Aquagga, Inc.
Aquagga, Inc. is a Tacoma-based climate tech company that permanently destroys PFAS 'forever chemicals' in industrial wastewater, AFFF, landfill leachate, and remediation sites using its proprietary Hydrothermal Alkaline Treatment (HALT) technology, serving government, industrial, and municipal clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersTacoma, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Aquagga, Inc. does
Aquagga, Inc. is a Tacoma, Washington-based climate technology company that develops and deploys systems for the permanent destruction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly termed "forever chemicals." Founded in 2019-2020 as a University of Washington spinout by Brian Pinkard (CTO) and Chris Woodruff (COO), the company's core technology is Hydrothermal Alkaline Treatment (HALT) — a proprietary chemical process operating at subcritical temperatures (<374°C) and elevated pH that breaks carbon-fluorine bonds and achieves complete PFAS mineralization without toxic byproducts. HALT is differentiated by its ability to treat complex matrices including high-total-dissolved-solids industrial wastewater, AFFF concentrates, and landfill leachate without salt crash-out or radical scavenging issues encountered by supercritical water oxidation or electrochemical alternatives. Performance has been validated at >99% destruction across ultra short-chain (TFA, PFPrA), short-chain, and long-chain PFAS, with peer-reviewed results published in ACS ES&T Engineering and demonstrated in 200+ hour continuous pilots at 3M manufacturing facilities and DoD-funded North Carolina deployments processing approximately 3,000 gallons of contaminated material.
The company offers three product series — Colt, Steed, and Stampede — available for lease, purchase, or demonstration projects, targeting industrial wastewater producers (fluorochemical, pharmaceutical, semiconductor), AFFF stockpile destruction, environmental remediation at military and contaminated sites, and landfill leachate treatment. Aquagga operates an enterprise field-sales motion selling direct to government agencies (DoD, EPA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, FAA, state departments of ecology), industrial clients, and municipal utilities, supplemented by integration partnerships with foam fractionation providers (ECT2, Allonnia). The commercial model combines fee-for-service destruction projects, equipment leasing and sales, and non-dilutive federal grant funding (DARPA, SBIR, ESTCP, AFWERX, NSF). In November 2024, Dhileep Sivam was appointed CEO to lead commercialization, bringing experience from Intellectual Ventures, Gates Ventures, and Breakthrough Energy. Subsequent moves — Katapult VC investment (February 2026), Enduring Planet partnership (March 2026), and continued federal recognition including the EPA Administrator's Award (2025) — position the company at the transition point from grant-funded R&D to commercial-scale deployment, supported by regulatory tailwinds from the EPA's 2024 PFAS drinking water standard and DoD remediation mandates across 700+ contaminated sites.
Aquagga, Inc. firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Aquagga, Inc.
- Legal name
- Aquagga, Inc.
- Website
- https://aquagga.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Aquagga, Inc. is a Tacoma-based climate tech company that permanently destroys PFAS 'forever chemicals' in industrial wastewater, AFFF, landfill leachate, and remediation sites using its proprietary Hydrothermal Alkaline Treatment (HALT) technology, serving government, industrial, and municipal clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Aquagga, Inc. industry classification
Industry- Product category
- PFAS Destruction Equipment / Industrial Wastewater Treatment
- akta.pro primary industry
- PFAS & Emerging Contaminants Removal (AFFF/Trace Organics) (EUANADAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- PFAS Investigation & Remediation (BPALAKAJ), PFAS & Emerging Contaminants Treatment Services (IMAIAGAJ)
Keywords
Where Aquagga, Inc. is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tacoma
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Aquagga, Inc. business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- PFAS Destruction Equipment (Colt, Steed, Stampede Series): Aquagga leases, sells, and deploys its HALT-based PFAS destruction systems (Colt Series, Steed Series, Stampede Series) to industrial clients, municipalities, and government agencies. Systems are available for lease, purchase, or demonstration projects. Revenue is generated through equipment sales, leasing contracts, and fee-for-service destruction projects.
- Fee-for-Service PFAS Destruction: Aquagga operates its equipment at client sites (e.g., DoD military bases, 3M facilities, municipal WWTPs) to provide on-site PFAS destruction as a service. The company generates revenue by processing PFAS-containing waste materials at client facilities, with pricing based on volume treated or project duration.
- Government and Defense Contracts: Aquagga receives federal funding and contracts from agencies including DoD, EPA SBIR, DARPA, AFWERX, and others to demonstrate and deploy HALT technology at military installations and government facilities. These grants and contracts support R&D, demonstration projects, and commercialization.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Colt Series — available for lease, purchase, or demonstration projects |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Steed Series — mobile/municipal-scale unit for lease, purchase, or demonstration |
| Unit Pricing | Multi-year contract | Stampede Series — available for lease, purchase, or demonstration projects |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Aquagga, Inc. product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Aquagga develops, manufactures, and deploys PFAS ("forever chemical") destruction equipment based on its proprietary Hydrothermal Alkaline Treatment (HALT) technology. The company offers three product lines — Colt Series, Steed Series (mobile/municipal-scale), and Stampede Series — available for lease, purchase, or demonstration projects. Aquagga also operates the systems on-site as a fee-for-service for industrial wastewater, AFFF stockpile, landfill leachate, and military site remediation applications.
Product overview
Aquagga offers a portfolio of PFAS destruction solutions centered on its proprietary Hydrothermal Alkaline Treatment (HALT) technology. The product lineup includes three destruction unit series—Colt, Steed, and Stampede—all based on the HALT platform. These units are available for lease, purchase, or demonstration projects and target industrial wastewater, solid waste and landfill leachate, environmental remediation (military and defense), and AFFF (aqueous film-forming foam) applications. The HALT technology operates at subcritical temperatures and high pH to chemically destroy PFAS compounds including ultra short-chain, short-chain, and long-chain variants without harmful byproducts.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Colt Series PFAS destruction unit based on Aquagga's HALT technology, available for lease, purchase, or demonstration projects. Targets industrial wastewater, AFFF, landfill leachate, and environmental remediation applications for enterprise and government clients.
- Steed Series Mobile/municipal-scale PFAS destruction unit based on HALT technology, designed for municipal wastewater treatment plant and field deployments. Available for lease, purchase, or demonstration projects; deployed at Tacoma Central WWTP and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers AFFF destruction projects.
- Stampede Series PFAS destruction unit based on Aquagga's HALT technology, available for lease, purchase, or demonstration projects. Targets industrial wastewater, AFFF, landfill leachate, and environmental remediation applications for enterprise and government clients.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 99% PFAS destruction including ultra short-chain (TFA, PFPrA), short-chain, and long-chain PFAS in high-TDS matrices at 726–1,380 ppm concentrations
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Aquagga, Inc.
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Aquagga, Inc. technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Aquagga, Inc. partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) — Defense Innovation Unit & ESTCPcoreAquagga received DoD funding through the Defense Innovation Unit and Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) to demonstrate HALT technology for PFAS destruction at military installations. The DoD updated its 2023 Interim Guidance to explicitly mention HALT as an emerging PFAS destruction technology under review. Projects aim to address PFAS contamination at DoD's 700+ contaminated sites, with demonstration projects processing PFAS-laced material and eliminating 47 target PFAS compounds.
- Imagine H2OmajorAquagga was selected as one of 10 companies out of 350+ applicants for the Imagine H2O 2025 Accelerator program, which provides early-stage water technology companies with mentorship, ecosystem access, pilot opportunities, and visibility within the water sector. Imagine H2O alumni companies have a 71% success rate.
- City of TacomacoreAquagga partnered with the City of Tacoma for its first municipal-scale PFAS destruction demonstration at the Tacoma Central Wastewater Treatment Plant. The project pairs foam fractionation (ECT2) with HALT to demonstrate end-to-end PFAS removal and destruction for municipal wastewater applications.
- ECT2coreECT2 provides foam fractionation technology that concentrates PFAS from wastewater streams (up to 1,000x volume reduction), which is then destroyed by Aquagga's HALT system. The two technologies are integrated in a closed-loop treatment train demonstrated at the Tacoma Central WWTP.
- Washington State Department of EcologymajorPartnered with Aquagga on the municipal-scale PFAS destruction demonstration at the Tacoma Central WWTP, providing regulatory guidance and funding support alongside the City of Tacoma and University of Washington-Tacoma.
- University of Washington-TacomamajorPartnered with Aquagga on the municipal-scale PFAS destruction demonstration project at the Tacoma Central WWTP, providing academic research support and collaboration.
- World Economic Forum (UpLink)majorAquagga was named one of 10 Top Innovators in the UpLink Tackling Water Pollution Challenge by the World Economic Forum, selected from 273 applicants. This recognition provides global visibility, ecosystem access, and connects Aquagga with other water innovation leaders through the Davos-connected network.
- 3McoreAquagga partnered with 3M for a pilot study at a 3M manufacturing facility, treating over 1,000 gallons of high-TDS industrial wastewater containing mixed PFAS compounds. The partnership produced a peer-reviewed publication in ACS ES&T Engineering validating HALT's complete PFAS removal and fluorine mass balance closure in complex high-salt matrices, including ultra short-chain, short-chain, and long-chain PFAS at concentrations of 726–1,380 ppm.
- U.S. Army Corps of EngineerscoreAquagga mobilized its Steed Series system for a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers AFFF destruction project, demonstrating the technology's readiness for government-funded remediation programs.
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)minorAquagga's CEO Dhileep Sivam participated in the 2025 NREL Industry Growth Forum, connecting with investors, startups, and industry leaders in the clean energy and environmental technology ecosystem.
- Imagine H2O (2025 Accelerator)majorAquagga was selected into the 2025 Imagine H2O Accelerator, which supports water-related startups from over 350 applications across 70 countries. The program aids development, commercialization, and global scaling efforts.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Aquagga, Inc. competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- 374Water: 374Water develops supercritical water oxidation systems (AirSCWO) for PFAS and other organic destruction. Closest direct competitor to Aquagga in the PFAS destruction technology category, targeting similar municipal, industrial, and defense customers with on-site destruction units.
- Claros Technologies: Claros Technologies commercializes electrochemical and catalytic PFAS destruction technology. Competes with Aquagga in the industrial wastewater and consumer products PFAS destruction market using a different destruction mechanism.
- Revive Environmental: Revive Environmental (formerly Battelle's PFAS remediation spinout) offers thermal and chemical PFAS destruction services for AFFF, landfill leachate, and industrial waste streams. Direct competitor in PFAS remediation and destruction services for government and industrial clients.
- Aclarity: Aclarity develops electrochemical PFAS destruction systems targeting industrial wastewater and AFFF applications. Emerging direct competitor using a different destruction chemistry (electrochemical oxidation) but addressing the same end markets as Aquagga.
Emerging players
- Allonnia: Allonnia develops biological and foam fractionation technologies for PFAS removal and concentration, and has partnered with Aquagga (SAFF-40 + HALT integration) on landfill leachate pilots. Comparable as a PFAS treatment player with overlapping use cases in industrial and solid waste streams.
Broad incumbents
- Montrose Environmental Group: Montrose Environmental is a diversified environmental services firm offering PFAS testing, advisory, and treatment services across industrial, municipal, and government clients. Larger incumbent operating in PFAS remediation adjacencies.
- Clean Harbors: Clean Harbors is a major North American environmental services company with PFAS treatment, waste handling, and incineration capabilities. Broad incumbent providing alternative PFAS disposal pathways to Aquagga's destruction approach.
- Xylem: Xylem is a global water technology company with advanced treatment, monitoring, and emerging PFAS treatment offerings to municipal and industrial customers. Broad incumbent in water and wastewater with overlap to Aquagga's municipal PFAS destruction market.
- Veolia North America: Veolia (including acquired Evoqua) operates large-scale water and hazardous waste treatment infrastructure with PFAS-related offerings. Broad incumbent offering alternative compliance pathways for municipalities and industrial PFAS producers.
Others
- Battelle Memorial Institute: Battelle operates major PFAS remediation R&D programs for DoD and EPA, including thermal destruction pilots. Functions as both a collaborator and potential competitor in the PFAS destruction ecosystem, especially for defense-funded remediation work.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Aquagga, Inc. social profiles
Digital presenceAquagga, Inc. financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Aquagga, Inc. leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Aquagga, Inc. funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds25 records
Investors10 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Aquagga, Inc. M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Aquagga, Inc.
What does Aquagga, Inc. do?
Aquagga develops, manufactures, and deploys PFAS ("forever chemical") destruction equipment based on its proprietary Hydrothermal Alkaline Treatment (HALT) technology. The company offers three product lines — Colt Series, Steed Series (mobile/municipal-scale), and Stampede Series — available for lease, purchase, or demonstration projects. Aquagga also operates the systems on-site as a fee-for-service for industrial wastewater, AFFF stockpile, landfill leachate, and military site remediation applications.
Is Aquagga, Inc. a public or private company?
Aquagga, Inc. is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Aquagga, Inc. founded?
Aquagga, Inc. was founded in 2020. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Aquagga, Inc. based?
Aquagga, Inc. is headquartered in Tacoma, United States, in the North America region.
How does Aquagga, Inc. make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. PFAS Destruction Equipment (Colt, Steed, Stampede Series) is the primary driver. The others are fee-for-Service PFAS Destruction and government and Defense Contracts.
Who are Aquagga, Inc.'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are 374Water, Claros Technologies, Revive Environmental and Aclarity. Allonnia is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Montrose Environmental Group, Clean Harbors, Xylem and Veolia North America. Battelle Memorial Institute is listed as an others.
Does Aquagga, Inc. have an API?
No public API is recorded for Aquagga, Inc..
What industry is Aquagga, Inc. in?
Aquagga, Inc.'s product category is PFAS Destruction Equipment / Industrial Wastewater Treatment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUANADAJ, PFAS & Emerging Contaminants Removal (AFFF/Trace Organics), with a secondary code of BPALAKAJ, PFAS Investigation & Remediation.