What Surphase does

Surphase (operating as INGENIOUS MEMBRANES S.L.) is a Spanish deep-technology company that builds real-time monitoring and control systems for reverse osmosis (RO) membrane fouling in desalination plants. The company's flagship product, the Surphase Fouling Control System, deploys a non-invasive network of nanoscale sensors alongside proprietary predictive analytics to deliver what the company describes as the earliest available detection of RO membrane fouling, replacing the indirect indicators and preventive schedules currently used by plant operators with continuous, direct measurement of membrane health. Target customers are industrial operators of seawater desalination and water reuse plants, with the value proposition centered on extending membrane lifespan, reducing energy consumption, and lowering cleaning costs through earlier and more precise interventions.

The technical architecture is sensor-first: nanoscale sensors are placed on RO membranes without invading or damaging the system, generating continuous readings that feed a predictive layer for fouling forecasting, anomaly detection, and cleaning-process optimization. The company is privately held, headquartered at the Miramon science and technology park in Donostia-San Sebastián, and operates with a small team (1–10 employees) led by co-founder and CEO Iliane Rafaniello alongside scientific advisor and co-founder Thomas Schäfer. Its development has been supported by a stack of public and quasi-public funding bodies, including the European Research Council, the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator, the European Union, the Gipuzkoa provincial government, and Spanish agencies SPRI and NEOTEC, with an EIC-backed round of approximately €2.5M closed in July 2024.

Commercially, Surphase pursues a B2B enterprise sales motion, engaging desalination plant operators through direct contact and the corporate website, and targets a subscription or project-based revenue model for industrial monitoring deployments. No customer logos, contract values, or recurring revenue figures are publicly disclosed, and pricing is quote-based. The company's go-to-market focus to date has been European desalination operators, with no disclosed geographic expansion beyond Europe and a single-product, single-vertical positioning.

Name

Surphase

Legal name

INGENIOUS MEMBRANES S.L.

Website

https://surphase.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Surphase (Ingenious Membranes S.L.) builds a non-invasive nanoscale sensor and predictive-analytics system that detects reverse osmosis membrane fouling in real time at desalination plants, helping operators extend membrane life, cut energy use, and reduce cleaning costs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Water Treatment Monitoring

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Pre-Treatment & Fouling Control (UF/MF, DAF, Coagulation/Filtration) (EUANAFAF)

Keywords

• Membrane fouling monitoring
• Desalination plant sensors
• Reverse osmosis analytics
• Water treatment technology
• Predictive membrane control

Headquarters

HQ city

Donostia-san Sebastián

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Monitoring Solutions: Sale or subscription of monitoring systems and predictive technology to desalination plants for fouling detection and membrane management. Industrial B2B revenue model targeting water treatment infrastructure operators.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Surphase sells and subscribes the Surphase Fouling Control System, a real-time monitoring and control platform for RO membrane fouling in desalination plants. The system combines a non-invasive network of nanoscale sensors with new-generation predictive analytics to deliver the earliest possible fouling detection, continuous direct measurement of membrane health, and data-driven scheduling of cleaning cycles. It is aimed at industrial desalination plant operators seeking to replace estimate-based, preventive maintenance with certainty-based operational control.

Product overview

Surphase offers a single unified product platform — the Surphase Fouling Control System — designed for early detection of RO membrane fouling in desalination plants. The system combines a non-invasive network of nanoscale sensors with new generation predictive analytics technology to provide ultra-precise, real-time monitoring of membrane health. This enables plant operators to make data-driven decisions about cleaning timing and methods, moving away from reactive or preventive maintenance approaches to certainty-based operational control.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Surphase Fouling Control System

Quantifiable outcome

• Extended membrane longevity (percentage improvement implied but not precisely quantified)
• +3 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature4 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Veolia Water Technologies: Global water treatment incumbent providing RO systems, services, and digital solutions to industrial and municipal clients. Operates in the same desalination plant market and has both the installed base and digital monitoring capabilities to compete with or partner around Surphase's offering.
• SUEZ Water Technologies & Solutions: Major water and wastewater treatment company offering membranes, chemicals, digital services, and monitoring solutions to industrial and municipal customers. Overlaps with Surphase's desalination customer base through its RO and process monitoring portfolio.
• Xylem: Global water technology company formed around pumps, treatment, and metering (including the acquisition of Evoqua). Overlaps with Surphase through water quality sensors, treatment systems, and digital monitoring platforms sold to utilities and industrial water users.
• Endress+Hauser: Global manufacturer of industrial process measurement instruments, including flow, pressure, and analytical sensors used in water and wastewater plants. Adjacent to Surphase's industrial sensing business and a potential technology partner or competitor in plant-floor instrumentation.
• DuPont Water Solutions: Global leader in RO membrane technology (FilmTec) and adjacent water treatment offerings, serving the same desalination plant operators that Surphase targets. A large incumbent with the customer relationships and balance sheet to bundle fouling monitoring into membrane and service contracts.

Emerging players

• Hach (Danaher): Provider of water quality measurement and monitoring instruments, including sensors and analytics for industrial water treatment. Comparable to Surphase as a sensor-and-data provider to water treatment operators, with a broader portfolio across drinking water, wastewater, and industrial process water.

Direct peers

• Hydranautics (Nitto Group): Leading RO and NF membrane manufacturer serving desalination, water reuse, and industrial applications. Targets the same desalination plant operators and increasingly offers digital tools alongside its membrane products.
• Toray Industries (Membrane Division): Manufacturer of RO, NF, UF, and MF membranes used in desalination plants globally. Closely comparable to Surphase in serving the RO desalination customer base, with complementary membrane chemistry and process monitoring capabilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/surphase_swe

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 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 Surphase