What Pax Scientific does

Pax Scientific is a San Rafael, California-based engineering company founded in 1997 by Jay Harman that develops fluid-dynamics technology inspired by natural systems. Its core platform, the "Streamlining Principle," is a proprietary set of biomimetic design rules derived from observing fluid flow in nature; this IP is protected by over 200 issued and pending patents globally and is the foundation for products spanning water purification, industrial mixing, aeration, consumer fans, and low-cost green hydrogen electrolysis (PAX H2(O)). The company operates an R&D lab at the UC Berkeley Richmond Field Station and maintains a lean team of 1–10 employees.

Pax Scientific earns revenue primarily through a master licensing model in which technology is licensed to operating subsidiaries and partners — notably PAX Air (consumer/industrial fans), PAX Mixer (wastewater impeller mixers, described as the most-specified mixer in North America), and historically PAX Water Technologies (municipal aeration, divested to UGSI Solutions in 2017 after reaching 2,000+ U.S. utility installations). Additional revenue is sourced from U.S. government non-dilutive R&D funding (NSF SBIR, U.S. Navy SBIR) and prize awards (DOE Hydrogen Shot Prize, 2022 Phase 1 and 2024 final phase). The company also sells Flair, a consumer bladeless fan, directly to end users.

The company is founder-led, privately held, and backed by Khosla Ventures (invested 2008). Its go-to-market combines technology licensing (recurring royalties, capital-light) with selective direct commercialization in emerging verticals like green hydrogen, where the PAX H2(O) electrolyzer is positioned as a low-cost pathway to meet U.S. Department of Energy hydrogen cost targets.

Name

Pax Scientific

Legal name

PAX Scientific, Inc.

Website

https://paxscientific.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pax Scientific is a San Rafael, CA biomimicry engineering company founded in 1997 that licenses and commercializes nature-inspired fluid-dynamics technology across water treatment, mixing, fans, and green hydrogen applications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Biomimetic Fluid Dynamics Engineering

NAICS

Fluid Power Pump and Motor Manufacturing (333996), Measuring, Dispensing, and Other Pumping Equipment Manufacturing (333914), Pump and Compressor Manufacturing (33391)

SIC

Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Filtration, Condition Monitoring & Fluid Management (Filters, Breathers, Oil Analysis, Cooling) (IMAHAGAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pneumatic Components (FRLs, Cylinders, Valves) (IMAHAGAC), Hydraulic Fluids (IMAEAMAD)

Keywords

• Biomimetic fluid dynamics
• Industrial mixing equipment
• Water purification systems
• Energy efficient fans
• Technology licensing services

Headquarters

HQ city

San Rafael

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Master and Exclusive Licensing: PAX licenses its technology designs to manufacturers via exclusive or master licenses, case-by-case. Licensees include PAX Air (fans), PAX Water Technologies (municipal water), and PAX Mixer (industrial mixing). Generates licensing royalties from commercialization of PAX designs.
2. Joint Development Programs: Clients work closely with PAX's engineering team to achieve desired improvements in their application; resulting designs are then licensed. Combines R&D services with downstream licensing economics.
3. Government R&D Contracts (SBIR): Small Business Innovation Research contracts from US Navy (Phase I 2020, Phase II 2022) to develop water purification / hydrogen production technologies for naval and distributed energy applications.
4. Consumer Hardware Sales (Flair): Direct sales of the Flair ultra-efficient portable fan, PAX's first consumer product launched in Fall 2020.
5. Engineering Consulting: Consulting engagements where PAX engineers help industrial clients solve specific technology problems using PAX design methodologies. Both short-term and long-term engagements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PAX Scientific is a fluid dynamics research and design firm that translates nature's fluid flow efficiencies into proprietary biomimetic equipment geometries (the "Streamlining Principle"). It develops its own products (PAX H2(O) water purification, Flair consumer fan) and licenses its designs to manufacturers of fans, mixers, pumps, turbines, and other fluid-handling devices across industrial, municipal, government, and consumer markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PAX Air: Commercializes PAX fan designs in the industrial, domestic, computer, and automotive markets.
• PAX Mixer
• Flair
• PAX H2(O)

Products and services

• PAX H2(O) Low-temperature, modular water purification / distillation system pairing fundamental thermodynamic principles with biomimicry. Uses no membranes or chemicals and can purify water of any salinity level. Designed for decentralized Distributed Water Resource applications and pairing with hydrogen electrolyzers and renewable energy for green hydrogen production.
• Flair PAX's first consumer product: a nature-inspired, ultra energy-efficient, quiet portable fan and room air-circulator. Uses up to 85% less electricity than conventional portable fans, runs on as little as 6 watts (LED bulb equivalent), and uses ring-vortex circulation to destratify air so users can save more than 25% of heating and cooling costs per room.
• PAX Air (Fans and Blowers) Licensed product line of fans and blowers applying patented PAX Streamlining Principle geometries to produce quieter, more energy-efficient fans with greater and more controllable flow and reduced manufacturing costs. Commercialized through master licensee PAX Air for appliance, refrigeration, HVAC, consumer, computer cooling, and transportation applications.
• PAX Mixer Licensed product line of industrial rotary and static (in-line) mixers for agriculture, petroleum, pharmaceutical, and beverage applications, including 2- and 3-phase mixing. Offers extremely low shear, superior blend times, lower energy use, and lower capital cost than conventional mixers.
• Engineering Consulting Services Consulting engagements where PAX engineers help industrial clients solve specific fluid-handling technology problems using PAX's design methodologies. Both short-term and long-term engagements available; serves as the entry point for clients exploring the Streamlining Principle.
• Joint Development Programs Clients work closely with PAX's engineering team to achieve desired improvements in their fluid-handling application; resulting designs are then licensed to the client. Combines collaborative R&D services with downstream licensing economics.
• Technology Licensing (Streamlining Principle designs) Master and exclusive licensing of PAX's proprietary Streamlining Principle biomimetic designs to manufacturers for commercialization, generating licensing royalties. Protected by numerous US and international patents with continuous patent development.

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

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• US Department of EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 October 2022Named winner of DOE Hydrogen Shot Prize Phase 1 (Oct 11, 2022) and final phase (April 11, 2024). Enables PAX collaboration with a National Lab to test PAX H2(O) system and prove viability of green hydrogen future.
• US Navy (SBIR Department of Defense)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 October 2020Awarded SBIR Department of Defense Phase I contract on Oct 13, 2020 and Phase II contract on May 5, 2022. PAX developing low-temperature water purification combined with hydrogen electrolyzers and renewable energy for seawater purification and Distributed Water Resource applications in naval operations, shore installations, micro-grids, and disaster/emergency response.
• UGSI Solutions, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 January 2017UGSI Solutions acquired PAX Scientific's subsidiary PAX Water Technologies, Inc. on January 27, 2017. Combined entity creates industry's only complete set of water quality solutions focused on water distribution networks, addressing nearly 100,000 tanks and reservoirs in North America.
• White Cloud PressminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 May 2013Publisher of Jay Harman's book "The Shark's Paintbrush: Biomimicry and How Nature is Inspiring Innovation" released June 25, 2013. Book describes PAX Scientific technologies and Harman's vision of a "new industrial revolution" through biomimicry.
• PAX AircoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerMaster licensee subsidiary that commercializes PAX fan designs in industrial, domestic, computer, and automotive markets. Develops fans for appliance, refrigeration, HVAC, consumer, computer cooling, and transportation applications.
• PAX Water TechnologiescoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerMaster licensee subsidiary that commercializes PAX's municipal water and wastewater treatment solutions. Was acquired by UGSI Solutions, Inc. in January 2017; PAX Water Mixers are the most specified mixing solution in North America.
• PAX MixercoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerMaster licensee subsidiary that markets PAX's industrial mixing technologies (other than potable water or wastewater mixers) and researches atmospheric mixing. Serves agriculture, petroleum, pharmaceutical, and beverage markets.
• Cascade Technologies (Stanford University)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration at Stanford University that confirmed theories underlying PAX's Streamlining Principle discoveries and identified substantial improvements when compared with traditional technology.
• University of California at Davis and BerkeleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner for PAX team engineering work. PAX's lab and deliveries facility is located on UC Berkeley's Richmond Field Station (Building 478).
• Georgia Tech Research Institute, Kansas State University, Iowa State University, University of Wyoming, Arizona State University, CSU ChicominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversities where PAX team members have worked on research collaborations supporting PAX technology development and validation.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Dyson: Premium consumer hardware brand with desk/portable and bladeless fans marketed on energy efficiency and quietness — comparable end-customer and value proposition to PAX's Flair, though at vastly greater scale.
• Xylem: Global water technology incumbent serving municipal and industrial water utilities with mixers, treatment, and pumping solutions. Comparable as a broad-based competitor to PAX's municipal water mixing franchise.
• Greenheck: Largest US manufacturer of commercial ventilation fans and HVAC equipment — a likely licensing counterparty and competing supplier in the same industrial fan/blower segment PAX Air targets.
• SPX Flow: Industrial mixer and pump manufacturer across food, beverage, pharma, and chemical verticals — overlaps directly with PAX Mixer's blending, fermentation, and 2/3-phase mixing applications.
• Sulzer: Industrial fluid-handling and mixing specialist (pumps, static and dynamic mixers, turbines) serving chemical, pharma, and water markets — comparable to PAX Mixer's industrial mixing franchise.
• De Nora: Global water and industrial process treatment company with disinfection, electrochemistry, and desalination offerings — competes with PAX H2(O) in water purification for industrial and municipal buyers.
• Evoqua Water Technologies (now part of Xylem): Major water treatment and disinfection solutions provider serving municipal utilities — overlapping with PAX Water's tank mixing and disinfectant residual management use cases at much larger scale.

Direct peers

• Big Ass Fans: Sells energy-efficient, high-volume ceiling and circulating fans as a premium consumer/commercial brand — overlaps directly with PAX's Flair positioning around ultra-efficient, quiet air circulation.
• IDE Technologies: Israel-based desalination and water treatment specialist with thermal and membrane technologies — competes with PAX H2(O) in low-temperature, modular, distributed desalination for industrial and municipal applications.
• UGSI Solutions: Acquired PAX Water Technologies from PAX Scientific in January 2017 and now commercializes the 'Lily' impeller / PAX Water Mixer product line in municipal water systems — directly monetizing the same technology IP that PAX developed.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PAXScientific
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pax-scientific

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Pax Scientific