Innovation

Water is a vital resource in the industrial sectors and in our daily lives. Where current techniques of water purification employ a plethora of harmful chemicals, Uraphex has set out to break the mold and provide an alternative. To solve these challenges, they developed their own patented “PHEX” technology. It uses a three-step advanced oxidation process that creates oxidizing compounds directly in the water. These non-harmful chemicals have a high disinfectant capacity, eliminating bacteria and microorganisms without the use of other biocides. In the process of spreading their area of operations, Uraphex has tailored their technology to fit many industries:  

URAFOOD: Designed for the food industry to provide chemical-free water disinfection and regeneration in the production process. Their solutions allowed companies to reuse up to 90% of their water and cut energy use. 

URACOOL: Designed to focus on disinfection and regeneration in cooling towers and industrial condensers where large volumes of water are used. Water in this industry is often treated with heavy chemicals and uses a significant amount of energy.  

URACRS: An intelligent system designed for the recovery of energy and water in sterilization processes. It captures heat and water that would otherwise be wasted. It allows clients to treat and reuse water, capture heat to reuse, and integrates real time monitoring. This leads to less waste, lower costs, and promotes sustainable operations.  

Overall, the PHEX technology supports SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure) by fostering a new generation of sustainable and efficient industries and providing a safer chemical-free work environment. It also advances SDG 6 (Clean Water & Sanitation) through the safe treatment and reuse of industrial water, SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption & Production) by creating circular water systems that transform wastewater into a valuable resource, and SDG 13 (Climate Action) by reducing water loss, chemical use, and energy consumption, ultimately lowering carbon emissions and environmental impact. 

Inspiration

We had the opportunity to interview Adrian Valdeolmillos López, Chief Growth Officer at Uraphex who is contributing to Uraphex’s growth from a startup to an established company. 

When asked what inspired the venture, Uraphex’s leadership highlighted their experience in industrial manufacturing environments where heavy chemical usage and water waste were rampant:  

“We were installing fertilization and autoclave lines and saw how the constant use of chemicals damaged pipelines, wasted water, caused long delays and regular maintenance. That’s when we realized there had to be a better way, a more sustainable and circular way to treat water.”  

The founders set out to transform how industries manage water, designing systems that could regenerate it even under tough industrial conditions. “Our mission is to give back to the planet by reusing one of its most valuable resources,” they shared. 

Overall impact

Uraphex aims to impact environmental issues, but more specifically water pollution. Uraphex has seen the great amounts of pollution and diseases that are within the water and while many other companies ignore this or provide little to no resolution, Uraphex decided to make a change. Adrian enthusiastically shared, “In the two and a half years the company has been working; Uraphex has been able to clean one million cubic meters of water —the same amount of water it would take to fill 5 Santiago Bernabeu stadiums!” Furthermore, the use of Uraphex technologies reduces approximately 75% of related manual maintenance tasks and provides a convenient way of tracking water quality. Furthermore, it increases the equipment's useful life by approximately 20%-25%.  

Uraphex uses industrial water to generate harmless, purifying compounds rather than more harmful alternatives, creating an impact that goes far beyond simple conservation. They have also contributed to business efficiency and productivity. With their smart systems, they can easily track water quality in real time, ensuring every drop meets the highest standards. This data-driven approach not only enhances efficiency but also builds transparency and trust in sustainable water management. By promoting a circular economy, Uraphex not only regenerates and reuses water but also inspires industries to rethink outdated practices. Their innovative, scalable solutions turn water scarcity into opportunity, proving that even the most traditional sectors can embrace sustainability and innovation. 

Uraphex’s approach to sustainability is built on serval interconnected, data-driven innovations. Its primary innovation is a patented, chemical-free water regeneration system that has already saved 1 million liters of water in its first 2 and a half years of operation. Additionally, Uraphex allows for the entire process to be fully remotely monitored in real-time. This removes the need for costly and inaccurate manual sampling and laboratory analysis and facilitates the creation of a historical digital record. 

The innovation extends to the hardware itself. Specifically, it’s the size. The reactor being a mere 50cm x 50cm makes it so it can be used in operations of any scale, providing solutions to any size agents. Although, Uraphex already manufactures all its machines in Spain; to further reduce its carbon footprint, it is already engineering alternative manufacturing routes planning for their future growth. 

Business benefit

The mission-driven innovation has been a powerful engine for business growth, which Lopez describes as “quite exponential”, with the hiring of demand increasing each month by one more hire. “In September we were 10, now on the 3rd we will be 15” he notes. “Our team is made up of people from all walks of life. Most of us are in our early 30’s, but we are always looking for new talent that is passionate and understands our vision” Lopez also comments on the struggles the company phases growing out of being a startup to become an established company, and the learning process this entails "We are a passionate team that is constantly faced with challenges, and we learn new things every day. In a day and age where MBAs are extremely popular, I believe there is nothing like starting your own company to truly challenge yourself and learn" This could be seen as their key to their success, focused team eager to better themselves and solves the problems around them. As Lopez puts it “it also makes us feel proud to work at Uraphex.”  

Their culture of hard work and effort have made them set ambitious predictions for their future “Our idea is, at the level of revenue, to do 10x in the next 4 or 5 years.” But they are not done. The team is constantly looking at ways of implementing PHEX technology in unforeseen areas. Through this push for innovation, they hope to improve their lives both in the local and global community. A great example of that is their recent advances in the technology of wastewater treatment, which could help shape what we previously thought possible. Their technology could generate global synergies, making impossible de-contamination projects seem like an everyday thing. 

Social and environmental benefit

The environmental benefits are abundant and multi-faceted. At its core, it is addressing the critical issue of water scarcity by treating millions of cubic meters of water directly supporting SDG 6. Their mission also implies the re-shaping of water treatment for industrial and agricultural sectors, eliminating the need for chemical biocides. This will reduce the chance of pollutants leaching into local ecosystems and public waterways, preserving aquatic life and water quality supporting SDG 14. This is particularly important in Spain, where poor chemical management sometimes leads to biological disasters such as the “Mar Menor” in Almería. Also, their technology enables the reuse of hot water in water treatment plants which reduces carbon footprint and energy use, leading to a significant contribution to decreasing climate change. This is especially significant if we consider 10% of the world’s energy is used to pump and treat water, and that over 2 billion people face water stress (a number that is likely to reach 5 billion by 2030)  

The innovation provides a direct societal benefit by improving working conditions for factory employees supporting SDG 9. By “eliminating almost 75%” of the manual maintenance task related to chemical handling and descaling, it reduces worker exposure to hazardous substances and difficult physical labor. Furthermore, the implementation of PHEX technology simplifies the tedious process of record taking and improves the accuracy of these.  

Lastly, Uraphex is also expanding its technology by creating a plan that is in a long-term circular economy model by exploring alternative reactor designs and manufacturing structures to further reduce, their already low, carbon footprint (SDG 12). Specially, focusing in local manufacturing and development pushing to develop their local economy.  

Interview

Adrian Valdeomillos López, Chief Growth Officer

Watch video