Iride Acque

What Iride Acque does

Iride Acque is an Italian industrial wastewater treatment company founded in 2015 and headquartered in Milan, operating as a Benefit Company and PMI Innovativa. It designs, manufactures, and commissions proprietary water-treatment plants based on the EMER (Enhanced Magnetic Heterogeneous Reactor) platform, a catalytic-oxidation process whose catalyst is produced from end-of-life battery waste — a circular-economics sourcing choice protected by Italian patent No. 102017000149010, granted March 2020. A second patent covering an ozone-based variant is in process, expanding the proprietary technology base. Customer segments include food and beverage (Caviro Group, Birrificio del Ducato/Duvel Group, Mutti, Il Battistero, Caseificio Sociale il Battistero), textiles (Tintoria Emiliana, Panama Trimmings), and multiutilities (Acque Bresciane, Azienda Servizi Integrati Lambro Spa), with project partners including Sotecna on the Idroambiente initiative.

Revenue is generated primarily through one-time CAPEX plant sales of custom-engineered and modular systems (5–30 m³/day configurations), supplemented by managed-service contracts following the integration of acquired entities. The company has pursued an active roll-up strategy, acquiring Biemme Engineering in 2023 for engineering and automation capabilities and Bieffe Costruzioni in 2026 for civil-construction integration, while transforming to a joint-stock company (Spa) in the same year ahead of a stated €13M+ turnover target for 2026. International expansion is underway via offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, with data-center effluent treatment identified as a new vertical. Cumulative disclosed funding totals approximately €4.3M across three rounds (€700K in 2021, €600K in 2023, and €3M from Credem Euromobiliare Private Asset SGR in May 2026), and the company has been recognized with the Tecnovisionaria 2020 award and an Ecomondo award for its industrial-water technology.

Name

Iride Acque

Legal name

Iride Acque Spa

Website

https://irideacque.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Iride Acque is an Italian industrial wastewater treatment company that designs, manufactures, and installs proprietary EMER catalytic-oxidation plants for manufacturers, multiutilities, and EPC contractors across food, beverage, textile, and infrastructure sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Wastewater Treatment

NAICS

Chemical Manufacturing (325), Other Basic Inorganic Chemical Manufacturing (325180)

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950), Industrial Inorganic Chemicals (2810)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial Wastewater & Effluent Treatment Services (BPALAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial Wastewater Pretreatment & Treatment Services (BPALAMAC), Industrial Wastewater Treatment (On-site/Pre-treatment) (EUANADAB), Industrial Wastewater Reuse (Cooling/Process/Boiler Feed) (EUANADAM)

Keywords

• Industrial wastewater treatment
• Catalytic oxidation technology
• Wastewater treatment plants
• Industrial water purification
• Water reuse systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Parma

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Water Treatment Plants — Sales and Installation: Iride Acque designs, manufactures, and installs bespoke and modular industrial wastewater treatment plants. Plants are sold as capital equipment (CAPEX) to manufacturing companies and multiutilities. Revenue is generated through one-time plant sales and installation contracts, with ongoing maintenance and remote management services as an adjunct.
2. Acquisition-Driven Group Integration Services: Through its group subsidiaries Biemme Engineering (acquired 2023) and Bieffe Costruzioni (acquired 2026), the Iride Group now offers integrated services spanning design, installation, maintenance, and remote management via dedicated software — all in-house. This closes the value chain and enables comprehensive project-based revenue from B2B industrial and multiutility clients.
3. EMER Technology — Catalytic Oxidation Systems: The proprietary EMER system is offered as modular units ranging from 5 to 30 cubic meters/day per unit, with series configurations extending capacity up to 5x. Custom plants are designed for higher flow rates targeting specific industrial sectors. The technology is positioned as a cost-efficient alternative to traditional treatment, with claimed savings of up to 75% on operating costs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Iride Acque designs, manufactures, and installs bespoke industrial wastewater treatment plants based on its proprietary EMER (Enhanced Magnetic Heterogeneous Reactor) catalytic oxidation technology. The plants treat and disinfect industrial wastewater in situ, enabling water reuse in production cycles, and are sold to manufacturing enterprises, multiutilities, and EPC contractors in sectors such as dairy, wine, brewing, textile, cosmetics, and landfill leachate. The Group also provides integrated services spanning custom design, installation, maintenance, and remote management through its acquired subsidiaries Biemme Engineering and Bieffe Costruzioni.

Product overview

Iride Acque is an innovative SME and Benefit Company specializing in industrial wastewater treatment. The core product is the EMER (Enhanced Magnetic Heterogeneous Reactor) technology - a patented catalytic oxidation system that treats and disinfects industrial wastewater in situ, enabling water reuse in production cycles. The product portfolio includes treatment plants in tower and vessel configurations across five capacity levels (5-30 m³/day, scalable to 150 m³/day through series configuration), supplemented by biological oxidation, chemical oxidation (including a second ozone patent), and advanced filtration technologies (ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, reverse osmosis). The Group has expanded through acquisitions of Biemme Engineering (modular measurement and dosing systems) and Bieffe Costruzioni (water treatment facility construction and maintenance), providing integrated solutions from design to installation and management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• EMER (Enhanced Magnetic Heterogeneous Reactor): The company's proprietary nanotechnological catalytic oxidation technology for industrial wastewater treatment. The catalyst is produced from recycled battery materials and enables compact, energy-efficient treatment systems.

Products and services

• EMER (Enhanced Magnetic Heterogeneous Reactor) Patented catalytic oxidation technology using a heterogeneous catalyst produced partially from recycled battery materials to treat and disinfect industrial wastewater in situ. Enables water reuse in production cycles, with plants up to 85% smaller than alternatives and up to 70% energy savings.
• Industrial Wastewater Treatment Plants Treatment systems available in tower version for less fluid wastewater and vessel version for more fluid wastewater. Five standardized sizes treat 5 to 30 cubic meters/day, scalable to 150 m³/day in series configuration. Custom 'made-to-measure' plants designed for higher flow rates, targeting manufacturing companies and multiutilities.
• Biological Oxidation Systems Traditional biological oxidation technology effective for low COD wastewater, combinable with EMER technology to optimize treatment outcomes and improve biodegradability of water exiting EMER plants.
• Chemical Oxidation Solutions Chemical oxidation processes using various oxidants, including a patented ozone-based process particularly effective when the disinfection phase is critical, complementing EMER hydrogen peroxide-based treatment.
• Filtration Technologies Advanced filtration solutions including ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and reverse osmosis offered as part of integrated treatment chains for various water treatment requirements.
• Biemme Engineering Modular Measurement and Dosing Systems Modular measurement and chemical dosing systems for process water treatment and control, acquired as a wholly-owned subsidiary and integrated into the Iride Group offering.
• Bieffe Costruzioni Facility Construction and Maintenance Construction, maintenance, and revamping of water treatment facilities and aqueducts for multiutility companies, acquired as a wholly-owned subsidiary and integrated into the Iride Group full-service offering.

Quantifiable outcome

• Plants up to 85% smaller than those using alternative technologies
• +8 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bieffe CostruzionicoreOthers · 1 May 2026Acquired by Iride Acque in May 2026, Bieffe Costruzioni specializes in the construction and maintenance of water treatment facilities for multiutilities. Based in the Lecce area, it works on water pipelines and the refurbishment of water treatment plants. With this acquisition, the Iride Group closes the entire value chain: custom design, installation, maintenance, and telemanagement via dedicated software — all in-house.
• Biemme EngineeringcoreOthers · 1 January 2023Acquired by Iride Acque in 2023, Biemme Engineering is an enterprise from Seregno specializing in modular measurement and chemical dosing systems for process water. It represents the first acquisition in the group's consolidation strategy, adding instrumentation and process control capabilities to the integrated offering.
• Tintoria EmilianaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Tintoria Emiliana, a textile dyeing company, is listed as a partner. Roberto Lodi from Tintoria Emiliana participated in Iride Acque's Solutions Day roadshow in Padova, representing collaboration in the textile sector.
• Greenthesis GroupminorOthersGreenthesis Group is listed among Iride Acque's partners on the homepage. The partnership dates to 2021 when Greenthesis recognized Iride Acque with the Trace X Greenthesis award. Greenthesis is an environmental services group operating in waste management, water treatment, and remediation.
• Acque BrescianeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcque Bresciane is listed among Iride Acque's partners on the homepage, representing the multiutility segment of the company's customer base.
• Gruppo CavirominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGruppo Caviro (Caviro Group) is listed as a partner and also as a customer (Colle Moro Winery case study). Caviro is a major Italian wine producers' group, and Iride Acque installed a treatment system at Colle Moro Winery.
• Confartigianato Imprese VenetominorGTM or Marketing PartnerRoberto Boschetto and Mario Xausa of Confartigianato Imprese Veneto participated in Iride Acque's Solutions Day roadshow in Padova, representing an industry association channel for reaching small and medium manufacturing enterprises in the Veneto region.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Industrie De Nora: Italian-headquartered leader in electrochemistry and water treatment technologies, including catalytic and electrochemical oxidation for industrial wastewater. Closely comparable to Iride Acque by virtue of being an Italian-made industrial water tech firm with proprietary catalyst/electrode IP serving similar industrial end markets.
• H2O Innovation: Canadian pure-play water treatment company providing membrane systems, filtration, and modular treatment for industrial and municipal clients. Comparable to Iride Acque as a focused, mid-sized specialist in compact industrial water systems competing for similar pretreatment and reuse projects.

Broad incumbents

• Veolia Water Technologies: Global leader in water treatment with broad industrial wastewater portfolio including on-site treatment, reuse, and chemical/biological oxidation. Comparable to Iride Acque because it competes for the same multiutility and industrial pretreatment RFPs but with vastly larger scale, footprint, and service network.
• Xylem: Global water technology company serving industrial, municipal, and commercial water markets with treatment, filtration, and analytics products. Competes with Iride Acque across industrial wastewater treatment projects and digital/telemanagement offerings.
• SUEZ Water Technologies & Solutions: Major global water and wastewater services and technology provider, including industrial wastewater treatment, reuse, and chemical solutions. Overlaps with Iride Acque's industrial water reuse and process water treatment focus from a much larger installed base.
• ACCIONA Agua: Global water infrastructure and treatment operator with strong industrial and municipal wastewater capabilities, including reuse and desalination. Comparable as a large incumbent competing for multiutility and industrial wastewater tenders in EMEA.
• Ecolab: Global leader in water, hygiene, and infection prevention with significant industrial water treatment chemical and process solutions portfolio. Comparable because its industrial water programs target the same manufacturing end customers with chemistry and service bundles.

Emerging players

• Organica Water: Specialist in biological wastewater treatment with proprietary fixed-film activated sludge technology for industrial and municipal plants. Comparable as a niche, technology-led player offering compact alternatives to conventional biological systems, addressing similar end markets to Iride Acque's combined EMER + biological offering.
• BioMicrobics: US-based decentralized and packaged wastewater treatment specialist serving industrial and decentralized municipal customers. Comparable to Iride Acque for its modular, compact treatment plant model targeting similar industrial and small-footprint use cases.

Regional players

• Greenthesis Group: Italian environmental services platform operating in waste management, water treatment, and remediation. Already a strategic partner and Trace X Greenthesis awarder of Iride Acque; comparable as a regional incumbent with overlapping Italian industrial and multiutility water customers and a partnership overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/i-ri-de-s-r-l
• Facebookfacebook.com/Irideacquesrl

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors1 record

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

M&A2 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Iride Acque