Cetos Water
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2024
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Cetos Water does
Cetos Water is a New York-based, privately held climate technology company founded in 2024 that commercializes Temperature Swing Solvent Extraction (TSSE), a patented membrane-less, non-evaporative desalination technology. The proprietary process uses a selective solvent to absorb freshwater molecules from extreme brines and then releases the water via a gentle temperature change, regenerating the solvent for reuse. Its commercial offering, the Trident Desalination Platform, achieves claimed recovery rates of 90-98% at 1-3 kWh per cubic meter versus 3-25 kWh for reverse osmosis and thermal evaporation, and supports customizable recovery up to Zero Liquid Discharge. The company targets industrial operators across mining and minerals (primary), oil and gas, power and energy, industrial wastewater, lithium production, desalination plants, and landfill leachate, with a stated goal to help treat 1 billion gallons of water by 2028.
The company monetizes through three revenue streams: desalination equipment sales, licensing of patented TSSE technology, and water treatment services. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales targeting mining and industrial operators for pilot system deployment, complemented by participation in industry competitions and events including the XPRIZE Water competition, the Wheaton Future of Mining Challenge, the PDAC convention, and the Imagine H2O accelerator. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is quote-based, project-specific, and tied to flow rates, brine complexity, and recovery requirements.
The team is small (1-10 employees) and led by Founder and CEO Shannon Knee, formerly an investor at Goldman Sachs Principal Investment Area, Glenview Capital, and Cornell Capital. The technology is anchored by Scientific Advisor Dr. Ngai Yin Yip, the inventor of TSSE at Columbia University, supported by Lead Scientist Dr. Eliza Dach (PhD under Dr. Yip, 2025 Inflection Awardee) and Lead Process Engineer Jack Schlueter, P.E. Cetos holds a granted patent on the TSSE technology and has accumulated multiple peer-reviewed publications and industry recognitions, but as of the available data it remains pre-revenue with no named paying customers and an active fundraising posture.
Cetos Water firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cetos Water
- Legal name
- Cetos Water
- Website
- https://cetoswater.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2024
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cetos Water industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Water Treatment & Desalination Technology
- NAICS
- Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132), Chemical Manufacturing (325)
- SIC
- Water Supply (4941)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Desalination Plant EPC, O&M & Performance Optimization (EUANAFAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Brine Concentrate Management & Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) (EUANAFAH), Industrial ZLD/MLD & Brine Concentrate Management (EUANADAG)
Keywords
Where Cetos Water is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Cetos Water business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Desalination Equipment Sales: Sale of TSSE-based desalination systems to industrial customers for treating complex wastewater and brines
- Technology Licensing: Licensing of patented TSSE technology to industrial partners for deployment across various sectors
- Water Treatment Services: Water treatment and recovery services for mining and industrial operations, with systems enabling conversion of wastewater to reusable water
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Cetos Water product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cetos Water sells the Trident Desalination Platform, a system built on its patented Temperature Swing Solvent Extraction (TSSE) technology that selectively absorbs freshwater from extreme industrial brines using a proprietary solvent and releases it via a gentle temperature change. The platform is modular, automated, and designed for industrial operators in mining, oil and gas, power, lithium production, desalination, and landfill leachate, enabling up to 90-98% water recovery and Zero Liquid Discharge with the lowest energy use (1-3 kWh/m3) in the desalination industry.
Product overview
Cetos Water offers a single unified product platform — the Trident Desalination Platform built on its proprietary Temperature Swing Solvent Extraction (TSSE) technology. TSSE is a membrane-less, non-evaporative solvent extraction process that selectively absorbs freshwater from brines via a proprietary solvent, then releases it through a gentle temperature change, regenerating the solvent for reuse. The platform is modular, automated, and handles brines across the salinity spectrum with water recovery tunable up to Zero Liquid Discharge. It targets industrial operations including mining, oil and gas, power and energy, desalination plants, landfill leachate, and lithium production, converting complex wastewater into clean reusable water and concentrated brines rich in valuable minerals for recovery.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Trident Desalination Platform Patented membrane-less, non-evaporative desalination system that uses the TSSE process to selectively absorb freshwater from extreme brines and release it through a gentle temperature change. Modular, automated, and scalable, with customizable water recovery up to Zero Liquid Discharge and capability to recover valuable minerals from concentrated brines. Designed for industrial operators in mining, oil and gas, power, lithium production, desalination, and landfill leachate.
Quantifiable outcome
- 90-98% water recovery rates vs ~50% limit of RO
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Cetos Water
Customer profileSegments7 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Cetos Water technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Cetos Water partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Wheaton Precious MetalsflagshipWheaton Precious Metals partnered with Cetos Water through its Future of Mining Challenge, awarding $1 million to support Cetos in advancing its water technology. Challenge focused on sustainable water management solutions for mining operations facing water constraints. Wheaton is world premier precious metals streaming company.
- XPRIZEflagshipCetos Water qualified as team in XPRIZE Water competition, advancing in both Track A (Desalination System-Level Innovation) and Track B (Desalination Novel Materials and Methods). Multi-year global challenge seeks to expand affordable freshwater access while reducing energy use and environmental impact.
- Columbia University - Dr. Ngai Yin Yip's Research LabcoreColumbia University's research lab led by Dr. Ngai Yin Yip, inventor of the TSSE technology, has partnered with Cetos Water to commercialize breakthrough desalination innovation through full-scale pilot deployment. Dr. Yip serves as Scientific Advisor to Cetos. The partnership includes development of first pilot site after significant progress in fundraising.
- World Leaders in Water TreatmentcorePartnering with best-in-class engineers and researchers to develop cost-effective purpose-driven desalination systems designed for complex water challenges. Multiple partner logos displayed on website including water treatment industry leaders.
- Imagine H2OcoreSelected as one of top 10 water startups globally through Imagine H2O 2025 accelerator program, which provides support and visibility for water technology innovation.
- University of British Columbia Sauder School of BusinesscoreWheaton Precious Metals partnered with UBC Sauder School of Business to deliver the Future of Mining Challenge, including the edition where Cetos Water won the $1M prize. Challenge attracted global applicants focused on sustainable water management.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Cetos Water competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- SUEZ Water Technologies & Solutions: Provides industrial water and wastewater treatment including ZLD and brine management for mining, O&G, and power. Established competitor in the verticals Cetos is entering.
- IDE Technologies: Established desalination EPC and technology provider with thermal and RO offerings across industrial and municipal markets. A relevant incumbent comparable for industrial brine contracts Cetos targets.
- Energy Recovery Inc: Supplies energy recovery devices and high-pressure pumps that materially reduce RO desalination energy use. Adjacent to Cetos's value proposition of energy-efficient brine treatment.
- Veolia Water Technologies: Global water treatment major offering ZLD, brine concentration, and industrial wastewater solutions through its HPD evaporative crystallization product line. Competes for the same mining/industrial RFPs as Cetos.
Direct peers
- Gradiant: Specializes in industrial water and wastewater treatment for mining, O&G, and chemicals, with proprietary membrane and chemical-free processes. Most direct comparator to Cetos in industrial brine valorization.
- Saltworks Technologies: Builds desalination and brine treatment systems for industrial and municipal customers, including thermal and membrane-based ZLD solutions. Competes with Cetos in mining and high-salinity brine segments.
- Forward Water Technologies: Develops switchable-solvent Forward Osmosis technology for brine concentration and water treatment. Closest technology analog to Cetos's TSSE within the switchable-solvent category.
Emerging players
- Gradiant (Carlyle-backed) / Membrion: Membrion manufactures ceramic desalination membranes for industrial brine and wastewater; similar early-stage technology profile and customer overlap with Cetos's mining/industrial pilots.
- OriginClear: Targets industrial water treatment and reuse with modular systems for O&G, mining, and power. Similar go-to-market focus on industrial verticals where Cetos competes.
- Aqua Membranes: Develops printed spacers and improved RO membrane technology for industrial and residential desalination. Adjacent technology peer addressing similar brine concentration challenges.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cetos Water social profiles
Digital presenceCetos Water financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cetos Water leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Cetos Water funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cetos Water 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 Cetos Water
What does Cetos Water do?
Cetos Water sells the Trident Desalination Platform, a system built on its patented Temperature Swing Solvent Extraction (TSSE) technology that selectively absorbs freshwater from extreme industrial brines using a proprietary solvent and releases it via a gentle temperature change. The platform is modular, automated, and designed for industrial operators in mining, oil and gas, power, lithium production, desalination, and landfill leachate, enabling up to 90-98% water recovery and Zero Liquid Discharge with the lowest energy use (1-3 kWh/m3) in the desalination industry.
Is Cetos Water a public or private company?
Cetos Water is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Cetos Water founded?
Cetos Water was founded in 2024. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Cetos Water based?
Cetos Water is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Cetos Water make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Desalination Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are technology Licensing and water Treatment Services.
Who are Cetos Water's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are SUEZ Water Technologies & Solutions, IDE Technologies, Energy Recovery Inc and Veolia Water Technologies. Direct peers are Gradiant, Saltworks Technologies and Forward Water Technologies. Emerging players are Gradiant (Carlyle-backed) / Membrion, OriginClear and Aqua Membranes.
Does Cetos Water have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cetos Water.
What industry is Cetos Water in?
Cetos Water's product category is Industrial Water Treatment & Desalination Technology. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUANAFAK, Desalination Plant EPC, O&M & Performance Optimization, with a secondary code of EUANAFAH, Brine Concentrate Management & Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD). Its NAICS code is 221310 and its SIC code is 4941.