Gross-Wen Technologies
Algae-based wastewater treatment recovering nutrients for bioproducts.
| Date | Investors | Amount | Round |
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| investor | €0.0 | round | |
| N/A | €0.0 | round | |
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$6.5m | Series A | ||
| Total Funding | 000k | ||
Gross-Wen Technologies (GWT) provides a sustainable wastewater treatment solution for municipal and industrial clients. The company was co-founded in 2014 by Dr. Martin Gross and Dr. Zhiyou Wen, based on technology they developed at Iowa State University. The foundation of their collaboration began when Gross, then an undergraduate student, joined Professor Wen's algae research team. Their initial focus was on producing biofuels from algae grown on conveyor belts, but after a discussion with a principal environmental scientist from Chicago's Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, their focus shifted to wastewater treatment.
GWT's core offering is its patented Revolving Algal Biofilm (RAB™) system. This technology uses vertically oriented, rotating conveyor belts semi-submerged in wastewater to grow algae. The algae naturally remove nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus from the water, providing a more sustainable and less energy-intensive alternative to traditional bacterial or chemical treatments. This process also consumes atmospheric carbon dioxide, reducing the facility's overall greenhouse gas footprint. The company's business model involves both the sale and installation of these RAB™ systems and the creation of a circular economy by processing the harvested algae biomass. The resulting algae can be sold as slow-release fertilizer, bioplastics, or biofuels, creating an additional revenue stream and subsidizing treatment costs.
The company serves municipalities and industrial facilities, such as food and beverage processors, helping them meet increasingly strict water quality standards economically. GWT has completed numerous pilot and commercial-scale projects across the United States, including in Iowa, Illinois, and Washington, and has expanded internationally. The company has secured significant funding through multiple rounds, including a $6.5 million Series A in August 2021 and a total of over $23 million across various rounds and grants.
Keywords: wastewater treatment, algae technology, nutrient recovery, revolving algal biofilm, water purification, circular economy, sustainable water solutions, cleantech, algal biomass, bioproducts, slow-release fertilizer, nitrogen removal, phosphorus removal, industrial wastewater, municipal water treatment, bio-based materials, water tech, resource recovery, environmental technology, carbon capture