- Carbogenics is developing FilaChar – a patent-pending carbon material that can improve wastewater treatment and protect rivers while reducing costs and emissions as one of 20 finalists of the Water Discovery Challenge.
- The Water Discovery Challenge is accelerating the development and adoption of promising new innovations from innovators outside of the water sector.
- Carbogenics aims to produce FilaChar from waste streams such as sewage sludge and screenings, it can be used as an additive or filtration material to enhance biological performance and pollutant removal. Its deployment diverts waste from landfill, lowers energy and chemical demand, and reduces operational costs.
The Water Discovery Challenge has awarded £100k of funding to Carbogenics to develop FilaChar. Named a finalist in the £7.5 million competition from Ofwat’s Water Innovation Fund.
“One of the things I enjoy most about innovation is seeing an idea evolve into something others recognise as having the potential to make a real difference.
It’s incredibly rewarding to see our work at Carbogenics reach this stage, providing the opportunity to work alongside the UK water sector to explore how we can transform wastewater-derived waste into solutions that could reduce carbon emissions, improve treatment performance, and help protect our rivers.
I’m excited to continue this journey with our fantastic partners and generate the evidence needed to unlock the full potential of FilaChar.” – Dr. Loïc de Carvalho, Head of R&D & Consulting
The Water Discovery Challenge is part of Ofwat’s Water Innovation Fund which is supporting a multitude of solutions that tackle the water sector’s greatest challenges across multiple competitions. The Water Discovery Challenge is dedicated to supporting the development of ideas from innovators across industries, particularly those new to the water sector.
As well as seed funding, as a finalist, Carbogenics will be supported with seven months of mentorship to support commercialisation and expert guidance from water companies, to push solutions further and test the feasibility of the solutions in real-world settings at scale.
Jo Jolly, Director, Innovation, Ofwat, said:
“With our rapidly changing climate, it is more vital more than ever that we double down on our efforts to create a water system able to support lives and livelihoods, including for future generations we will never meet. In opening our doors to innovators outside the water sector, we have invited fresh perspectives to tackle head-on some of our greatest challenges. With this line-up of finalist projects, we are reminded that tackling the climate and nature crises isn’t limited by intellect or creativity. The array of new ideas from new players is astounding. The challenge is getting these ideas delivering impact on the ground, with the sense of urgency these times need.”
In April 2027, as many as 10 of the 20 finalists will go on to win up to £550,000 each to further develop and test their ideas, and will be offered an additional five-month package of non-financial support and sector mentorship, to maximise the chance of the innovations launching and succeeding in the water sector.
The challenge is run by innovation prize experts Challenge Works, part of Nesta, in partnership with Arup and Isle Utilities, and is part of a series of competitions from the Water Innovation Fund.
The Water Innovation Fund is a key pillar in Ofwat’s mission to drive innovation that ensures the water sector is ready for the challenges of the future and results in better outcomes for customers and the environment.
To find out more about all twenty finalists, visit: https://waterinnovation.challenges.org/water-discovery-challenge/
