Metal Morph, a UK-based water technology startup, has raised £700,000 in pre-seed funding. The company will use the money to improve its technology for recovering useful industrial materials from water and wastewater.
The funding round was co-led by Sustainable Ventures and Green Angel Ventures. Aqcelerator and Found Capital also participated in the round.
Founded in 2025, Metal Morph is developing a service that helps recover useful materials from municipal and industrial wastewater. Its first technology focuses on recovering aluminium- and iron-based chemicals used in water treatment, which would otherwise end up in sewers, landfills, or on land.
The recovered chemicals can be used again in water treatment, creating a more circular system. This could reduce dependence on new raw materials, lower purchasing costs, and cut carbon emissions. Metal Morph also plans to expand its technology to recover individual metals from industrial wastewater and mining waste.
“Growing up in a place where access to clean water was uncertain instilled within me an appreciation of how fragile access to essential resources can be. With Metal Morph, I want to help change that reality. Water infrastructure is one of the most overlooked industrial supply chains in the world. By harnessing them correctly, we are fundamentally reshaping the supply of essential chemicals to reduce the cost of water production,” said Moletsane Mophethe, founder and CEO of Metal Morph.
Metal Morph has completed more than 50 live tests at three drinking water treatment plants. The company says these tests showed that it could recover up to 90% of used treatment chemicals with 95% purity.
The technology also helped reduce costs and emissions. Metal Morph reported a 26% reduction in operating costs related to coagulation and an 89% reduction in emissions linked to buying new treatment chemicals.
Metal Morph is currently working with six UK water companies. Together, these companies represent around 56% of the UK water market, giving Metal Morph a strong opportunity to test and expand its technology.
The company has also received a £100,000 grant from Ofwat, the UK water regulator. It could receive another £450,000 if it achieves the agreed project milestones.
Metal Morph will use its new funding to improve its resource recovery technology, run more industry pilot projects, and continue testing with water companies and industrial partners. The company is also looking at European markets, including possible trials in Estonia, and is in discussions with Belgian water company Aquafin.
