, Doris van Halem LinkedIn]. This foundation in published research provides a layer of technical credibility distinct from purely commercial hardware ventures.
Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Product claims are consistent across company and incubator sources; technical process description is from a single secondary summary. Pilot installations are confirmed by primary company announcements.
Market Research and Opportunity
PUBLIC
The market for decentralized water treatment solutions is gaining urgency as industrial and municipal operators face escalating costs and reliability pressures tied to chemical supply chains. While CIWI's specific total addressable market (TAM) is not quantified in public sources, the broader context is defined by a global water treatment chemical market valued at approximately $38 billion in 2023, with coagulants and flocculants representing a significant segment [GWI, 2023]. The serviceable available market (SAM) for on-site electrochemical generation in Western Europe is narrower, focusing on operators with sufficient scale and sustainability mandates to justify capital expenditure on new hardware.
Demand drivers are multi-faceted. The primary tailwind is the push for supply chain resilience, a lesson reinforced by recent geopolitical disruptions and logistical bottlenecks that have made bulk chemical delivery unpredictable and expensive [Water Alliance]. Environmental regulation acts as a second, powerful catalyst; the European Union's Green Deal and Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) are increasing pressure on utilities and industrial players to document and reduce their Scope 3 emissions, which include those from purchased chemicals [European Commission]. CIWI's claimed reduction of "up to 99 per cent of CO2 emissions" [Silicon Canals] directly targets this compliance need.
Key adjacent markets include the broader industrial chemical sector, where similar on-site generation concepts exist for gases like nitrogen or hydrogen, and the digital water management software space. These are not direct substitutes but represent parallel investment themes where operational efficiency and decarbonization converge. The regulatory environment in the Netherlands and the broader EU is generally supportive, with public funding often available for pilot projects that demonstrate cleantech innovation, as seen with CIWI's backing from the Rabo Impact Fund [YES!Delft].
Given the absence of a CIWI-specific market sizing study, the following table presents analogous market data points that frame the opportunity:
| Market Segment | Size Estimate (Analogous) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Global Water Treatment Chemicals | $38.1 billion (2023) | GWI, 2023 |
| Coagulants & Flocculants Segment | ~$12 billion (2023, estimated) | Analyst extrapolation from GWI data |
| European Industrial Water Treatment Market | $8.5 billion (2022) | Frost & Sullivan, 2022 |
The analyst takeaway is that CIWI is operating within a large, established market that is undergoing a structural shift. The value proposition is not about creating new demand for water treatment but about capturing a portion of existing chemical spend by offering a more resilient and lower-emission production method. The initial traction with a Dutch utility suggests the pain point is real, but the ultimate serviceable market will be defined by the system's economic payback period and its ability to meet the stringent performance requirements of large-scale plants.
Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Market sizing relies on third-party reports for analogous segments; CIWI's specific SAM/SOM is not publicly modeled.
Competitive Landscape
MIXED The competitive field for CIWI is defined less by direct, like-for-like hardware startups and more by the entrenched supply chain it aims to disrupt and adjacent innovators targeting different parts of the water treatment value chain. A named competitor is not listed in the structured facts, so the analysis proceeds without a direct comparison table.
CIWI's primary competition is the traditional chemical supply model. Global chemical manufacturers like Kemira, SNF Flocculant, and Ecolab dominate the market for coagulants and flocculants, delivering them via truck to treatment plants [YES!Delft]. This incumbent model is vulnerable on cost, carbon footprint, and supply chain resilience, which CIWI explicitly targets. A secondary competitive layer consists of other cleantech startups and research initiatives developing on-site chemical generation, though none with CIWI's specific electrochemical method and containerized hardware approach have been identified in public sources. Adjacent substitutes include alternative water treatment technologies that reduce or eliminate chemical use altogether, such as advanced membrane filtration or UV disinfection systems, though these often serve different treatment stages or water quality challenges.
CIWI's defensible edge today rests on its patented electrochemical system and its deep academic validation. The technology was developed in collaboration with TU Delft Professor Doris van Halem, a recognized authority in drinking water technology, and is protected by patents [CIWI]. This provides a technical moat in the early stages. Furthermore, the company's integration into the Dutch water ecosystem,through the YES!Delft accelerator, the pilot with utility Brabant Water, and recognition from the Water Alliance,grants it a credible beachhead and early-adopter network that would be difficult for a new entrant to replicate quickly [YES!Delft, Water Alliance]. This edge is durable if the company continues to advance its IP portfolio and convert pilot sites into referenceable, long-term customers. However, it is perishable if the core electrochemical process proves difficult to scale economically or if a well-capitalized incumbent or competitor patents a superior method.
The company's most significant exposure is its nascent commercial footprint and reliance on a single geography. While the Brabant Water pilot is a critical proof point, it does not demonstrate an ability to sell into diverse, competitive markets outside the supportive Dutch network. A competitor with a similar on-site generation concept but backed by venture capital could outpace CIWI's commercialization, especially if that competitor secures a partnership with a major global water technology distributor. CIWI also does not currently own a direct sales channel for its containerized systems, a gap that larger incumbents with established sales forces could exploit if they decide to develop or acquire competing on-site technology.
Over the next 18 months, the most plausible competitive scenario hinges on CIWI's ability to convert its academic and pilot momentum into a replicable sales model. If the company successfully deploys multiple paid systems at other Dutch municipal or industrial sites and begins to attract venture funding to scale manufacturing, it could establish itself as the preferred on-site chemical provider for European utilities. In this scenario, the "winner" would be CIWI, capitalizing on first-mover advantage in a niche. Conversely, if commercialization stalls and the technology remains confined to pilot studies, the "loser" would be CIWI, as larger chemical companies or better-funded startups could enter the space with more resources, potentially rendering CIWI's early lead inconsequential. The verdict in the Analyst Notes section will likely turn on which of these trajectories materializes.
Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Competitive mapping is inferred from the company's stated market position and known industry structure; no direct competitor data is publicly cited.
Opportunity
PUBLIC
If CIWI can prove its on-site chemical generation technology is reliable and cost-effective at scale, the prize is a fundamental re-architecting of a multi-billion-dollar global chemical supply chain for water treatment.
The headline opportunity is for CIWI to become the default on-site chemical generation infrastructure for municipal water utilities in Western Europe. This outcome is reachable because the company is already operating a commercial-scale pilot at a major Dutch utility, Brabant Water, which validates the core integration claim [CIWI]. The unit economics are anchored in eliminating the physical supply chain,trucks, storage, and bulk chemical handling,which constitutes a significant portion of operational expenditure for treatment plants. By converting a variable, logistics-heavy cost into a fixed, electricity-driven one, CIWI's value proposition aligns directly with the twin pressures of cost efficiency and decarbonization facing public utilities. The company's patented electrochemical system, developed with TU Delft, provides the technical foundation for this shift [CIWI].
Multiple, distinct paths exist for CIWI to scale beyond its initial pilot. The following scenarios outline plausible routes to significant market penetration.
| Scenario | What happens | Catalyst | Why it's plausible |
|---|---|---|---|
| Municipal Standard in the Netherlands | CIWI's system becomes a preferred or mandated technology for new and upgraded wastewater treatment plants across the country. | A successful multi-year pilot at Brabant Water leads to a framework procurement agreement with a consortium of Dutch water boards. | The company is already embedded in the Dutch water innovation ecosystem via YES!Delft and has received a grant from Rabo Impact Fund, a domestic impact investor [YES!Delft]. The first system is installed at a municipal facility, RWZI Lage Zwaluwe [Jasper Schakel LinkedIn]. |
| Industrial Water Treatment Verticalization | The company targets specific, high-volume industrial segments (e.g., food & beverage, chemicals) with tailored containerized systems. | A partnership with a large engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) firm to integrate CIWI's units into new industrial plant designs. | The technology is cited as applicable to industrial water treatment [YES!Delft]. Industrial clients often face stricter discharge regulations and higher chemical costs, creating a stronger economic incentive for on-site generation. |
Compounding for CIWI would manifest as a data and operational knowledge moat. Each deployed system generates proprietary performance data on chemical yield, electrode longevity, and treatment efficacy across varying water chemistries and flow rates. This dataset, which grows with every installation, would allow CIWI to optimize its systems algorithmically, predict maintenance needs more accurately, and guarantee performance outcomes to new customers with lower risk margins. Early evidence of this learning cycle is present in the company's blog, which details its "ValidationLab" experience and iterative progress toward a patented system [CIWI]. This closed-loop of deployment, data collection, and product improvement creates a barrier for new entrants who lack real-world operating history.
To size the potential win, consider the acquisition of Suez's water technology division by a consortium for an enterprise value exceeding €13 billion in 2021, a transaction that underscored the strategic value of water treatment assets [Various financial reports]. While CIWI is not a direct comparable, it illustrates the valuation multiples commanded by established players with proprietary technology in the water sector. If the "Municipal Standard" scenario plays out, capturing a material share of the European municipal chemical market, CIWI could plausibly reach a valuation in the high hundreds of millions of euros as a strategic technology provider (scenario, not a forecast). The company's current estimated valuation of $2 million [Dealroom.co] suggests the magnitude of the gap between present validation and future scale.
Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- The core technology and pilot details are confirmed by the company and its incubator. The growth scenarios are logical extrapolations from the current beachhead but lack public evidence of advanced commercial discussions. Valuation and revenue estimates are from a single, unverified database.
Sources
PUBLIC
[YES!Delft] CIWI | https://yesdelft.com/startups/ciwi/
[YES!Delft] CIWI Develops New, Clean Additive for Water Purification | https://yesdelft.com/news/ciwi-receives-a-financial-boost-from-rabo-impact-fund/
[CIWI] CIWI - Chemical Innovation for Water Industries | https://www.ciwi.earth/
[LinkedIn] Doris van Halem - Professor Drinking Water Quality & Treatment - Technische Universiteit Delft | https://www.linkedin.com/in/doris-van-halem-3621435/
[Perplexity Sonar] CIWI: Research Brief | https://www.perplexity.ai/
[Silicon Canals] Academic Startup Competition 2025 | https://siliconcanals.com/news/startups/academic-startup-competition-2025/
[Jasper Schakel LinkedIn] CIWI's First Pilot at RWZI Lage Zwaluwe | https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasper-schakel/
[Water Alliance] CIWI: cleaner water without trucks full of chemicals | https://wateralliance.nl/en/ciwi-cleaner-water-without-trucks-full-of-chemicals/
[Dealroom.co] CIWI company information, funding & investors | https://app.dealroom.co/companies/ciwi
[GWI, 2023] Global Water Treatment Chemicals Market | https://www.globalwaterintel.com/
[Frost & Sullivan, 2022] European Industrial Water Treatment Market | https://www.frost.com/
[European Commission] Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) | https://finance.ec.europa.eu/capital-markets-union-and-financial-markets/company-reporting-and-auditing/company-reporting/corporate-sustainability-reporting_en
Articles about CIWI
- CIWI Is Replacing Water Treatment Trucks With Shipping Containers — The Dutch startup's electrochemical units generate chemicals on-site, cutting emissions and supply chain risk for utilities like Brabant Water.