Happy New Year!
2025 was a transformative year for Aqua Membranes. We opened our new manufacturing facility in Knoxville, TN, enabling increased production capacity for our customers around the world. We were selected as a qualified team in the $119M XPRIZE for Water Abundance, validating the potential of our Printed Spacer Technology® in seawater desalination. We raised additional capital to support our growth, and continued to build momentum with customers across mining, power, semiconductor, and food & beverage sectors.
As we look ahead to 2026, we’re excited to launch new products, grow our team across production and sales, and bring our technology to new markets and verticals.
Innovation Spotlight: New Product Release!
We’re starting the year by expanding our product portfolio: our Low Energy element is officially on the market. It delivers the same core performance benefits as our other elements (reduced energy, increased flow, fewer cleanings, and longer life), but it is optimized for systems focused on the lowest possible operating pressures and energy usage.
This launch reflects our continued investment in innovation and our ability to address individual customer needs. If you are interested in learning more about our low energy element, or our broader product portfolio, we would love to hear from you! Reach out to sales@aquamembranes.com for more information.
Join Us Online!
The Feed Spacer Reimagined: How Engineers Are De-Risking RO Performance Without Redesigning Their Systems
On February 10th, our CEO, CTO, and Application Engineering Manager will run a technical session for engineers, system designers, OEMs, and consultants looking to improve RO performance without redesigning their systems. Through field results and performance data, you’ll see why engineers across industries have replaced traditional mesh spacers with our Printed Spacer Technology®—and haven’t looked back.
Whether you’re solving persistent RO issues or planning your next project, this session will demonstrate how a simple component change can improve system performance and extend product lifespan.
XPRIZE + SeaWater Testing Update
We’ve completed our Qualified Testing phase for the XPRIZE competition. Throughout the entire testing period, our elements maintained stable flow, high water quality, and showed no signs of biofouling or performance degradation, which validates our technology’s readiness for the desalination market.
With our seawater elements, we’ve reduced the height of the feed spacer channel to 16 mil, enabling 550 sq ft of active membrane area per 8040 element with no increase in pressure drop relative to conventional elements.
News and Insights
→ Our recent feature in The Driller spotlights how Aqua Membranes is enabling mining operations to run more efficiently with lower-maintenance RO systems. It details how our Printed Spacer Technology® extends membrane life, reduces cleaning cycles, and supports stronger regulatory compliance in water-stressed regions.
→ In November 2025, Antoine Walter visited our production facility in Knoxville, TN and dropped a podcast episode covering what makes our technology truly different. He walked listeners through the story of Aqua Membranes — shedding light on the engineering challenges, the growth story, and why printed spacers could mark the next generation of RO membranes. If you want to hear the full story, including a detailed overview of our manufacturing process, check out the episode linked below.
Upcoming Events
We’re hitting the road! Come say hi at:
- POWERGEN – January 20-22, San Antonio, TX
- Cleantech Forum North America – January 26-28, San Diego, CA
- Membrane Technology Conference (Booth #407)– February 2-5, Myrtle Beach, SC
- MINEXCHANGE (Booth #1144) – February 22-25, Salt Lake City, UT
About Aqua Membranes
Aqua Membranes Inc. manufactures and develops spiral-wound membrane elements using our groundbreaking Printed Spacer Technology®, replacing traditional feed spacer mesh. By directly printing the feed channel spacer onto the membrane surface, we significantly enhance membrane performance—delivering the most sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective solutions on the market. Our technology reduces fouling, saves energy, and increases output, optimizing both design and operation.