Metal Morph raises £700K to recover industrial resources from wastewater

UK water technology company Metal Morph has secured £700,000 in pre-seed funding to develop a novel solution for recovering industrial resources from wastewater. Led by Sustainable Ventures and Green Angel Ventures, the round also saw support from Aqcelerator and Found Capital. Established in 2025, Metal Morph aims to extract aluminium and iron-based chemicals from wastewater, which would otherwise be discarded or used inefficiently.

This technology fits into a circular system that reduces reliance on primary supply chains, cuts procurement costs, and lowers carbon emissions.

Metal Morph's technology will initially focus on recovering aluminium and iron-based chemicals, but the company intends to expand its capabilities to include standalone metals from industrial wastewater and mining tailings. Founder and CEO Moletsane Mophethe, who grew up in an area with uncertain access to clean water, hopes to revolutionize the way these resources are managed.

The startup has already completed over 50 live tests at three drinking water treatment plants, achieving up to 90% recovery of spent treatment chemicals at 95% purity. This approach has been found to lower coagulation-related operating costs by 26% and emissions associated with coagulant procurement by 89%.

Six UK water utilities, accounting for 56% of the UK water market, are partnering with Metal Morph. The company has also secured a £100,000 grant from UK water regulator Ofwat, with an additional £450,000 pending upon meeting specific milestones. These funds will be used to further develop the technology, launch industry pilots, and continue validating the solution with utilities and industrial partners.

Moreover, Metal Morph is exploring opportunities in European markets, including potential demonstrations in Estonia and discussions with Belgian water utility Aquafin.