AQUAVALOR

What AQUAVALOR does

AquaValor – Centro de Valorização e Transferência de Tecnologia da Água – Associação is a Collaborative Laboratory (CoLAB) headquartered in Chaves, Portugal, with an additional operational site in Valpaços. Founded in November 2018 as a non-profit association co-established by CIMAT (Comunidade Intermunicipal do Alto Tâmega e Barroso) and Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (IPB), it received the formal CoLAB title from the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) in March 2021. The organization focuses on water valorization and applied research across four thematic axes: water characterization, ICT for water management, thermalism research, and product innovation in health, cosmetics, and food.

The operational core is an IPAC-accredited Water Characterization Laboratory providing physico-chemical and microbiological analysis for drinking, natural, mineral, pool, and industrial process waters, complemented by the Academia do Termalismo training platform. Technology assets include TECH4AQUA (IoT and ML-based real-time monitoring of municipal water reservoirs), AQUAPRED (deep learning for predicting Legionella and E. coli in thermal waters, deployed transnationally across the SUDOE region), and product lines such as Therm4Skin dermocosmetics and an OralTherm oral hygiene formulation developed with regional thermal waters.

AquaValor is funded primarily through competitive institutional grants — including Next Generation EU (€2.3M INTERFACE), COMPETE2030, INTERREG SUDOE, NORTE2030/FEDER, and Fundação "la Caixa" PROMOVE — plus commercial laboratory services, technology transfer to enterprises (e.g., D'Chaves, PURATOS, CAPOLIB), and training programs. The organization has attracted over €8 million in total project financing for the Alto Tâmega and Barroso territory and operates with a lean staff of approximately ten personnel, including multiple PhD researchers.

Name

AQUAVALOR

Legal name

AquaValor - Centro de Valorização e Transferência de Tecnologia da Água – Associação

Website

https://aquavalor.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AquaValor is a Portuguese non-profit Collaborative Laboratory (CoLAB) in Chaves that delivers IPAC-accredited water testing, AI-driven water monitoring, thermal water-based product research, and training, serving municipalities, thermal spas, and food enterprises.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Research and Laboratory Services

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (221310)

SIC

Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Sampling, Testing & Laboratory Analysis (Legionella/Microbiology) (BPABAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Quality Monitoring, Compliance & Reporting (Sampling, Lab, Regulatory) (EUANAAAG), Domestic Hot & Cold Water System Hygiene (Potable Water) (BPABAJAD), Data Management, LIMS & Compliance Software (ELN, eDMS, reporting automation) (EUANAJAE)

Keywords

• Water characterization laboratory
• Water quality monitoring
• Thermal water research
• Dermocosmetic product development
• ICT water management

Headquarters

HQ city

Chaves

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Research and Development Project Funding: AquaValor operates primarily as a non-profit collaborative laboratory funded through competitive research grants from EU, national, and regional programs including COMPETE2030, PROMOVE/Fundação la Caixa, SUDOE/Interreg, and NORTE2030/FEDER. Additional revenue comes from laboratory services for water quality analysis, technology transfer partnerships with enterprises, and capacity building/training programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

AquaValor operates an IPAC-accredited water characterization laboratory providing physico-chemical and microbiological analyses for drinking, natural, mineral, pool and industrial waters, alongside ICT-based water quality monitoring solutions, applied R&D in thermal water applications, and training programs in thermalism. It develops and transfers innovations such as AI-driven contaminant monitoring systems (TECH4AQUA, AQUAPRED), dermocosmetic and functional food products leveraging regional thermal and endemic resources, and a gastronomic portfolio using thermal water as an ingredient.

Product overview

AquaValor is a Collaborative Laboratory (CoLAB) focused on water valorization and technology transfer. The organization operates as a multi-product research and innovation center offering water characterization laboratory services (accredited by IPAC), ICT solutions for water management, thermalism education programs, and scientific research services. The product portfolio includes dermocosmetic products (Therm4Skin micellar water and hair products developed with Chaves thermal water), oral hygiene solutions (OralTherm), and a gastronomic portfolio featuring thermal water as an ingredient. The four core R&D areas are Health, Food & Beverages, Cosmetics & Cosmeceuticals, and Information Systems & Digital Technologies. Key technology projects include TECH4AQUA (AI-powered water quality monitoring), AQUAPRED (AI for thermal water contamination prediction), and various product development initiatives using regional endogenous resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Academia do Termalismo: Training and education division focused on thermalism and professional capacity building.
• Laboratório de Caracterização de Águas

Products and services

• Laboratório de Caracterização de Águas (Water Characterization Laboratory)

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 8 million euros of financing attracted for the Alto Tâmega and Barroso territory
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CeDRI – Centro de Investigação em Digitalização e Robótica Inteligente (IPB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 November 2025Collaboration on TECH4AQUA project for developing intelligent monitoring and control solutions for water quality in reservoirs, combining digitalization and robotics expertise with water technology capabilities
• Municipality of ChavescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner in TECH4AQUA project, working on smart water quality monitoring implementation in the municipality
• Municipality of BoticascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner in TECH4AQUA project for water quality monitoring in Boticas territory
• Municipality of MontalegrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner in TECH4AQUA project for water quality monitoring in Montalegre territory
• Instituto Politécnico de Bragança (IPB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder and key research partner, providing academic expertise and infrastructure. Lead partner in HealthBioFit project for thermal water applications in health and wellness
• Santa Casa da Misericórdia de ValpaçoscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSocial institution partner in HealthBioFit project, providing access to elderly populations for validation of thermal water-based physical activity programs
• D'Chaves – Fumeiro e PastéiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry leader in MUSHpastry project, combining food production expertise with research capabilities to develop puff pastry with mushroom flour
• CIMO – Centro de Investigação de Montanha (IPB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner in multiple projects including MUSHpastry, SustainableTrout, and 3Rs, providing mountain research expertise and laboratory capabilities
• PURATOS – Produtos e Artigos para a Indústria Alimentar, S.A.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner contributing food technology expertise to MUSHpastry project for puff pastry innovation
• CAPOLIB – Cooperativa Agro Rural de BoticascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner in WOODLANDFUNGI project for sustainable wild mushroom valorization, providing agricultural cooperative expertise
• GEMC – Gestão de Equipamentos do Município de Chaves, E.M. S.A.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal company managing Termas de Chaves, partner in Therm4Skin project for dermocosmetic product development and sales
• UCP – CBQF – Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Centro de Biotecnologia e Química FinacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner in Therm4Skin project, providing biotechnology and fine chemistry expertise for dermocosmetic development
• UCP – CIIS – Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação em SaúdecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in OralTherm project, contributing oral microbiome and molecular biomarker research expertise
• PROTERMAS – Gestão e Exploração de Termas, LDAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThermal spa operator partner in OralTherm project, providing therapeutic expertise and access to thermal water users
• Municipality of VimiosocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partner in OralTherm project for thermal water applications in oral health
• Universidade de Vigo (Spain)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner in AQUAPRED transnational project, coordinating SUDOE-wide research on AI-based thermal water monitoring
• Institut du Thermalisme, Université de Bordeaux (France)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench academic partner in AQUAPRED project contributing thermalism research expertise and hosting project meetings
• Termas de Chaves (Empresa Municipal)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal thermal spa company participating in AQUAPRED project for thermal water quality monitoring and safety enhancement
• MORE – Laboratório Colaborativo Montanhas de InvestigaçãocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner in BioLivingLABS project for bioeconomy innovation network across Northern, Central, and Alentejo regions
• REQUIMTE-LAQV – Rede de Química e TecnologiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner in 3Rs project for forgotten crops valorization, providing green chemistry expertise and laboratory capabilities
• BIOLOCAL, Unipessoal LdaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSME partner in 3Rs project contributing to regional food product development and commercialization
• CIMAT – Comunidade Intermunicipal do Alto Tâmega e BarrosocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional intermunicipal community co-founding AquaValor and providing strategic direction for regional development through water valorization

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SGS: One of the world's largest testing, inspection and certification (TIC) companies with broad water quality testing, environmental services, and product certification offerings. Competes with AquaValor in water testing services but at global scale.
• ALS Global: International testing services group with strong water and environmental testing laboratory networks. Comparable to AquaValor's water characterization lab from a service portfolio perspective; serves similar regulated water testing customers.
• Hach (Danaher): Manufacturer and supplier of water quality testing instruments, reagents, and monitoring solutions widely used in drinking water and wastewater labs. Comparable to AquaValor's water analytical capabilities, with much broader instrumentation and digital monitoring product portfolio.
• Xylem Analytics: Global water technology company offering smart water monitoring, networked sensors, and analytics platforms for utilities. Comparable to AquaValor's TECH4AQUA and AQUAPRED digital water monitoring efforts, with much larger installed base and R&D resources.
• Bureau Veritas: Global TIC firm offering water testing, environmental monitoring, and compliance services across multiple industries. Adjacent to AquaValor's lab and compliance offerings but operates at substantially larger scale.
• Eurofins Scientific: Global leader in food, environmental and pharmaceutical testing services with extensive water testing laboratory operations. Most comparable to AquaValor on the water characterization/analytical services side, but at vastly larger scale and geographic reach.

Regional players

• LNEG (Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia): Portuguese state laboratory for geology and energy research with hydrogeology and water resources expertise. Closest institutional peer in Portugal on water-related research, though larger and broader in mandate.
• CIIMAR (Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental): Portuguese interdisciplinary research center focused on marine and environmental sciences, including aquatic systems. Comparable as a Portuguese research institution working on water-related sciences with academic embedding.

Emerging players

• Libelium: Spanish IoT and wireless sensor platform provider specializing in environmental and water quality monitoring deployments. Comparable to the IoT/sensor layer of AquaValor's TECH4AQUA and Barroso GIAHS 4.0 monitoring systems, at a more commercial stage.

Others

• IPB (Instituto Politécnico de Bragança) - research groups: AquaValor's parent-organization academic partner, providing research infrastructure and senior researchers across multiple projects (HealthBioFit, MUSHpastry, 3Rs). Closest academic/strategic partner, with overlapping water, food and health research.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aquavalor-colab

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 AQUAVALOR