OceanWell

What OceanWell does

OceanWell is a privately held climate-technology company founded in 2019 and headquartered in Menlo Park, California, that has developed a modular subsea desalination system to produce fresh water from the deep ocean. The company's core technology consists of 40-foot (13-meter) cylindrical pods anchored approximately 400+ meters (1,300+ feet) below the ocean surface, which use natural hydrostatic pressure to drive reverse osmosis rather than energy-intensive high-pressure pumps. Each pod can harvest up to one million gallons (4,000 m³) of fresh water daily while consuming approximately 40% less energy than conventional land-based desalination. The proprietary LifeSafe™ intake and circulation system uses fine mesh screens, low intake velocities, and automated backwash to protect marine life, while the system's low-recovery (10-15%) operation produces far less concentrated brine that dissipates rapidly at depth.

OceanWell's product portfolio centers on its "Water Farms" platform, comprising the core pod system and the LifeSafe™ module, deployed across staged milestones including the Blue Water Farm R&D track, the LVMWD reservoir pilot program (launched March 2025 and successfully completed a 9-month test), the planned Water Farm 1 commercial-scale project off the Malibu coast (targeting 60 MGD by 2030 with $500M-$1B estimated capital cost), and a parallel Mediterranean deployment with Eau d'Azur in France. The company operates a Water-as-a-Service commercial model, offering multi-year per-volume water purchase agreements to municipal and industrial customers at an estimated $2,000-$3,000 per acre-foot, shifting capital risk from buyers to OceanWell. Its customer base is entirely public-sector water utilities, including a 7-agency California consortium (LVMWD, Calleguas MWD, Burbank Water and Power, and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California), with 25 California agencies participating in its working group and 8 LOIs signed.

The company has raised approximately $15.2 million to date, including an $11 million Series A closed in November 2024 led by Kubota Corporation. It is led by CEO and founder Robert Bergstrom (a 25-year water industry veteran and former Goldman Sachs partner who previously founded Seven Seas Water), along with co-founders Charles McGarraugh and Dr. Michael Porter. OceanWell has been recognized as an XPRIZE Water Scarcity semifinalist, a USBR "Pitch to Pilot" grant recipient, an Imagine H2O graduate, and a Cleantech 50 to Watch company, with additional partnerships spanning BCG, NAWI, Cemex Ventures, and the European Water Tech Accelerator.

Name

OceanWell

Legal name

OceanWell LLC

Website

https://oceanwellwater.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

OceanWell develops modular subsea reverse osmosis desalination pods anchored 400+ meters deep that use natural hydrostatic pressure to produce fresh water for municipal water agencies and industrial customers, with 40% lower energy use than conventional desalination.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Subsea Desalination / Water Infrastructure

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)

akta.pro primary industry

Seawater Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) Plants & Operations (EUANAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Subsea/Underwater Water Transfer Pipelines (Crossing/Marine) (TLAGAHAH)

Keywords

• Subsea desalination
• Deep-sea reverse osmosis
• Water-as-a-service
• Municipal water supply
• Water infrastructure

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Water-as-a-Service (Managed Service): Subscription/managed service model where OceanWell delivers water to municipalities at a pre-agreed price point, shifting upfront capital commitment from buyer to supplier — described as a "Silicon Valley subscription principle."
2. Large-Scale Water Project Delivery: Long-cycle infrastructure project delivery involving design, build, and operation of subsea water farms for water agencies (e.g., Water Farm 1: 60 MGD, $500M-$1B estimated capital cost; 4.5 miles off Malibu coast). Revenue is tied to long-term water purchase agreements.
3. Water Purchase Agreements: Per-unit water supply contracts with utilities and water agencies; initial water cost estimated at $2,000-$3,000 per acre-foot for the Malibu Water Farm 1 project, paid by agencies such as those forming the Southern California Regional Water Authority.
4. Grant & Public Funding (Early R&D): Non-dilutive public funding during pilot and demonstration phases — e.g., $236,877 from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation "Pitch to Pilot" grant program to develop Blue Water Farm technology.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

OceanWell designs, builds, and operates modular subsea (deep-sea) reverse osmosis desalination pods — branded "Water Farms" — anchored approximately 400+ meters below the ocean surface. Each cylindrical 40ft/13m pod uses natural hydrostatic pressure to drive the RO process, producing up to 1 million gallons (4,000 m³) of fresh water per day with ~40% lower energy consumption than conventional land-based desalination. The company delivers this fresh water to public water agencies, municipalities, and industrial users under a "Water-as-a-Service" commercial model backed by long-term water purchase agreements.

Product overview

OceanWell offers a single integrated physical product platform — modular, subsea "Water Farms" — anchored 400+ meters below the ocean surface that harness natural hydrostatic pressure to drive reverse osmosis desalination. The core Water Farms system is complemented by LifeSafe™, a proprietary intake and circulation module that protects marine life and avoids concentrated brine discharge. These two named products are deployed together across staged milestones: an early-stage "Blue Water Farm Technology" R&D track, the LVMWD reservoir Pilot Program (with Water Farm 1 as the first commercial-scale deployment off Malibu, California), and a parallel Mediterranean Subsea Water Farm project in France. Beyond the hardware, OceanWell has co-published the BCG Water Value Framework as an analytical offering to inform water valuation and investment decisions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LifeSafe™: OceanWell's proprietary intake and circulation system for its deep-sea desalination pods, engineered to protect marine life and minimize ecological impact while harvesting seawater for fresh-water production.
• Water Farm 1 (WF1)

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces energy consumption by 40% compared to conventional land-based desalination plants
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship european public-sector partner, core consortium member, major regional water infrastructure partner, major research / thought leadership partner, flagship public-sector partner; lead agency in 7-agency consortium, core accelerator / ecosystem partner, core r&d / ecosystem partner, minor partner, major competition / visibility partner, minor regional facilitator, critical regulatory partner and prospective public-sector partner.

• Eau d'Azurflagship european public-sector partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 January 2026Public utility for the Nice Metropolis. MOU signed January 15, 2026 to conduct first deployment of OceanWell's subsea water farm technology in France. 12-month testing phase beginning 2026 including environmental impact assessment and site-specific engineering studies, informing a potential commercial deployment between 2028 and 2030.
• Calleguas Municipal Water Districtcore consortium memberStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 August 2025Member of the 7-agency consortium led by LVMWD funding an independent feasibility study for Water Farm 1 onshore infrastructure. Ian Prichard, Deputy General Manager, publicly endorsed the consortium approach.
• Burbank Water and Powercore consortium memberStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 August 2025Member of the 7-agency consortium; developing an innovative water exchange program with the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) to deliver OceanWell water to inland partners. Richard Wilson, Assistant General Manager, publicly endorsed the approach.
• Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD)major regional water infrastructure partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 August 2025Partner in the water exchange program enabling Burbank Water and Power and other inland agencies to receive OceanWell water through MWD's system.
• Boston Consulting Group (BCG)major research / thought leadership partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2025Co-developed the "What is Water Really Worth?" report and Water Value Framework in February 2025 with BCG; co-authors include Torsten Kurth, Vuk Trifkovic, Dean Muruven, Sina Stöhr, Alana Tung, Robert Bergstrom, Charles McGarraugh, Jonathan Haswell, Dr. Timothy Quinn, and Jamie Spotswood. Logo "BCG X" also featured on website partners page.
• Las Virgenes Municipal Water District (LVMWD)flagship public-sector partner; lead agency in 7-agency consortiumStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023First partnership announced in 2023; pilot launched March 21, 2025 at Las Virgenes Reservoir in Westlake Village, CA. Lead agency funding the Water Farm 1 commercial project and feasibility study; representing approximately 70,000 residents in the cities of Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Hidden Hills, Westlake Village, and unincorporated areas of western Los Angeles County.
• Imagine H2Ocore accelerator / ecosystem partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerOceanWell is a graduate of the Imagine H2O water-tech accelerator; Imagine H2O logo prominently featured on website Partners & Accolades page.
• NAWI (National Alliance for Water Innovation)core r&d / ecosystem partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerNAWI logo featured on OceanWell's Partners & Accolades page; NAWI is a U.S. Department of Energy-funded alliance advancing water technology innovation.
• Cemex Venturesminor partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerLogo featured on OceanWell's Partners & Accolades page; Cemex Ventures is the corporate venture capital arm of Cemex focused on construction tech and sustainability.
• European Water Tech Acceleratorminor partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerLogo featured on OceanWell's Partners & Accolades page; partner in OceanWell's European expansion.
• Earth05minor partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerLogo featured on OceanWell's Partners & Accolades page.
• XPRIZE (Mohamed Bin Zayed Water Initiative)major competition / visibility partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerOceanWell is a semifinalist in the $119M XPRIZE Water Scarcity competition (announced May 13, 2026). Semifinal testing scheduled for 2026. Provides significant visibility and validation.
• Team Nice Côte d'Azurminor regional facilitatorGTM or Marketing PartnerFacilitated OceanWell's European expansion and MOU signing with Eau d'Azur, supporting the establishment of the European headquarters in Nice.
• California Coastal Commissioncritical regulatory partnerOthersApproved the next phase of testing in the ocean for OceanWell's subsea water farm technology following the successful reservoir pilot at LVMWD, paving the way for offshore deployment.
• State of Arizona (water credit exchange program)prospective public-sector partnerOthersArizona is exploring OceanWell's desalination technology to enhance its water supply; proposal includes using water credit exchange programs to deliver water to Arizona.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• IDE Technologies: Israel-based global leader in desalination and water treatment, with hundreds of large-scale SWRO plants delivered worldwide. Directly comparable to OceanWell as a seawater desalination project developer serving municipalities and industrial customers, though IDE's portfolio is much broader and relies on conventional land-based SWRO rather than subsea hydrostatic-pressure RO.
• Acciona Agua: Spanish water infrastructure and desalination arm of Acciona, operating large SWRO plants across the Middle East, Australia, and the Mediterranean. Highly comparable to OceanWell as a project developer and operator of seawater desalination assets for public agencies, with overlapping Mediterranean customer base.
• Doosan Enpure (Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction): Korean engineering, procurement, and construction firm with a dedicated water business delivering SWRO plants globally. Comparable to OceanWell as a turnkey seawater desalination project developer serving municipal and industrial clients; competes on project scale and EPC execution.
• Sidem (Veolia Water Technologies): Desalination specialist within Veolia that designs and builds thermal and RO desalination plants worldwide. Directly comparable to OceanWell in delivering large-scale SWRO projects to public utilities; represents one of the most established incumbents OceanWell must differentiate against on cost and environmental footprint.

Direct peers

• Seven Seas Water: Water-as-a-Service desalination company founded by OceanWell CEO Robert Bergstrom, sold by Morgan Stanley to EQT. The most directly comparable peer: same founder DNA, same managed-service commercial model delivering seawater desalination to municipal and industrial customers, though Seven Seas uses conventional land-based RO rather than subsea pods.
• Energy Recovery Inc. US-listed technology company supplying energy-recovery devices (ERDs) and pressure-exchanger technology that materially reduce SWRO energy consumption. Comparable to OceanWell as a technology vendor focused on lowering the energy intensity of seawater reverse osmosis, and a key potential supplier or collaborator for any subsea RO architecture.

Regional players

• Cadagua: Spanish EPC contractor and water treatment company (Ferrovial group) specializing in desalination and water reuse projects across Iberia, MENA, and Latin America. Comparable to OceanWell as a project-based seawater desalination developer; primarily competes in EMEA geographies that overlap with OceanWell's planned Mediterranean expansion.

Emerging players

• Oneka Technologies: Canadian startup developing wave-powered desalination buoys that produce fresh water from seawater with low energy intensity. Directly comparable to OceanWell as an early-stage company reimagining desalination economics through ocean-deployed, lower-energy hardware rather than conventional land-based plants.
• Gradiant: US- and Singapore-based water-technology company offering proprietary desalination and water reuse solutions to industrial and municipal customers. Comparable to OceanWell as a venture-backed, technology-led desalination specialist competing on differentiated hardware rather than commodity EPC delivery.
• Saltworks Technologies: Canadian developer of advanced desalination and water-treatment systems, including low-energy RO variants. Comparable to OceanWell as a smaller, innovation-driven desalination technology company targeting industrial and municipal customers with differentiated hardware rather than conventional SWRO plants.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/oceanwellwater
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ocean-well-water

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OceanWell