What PowerTech Water does

PowerTech Water, operating commercially as ElectraMet, is a Lexington, Kentucky-based industrial water technology company founded in 2014 that develops electrochemical systems for chemical-free metal recovery and oxidant abatement from industrial wastewater. The core technology uses advanced carbon electrodes and controlled voltage differentials to selectively remove specific metal ions (copper, manganese, silver, hexavalent chromium, lead, cadmium, tin, gold) at 99.99% purity while consuming less than 0.17 kWh per cubic meter treated, producing metals as pure sheets, powder, or salts suitable for resale. The platform comprises four modular systems: Alpha (discharge compliance with real-time copper removal), Omega (bulk metal removal for mining and microelectronics), Gamma (hydrogen peroxide and oxidant abatement), and Iota (1:20 scale evaluation unit), complemented by the ElectraLink onboard data management platform that delivers monitoring, predictive analytics, anomaly detection, and SCADA integration.

The company monetizes through a direct enterprise field-sales motion, selling custom-engineered capital equipment under multi-year contracts to industrial manufacturers across semiconductor fabrication, EV battery recycling, defense, PCB manufacturing, medical devices, and mining. Revenue is generated from one-time system sales, professional services (feasibility testing, pilot installations, commercial implementation), and downstream metal recovery economics where customers reclaim valuable metals as a profit center rather than incurring waste disposal costs. Quantified customer outcomes include a 97% silver recovery rate versus 55% with prior ion exchange at a PCB site, 75% labor reduction at a medical tubing manufacturer, and elimination of more than one million pounds of annual chemical use at a steel mill.

Capital structure reflects a cleantech-hardware profile: a $6 million Series B led by HG Ventures in June 2021, an SEC Form D securities offering of approximately $5.77 million in mid-2023, plus earlier NSF and DOE grant funding totaling over $1.2 million and seed participation from Keyhorse Capital, Evergreen Climate Innovations, Pipeline H2O, and Mazarine Ventures. The intellectual property base includes three granted US patents (US 11,117,818 and US 11,845,024 covering ElectraMet; US 10,793,450 covering INCION), with additional patents pending in the US and internationally.

Name

PowerTech Water

Legal name

PowerTech Water, Inc.

Website

https://electramet.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PowerTech Water (d/b/a ElectraMet) provides electrochemical wastewater treatment systems that selectively recover metals at 99.99% purity without chemicals, serving semiconductor, EV battery recycling, defense, medical device, and mining manufacturers in North America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Wastewater Treatment Equipment

NAICS

Measuring, Dispensing, and Other Pumping Equipment Manufacturing (333914), Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Smelting and Refining (33141)

SIC

Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620), Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Wastewater Reuse (Cooling/Process/Boiler Feed) (EUANADAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial ZLD/MLD & Brine Concentrate Management (EUANADAG), Industrial Wastewater Treatment Chemicals (IMAEAJAC), Mining & Metals Process & Water Chemicals (IMAEAJAJ)

Keywords

• Electrochemical water treatment
• Industrial wastewater treatment
• Metal recovery systems
• Heavy metal removal
• Water treatment equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Lexington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Wastewater Treatment Systems: Sale of electrochemical treatment systems (Alpha, Omega, Gamma, Iota) to industrial manufacturers. Systems are custom-engineered and implemented based on feasibility testing and pilot studies. Revenue from capital equipment installation and integration.
2. Metal Recovery Revenue: Customers recover metals at 99.99% purity which can be reintegrated into manufacturing or sold as recyclable metal. This creates a revenue stream from what was previously waste disposal cost, turning wastewater treatment into a profit center.
3. Professional Services: Feasibility testing (analyzing customer water samples), pilot installation studies, and implementation services. Ongoing support and optimization services through ElectraLink connectivity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

PowerTech Water (operating as ElectraMet) sells modular electrochemical wastewater treatment systems (Alpha, Omega, Gamma, Iota) that selectively remove and recover dissolved heavy metals and oxidants from industrial process streams without chemicals. Systems deliver metals at 99.99% purity as reusable sheets, powder, or salts and are complemented by the ElectraLink AI monitoring platform and feasibility, pilot, and implementation services for industrial customers.

Product overview

ElectraMet offers a modular electrochemical wastewater treatment platform with four core system models (Alpha, Gamma, Omega, Iota) designed for metal recovery, oxidant abatement, and acid reuse across industrial applications. The systems share a common electrochemical technology foundation but serve distinct purposes: Alpha targets discharge compliance, Omega handles bulk metal removal for mining and microelectronics, Gamma addresses oxidant decomposition for water reuse, and Iota provides small-scale feasibility evaluation. The platform is complemented by the ElectraLink AI-powered monitoring add-on, selective metal recovery capabilities achieving 99.99% purity, and supporting modules for discharge compliance, impurity removal, waste elimination, and asset protection. The company also provides white papers and application notes as knowledge resources, along with feasibility testing, pilot installation, and commercial implementation services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ElectraMet Alpha System Electrochemical system designed for discharge compliance, providing real-time copper removal and converting dissolved copper into recyclable solid metal with automated monitoring for industrial manufacturers needing assured regulatory compliance.
• ElectraMet Omega System Bulk metal removal system optimized for high-concentration copper streams in mining and microelectronics applications, featuring electrowinning technology for efficient recovery with reduced labor and maintenance.
• ElectraMet Gamma System Oxidant decomposition system engineered for safe abatement of hydrogen peroxide and other oxidants to enhance water reuse in industrial applications such as semiconductor manufacturing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces copper from 10,000 ppm to 0.2 ppm with 99.99% recovery purity
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Kelpie GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner on ElectraMet's website. Kelpie Scientific appears to be a scientific/technical partner for product development or integration.
• Star AdvanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner on ElectraMet's website. Star Advance appears to be a technology or industry partner.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Aqua Metals: Aqua Metals is a direct electrochemical metal recovery peer, focused on lead recovery from batteries using its AquaRefining technology. Like ElectraMet, it uses electrochemistry rather than chemical precipitation to recover metals at high purity from industrial waste streams.

Broad incumbents

• Kemira: Kemira provides water-intensive industry chemistry for pulp, paper, mining, and municipal water treatment. While primarily chemistry-focused rather than electrochemical, it competes for the same industrial water and metals processing customers with established relationships and global reach.
• Xylem: Xylem is a major water technology company offering pumps, treatment systems, and digital solutions for industrial and municipal water. While primarily focused on fluid handling and monitoring, its evolving portfolio increasingly addresses industrial wastewater reuse and digital water management.
• De Nora: De Nora is a global leader in electrochemical technologies with a broad portfolio spanning water treatment, chlorine production, and metal finishing. Its industrial water treatment division serves overlapping customers in industrial wastewater and metal recovery, though across a much wider product portfolio than ElectraMet's focused platform.
• Metso: Metso (formerly Metso Outotec) provides mining and metals processing equipment and services, including tailings and process water management. Its Omega bulk metal removal equivalent solutions for mining compete with ElectraMet's Omega system in mining and metals recovery applications.
• Suez Water Technologies & Solutions: Suez (now including the former GE Water) provides industrial water and wastewater treatment equipment and chemistry across semiconductor, microelectronics, and heavy industry. It overlaps with ElectraMet's industrial wastewater and metal recovery value proposition, particularly in semiconductor rinse water and CMP waste streams.
• Veolia Water Technologies: Veolia is one of the largest industrial and municipal water treatment players globally, providing systems, services, and chemistry across semiconductor, mining, and heavy industry. It competes with ElectraMet in industrial wastewater reuse and metal-laden stream management, though typically with broader, less metal-recovery-focused solutions.
• Solenis: Solenis is a specialty chemicals and equipment provider for industrial water treatment, pulp & paper, mining, and metals processing. Its water treatment chemistry portfolio and mining/metals focus place it as a broad incumbent competitor for the mining and industrial wastewater segments ElectraMet serves.
• Ecolab (Nalco Water): Ecolab's Nalco Water division is a global incumbent in industrial water and process treatment, serving heavy manufacturing, food & beverage, and metals customers with chemistry and equipment programs. Its enormous sales footprint and existing enterprise relationships make it the most likely incumbent competitor for ElectraMet's target accounts.

Emerging players

• OriginClear: OriginClear is a smaller emerging player in advanced water treatment with a focus on industrial wastewater and oil & gas produced water. It targets similar industrial verticals with decentralized treatment systems, providing a smaller-scale emerging peer with overlapping technology positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds9 records

Investors8 records

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 PowerTech Water