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Gradiant

Woburn,  MA 
United States
http://www.gradiant.com
  • Booth: R7623

Gradiant: PFAS removal & ZLD solutions for semiconductors

Overview

Company Background
Founded in 2013 from MIT, Gradiant is a global leader in water treatment solutions, headquartered in Boston with 288 approved and pending patents. In 2022, Gradiant acquired Taiwan’s WaterPark, a spinoff from ITRI’s wastewater team, strengthening its APAC presence with local R&D expertise.

Technology Advantages
Gradiant offers a unique portfolio of patented solutions:

  • CFRO: patented brine concentration, achieving up to 260,000 mg/L TDS at ≤69 bar while delivering high-quality water.

  • Bio-Infinity: advanced biological treatment (UASB, AFB, MBBR, ultrasound) for tough organics.

  • SCE with FBC: selective chemical extraction for fluoride, heavy metals, and hardness.

  • ForeverGone: PFAS destruction.

  • FRO & AquaCritox: advanced oxidation and wet oxidation for complex organics.

  • CGE: efficient thermal brine concentration.

Sustainability Mission
We help customers cut freshwater use, boost recovery, reuse wastewater, and strengthen green supply chains. For fabs, this means >90% water recycling, lower OPEX, improved ESG, and stronger sustainability profiles.

Future Outlook
Gradiant will continue to advance PFAS removal, ZLD optimization, smart water management, and next-gen contaminant control, working with Taiwan partners for a sustainable future.


  Press Releases

  • TAIPEI, Taiwan – August 7, 2025 – Gradiant, a global leader in advanced water and wastewater treatment solutions, will participate in SEMICON Taiwan 2025, taking place September 10–12 in Taipei under the theme “Leading with Collaboration. Innovating the World.” As the semiconductor industry continues its rapid growth, the need for sustainable and high-performance water management has become more urgent than ever. Gradiant’s presence at this year’s event reflects its commitment to solving the most important water challenges facing fabs today and tomorrow.

    Gradiant will exhibit at TaiNEX Hall 2, 4F, Reclaimed Water Technology Pavilion, Booth R7623.

    On September 10, Gradiant will sponsor and participate in the Sustainability Summit—one of SEMICON Taiwan’s flagship events—bringing together industry leaders, technology experts, and sustainability pioneers to explore the latest advancements in environmental technologies for semiconductor manufacturing. Gradiant will lead the conversation with a spotlight on its breakthrough solutions for PFAS removal and destruction, addressing one of the most urgent challenges fabs around the world are confronting today.

    Advanced Water Solutions for the Semiconductor Industry

    Gradiant is the industry leader in developing innovative water treatment technologies that cater to the unique needs of the semiconductor industry. As fabs scale and technologies evolve, manufacturers face intensifying pressure to manage water more efficiently, meet strict regulatory standards, and reduce their environmental impact. Gradiant’s full-technology stack of end-to-end solutions addresses these challenges with precision and innovation, enabling water reuse, ultrapure water (UPW) production, PFAS removal and destruction, and resource recovery. Gradiant’s solutions include:

    • Advanced Membrane Systems for high recovery water recycling and ultrapure water (UPW) production, including RO Infinity with CFRO - an advanced platform of membrane-based solutions to allow higher recovery rates and more efficient use of water, reducing the overall water footprint of semiconductor fabs.
    • Resource Recovery from wastewater often contains valuable metals and chemicals that may be recovered and reused. Gradiant’s proven solutions for IPA recovery bring sustainability to semiconductor manufacturing and reduce operations and waste disposal costs. 
    • Minimum and Zero Liquid Discharge (MLD and ZLD) to maximize operations efficiency and limit the volume of wastewater generated from fab operations. Gradiant’s technologies recover up to 99% of liquid discharge, resulting in lower freshwater withdrawals and fewer solids for disposal.
    • SmartOps AI for the Control, Predict, and Perform of water treatment facilities. Machine learning AI algorithms result in immediate cost and productivity improvements to water and wastewater operations. 

    These solutions help semiconductor manufacturers achieve their sustainability goals and ensure compliance with stringent environmental regulations, while reducing operational costs and enhancing process efficiency.

    PFAS Removal and Destruction with ForeverGone

    A rapidly growing concern in semiconductor wastewater is the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)—known as "forever chemicals" for their persistence and potential health risks. Gradiant addresses this head-on with ForeverGone, the industry’s only all-in-one solution for the complete removal and permanent destruction of PFAS.

    Where most technologies simply transfer PFAS from one phase to another (e.g., from water to solid), ForeverGone goes further—destroying PFAS into harmless byproducts of CO₂ and water, eliminating the need for off-site disposal by incineration or landfilling.

    Gradiant’s PFAS solutions are already being tested and implemented across Asia, the United States, and Europe, helping semiconductor manufacturers stay ahead of tightening environmental regulations and reduce reputational and compliance risks.

    Gradiant’s Participation at SEMICON Taiwan

    At the Sustainability Summit, Steven Lam, Gradiant’s Global Head of Technology, will present “From Regulation to Innovation: Tackling PFAS in Semiconductor Water Management” on Sept 10, covering how Gradiant’s advanced PFAS destruction technology has evolved in the year since Taiwan introduced new PFAS regulations. The session will showcase real-world results from leading semiconductor fabs and other industries, demonstrating how ForeverGone enables compliance, environmental protection, and sustainable water management across sectors.

    Hanson Huang, Gradiant’s Sales Director for Taiwan, will present “Innovative Semiconductor Water Treatment Solutions for Advanced Processes,” offering insights into the evolving landscape of semiconductor water management and sharing case studies from fabs worldwide. As semiconductor production becomes more complex, Gradiant’s technologies are empowering manufacturers to scale sustainably and operate more efficiently.

    Gradiant’s participation at SEMICON Taiwan highlights its position at the forefront of sustainable semiconductor manufacturing. As the industry faces increasing environmental demands, Gradiant’s technologies are helping fabs transform water management into a competitive advantage.

    Please visit www.gradiant.com to learn more about Gradiant’s solutions for the semiconductor and microelectronics industry. 

    About Gradiant

    Gradiant is a Different Kind of Water Company. With a full suite of differentiated and proprietary end-to-end solutions for advanced water and wastewater treatment powered by the top minds in water, the company serves its clients' mission-critical operations in the world's essential industries, including semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, lithium and critical minerals, and renewable energy. Gradiant's innovative solutions reduce water used and wastewater discharged, reclaim valuable resources, and renew wastewater into freshwater. The Boston-headquartered company was founded at MIT and has over 1,400 employees worldwide. Discover us at gradiant.com.

    Corporate Contact 

    Felix Wang 
    Gradiant, Global Head of Brand
    [email protected]

  • BOSTON, Massachusetts – May 13, 2025 – Gradiant, a global leader in advanced water and wastewater solutions, has been awarded two new contracts by leading technology companies to design and deploy sustainable water solutions at new data centers in the United States and Indo-Pacific. These facilities—critical to powering AI and cloud infrastructure—are increasingly located in some of the most water-stressed regions in the world.

    Gradiant’s solutions will enable these developments to meet aggressive sustainability goals while minimizing their impact on local water resources and communities. The projects underscore Gradiant’s growing role as the go-to water partner for the world’s most important AI infrastructure owners and operators.

    As the world accelerates toward an AI-first future, data centers—the invisible engines powering cloud computing, AI, and global connectivity—are emerging as both drivers of innovation and major consumers of water. An average 100-megawatt data center in the U.S. uses as much water each day as 6,500 households. Globally, data center water use is projected to more than double by 2030, reaching 1,200 billion liters annually.

    Many of these new sites are being built in water-scarce regions such as the U.S. Southwest, the Middle East, and Australia—driven by proximity to energy, land, and local incentives. With growing regulatory pressure and environmental scrutiny, water strategy has become mission-critical.

    “In today’s climate reality, building a data center without a water strategy is not an option,” said Anurag Bajpayee, CEO of Gradiant. “These facilities are as thirsty as they are power hungry. Our clients are asking how to eliminate wastewater, how to operate in drought-prone regions without harming local communities, and how to do it all while scaling AI infrastructure at lightning speed.”

    Gradiant is uniquely positioned to help data center owners and operators meet this moment. With a full-stack technology portfolio and deep expertise in complex industrial water, the company delivers complete site-wide peace of mind.

    Gradiant’s solutions include:

    • Water Recycling & Reuse: Zero liquid discharge (ZLD) technologies recover and reuse 99% of process water onsite—dramatically reducing the need for freshwater withdrawals and preserving local water supplies.
       
    • AI Optimization (SmartOps AI): Uses real-time monitoring and AI-powered analytics to optimize water and wastewater operations, lower OPEX, and reduce unplanned downtime.
       
    • CURE Chemicals: Expert formulations reduce the use of traditional treatment chemicals, lowering the overall environmental footprint while enhancing system performance and reliability.

    “Only Gradiant can deliver complete site-wide peace of mind—a fully integrated and holistic solution that unites process technology, AI, and chemicals through a single trusted partner,” said Prakash Govindan, COO of Gradiant. “Our customers no longer need to coordinate across multiple parties. With Gradiant, they gain a single, trusted partner optimizing every drop of water across their operations. This is water innovation without compromise.”

    Gradiant’s technologies are helping data centers operate in the harshest conditions—without compromising sustainability or performance. As the digital economy accelerates, Gradiant is enabling what’s possible for water in tech infrastructure.

    About Gradiant

    Gradiant is a Different Kind of Water Company. With a full suite of differentiated and proprietary end-to-end solutions for advanced water and wastewater treatment powered by the top minds in water, the company serves its clients’ mission-critical operations in the world’s essential industries, including semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, lithium and critical minerals, and renewable energy. Gradiant’s innovative solutions reduce water used and wastewater discharged, reclaim valuable resources, and renew wastewater into freshwater. The Boston-headquartered company was founded at MIT and has over 1,300 employees worldwide. Learn more at gradiant.com.

    Corporate Contact

    Felix Wang

    Gradiant, Global Head of Brand

    [email protected]

  • BOSTON, Massachusetts – April 04, 2025 – Gradiant, a global leader in advanced water and wastewater treatment, today announced that its ForeverGone solution was honored at the 2025 Edison Awards with the Gold award. This prestigious recognition highlights Gradiant’s leadership in sustainability and technological innovation, reinforcing its commitment to addressing PFAS contamination, one of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges.

    Gradiant celebrates its Edison Award win for ForeverGone, its proprietary solution that permanently eliminates PFAS “forever chemicals” from water systems.

    Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or “forever chemicals,” are persistent synthetic chemicals found in industrial, municipal, and landfill waters. Linked to serious health risks such as cancer, immune disorders, and developmental issues, PFAS have become a global public health crisis. Gradiant’s ForeverGone is the industry’s first integrated solution that not only removes PFAS from contaminated water sources but also permanently destroys them on-site, without the risk of releasing toxic chemicals back into the environment.

    The Edison Awards, now in their 38th year, recognize excellence in new product and service development, marketing, design, and innovation. Inspired by the legacy of Thomas Edison, the awards celebrate the persistence and excellence exemplified by Thomas Edison and his Menlo Park team. Finalists are selected by an independent panel of experts, including scientists, engineers, and business leaders from around the world. 

    “For years, industries and municipalities have struggled with how to fully eliminate PFAS without creating additional risks to the environment,” said Anurag Bajpayee, CEO of Gradiant. “ForeverGone finally provides a true end-to-end solution — one that concentrates and destroys PFAS at the source, ensuring these harmful chemicals are removed from nature permanently. This recognition from the Edison Awards affirms the transformative impact of our technology and our mission to deliver clean water solutions at a global scale.”

    Gradiant’s ForeverGone technology, independently validated by multiple accredited laboratories, pairs Micro-Foam Fractionation and Destruction Engine to concentrate PFAS into a micro-foamate and then destroy it using electro-oxidation, delivering water that meets or exceeds the latest US EPA drinking water standards. This integrated approach sets new standards for simplicity, efficiency, and sustainability, delivering comprehensive PFAS removal at the lowest total cost.

    Gradiant is rapidly deploying ForeverGone across industries including semiconductors, food & beverage, mining, and major municipalities, ensuring PFAS remediation becomes more accessible to communities worldwide.

    Are you interested in ForeverGone for your site? Gradiant has introduced a free testing program to demonstrate ForeverGone’s ability to treat a wide range of contaminated waters. Interested parties should contact Gradiant at gradiant.com/pfas-forevergone/.

    The 2025 Edison Awards were announced on April 3 in Fort Myers, Florida. To view the complete list of this year’s winners, visit edisonawards.com/2025-winners/.

    About Gradiant

    Gradiant is a Different Kind of Water Company. With a full suite of differentiated and proprietary end-to-end solutions for advanced water and wastewater treatment powered by the top minds in water, the company serves its clients’ mission-critical operations in the world’s essential industries, including semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, lithium and critical minerals, and renewable energy. Gradiant’s innovative solutions reduce water used and wastewater discharged, reclaim valuable resources, and renew wastewater into freshwater. The Boston-headquartered company was founded at MIT and has over 1,200 employees worldwide. Discover us at gradiant.com.

    About The Edison Awards

    Established in 1987, the Edison Awards are dedicated to recognizing, honoring and fostering innovations and innovators. Named after Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931), the annual competition honors excellence in new product and service development, marketing, design and innovation. The organization’s mission is to inspire and enable individuals and organizations to create a better future by recognizing and celebrating the world’s most innovative new products, services, and business leaders.

    Corporate Contact

    Felix Wang

    Gradiant, Global Head of Brand

    [email protected]

  • BOSTON, Massachusetts – March 19, 2025 – Gradiant, a global leader in advanced water and wastewater treatment, today announced it has been named to Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2025, joining the ranks of past honorees including Nvidia, OpenAI, Waymo, and Duolingo.

    This year’s list shines a spotlight on businesses that are shaping industry and culture through their innovations to set new standards and achieve remarkable milestones in all sectors of the economy.

    “Fast Company’s recognition of Gradiant as one of the world’s most innovative companies reinforces the urgency of what we do—rethinking water as the value stream most critical to the world’s leading industries,” said Prakash Govindan, COO of Gradiant. “Through our unique and differentiated solutions, we help the world’s leading brands reduce, reclaim, and renew the water they use. This recognition validates the impact of our work and fuels our mission to push the boundaries of what’s possible in industrial water.”

    Gradiant is at the forefront of water innovation, delivering purpose-driven solutions that tackle the world’s most important water challenges. In 2024, the company launched ForeverGone, the industry’s first complete PFAS “forever chemical” removal and destruction solution, and alkaLi, a standalone company focused on producing battery-grade lithium and other critical minerals faster, cheaper, and more sustainably.

    Gradiant’s global reach has expanded through strategic collaborations across the United States, Europe, and Asia, spanning industries such as semiconductors, food & beverage, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing. These efforts are driving the adoption of next-generation water technologies and showcasing Gradiant’s ability to address complex water challenges with innovative solutions that support industrial sustainability.

    The World’s Most Innovative Companies stands as Fast Company’s hallmark franchise and one of its most anticipated editorial efforts of the year. To determine honorees, Fast Company’s editors and writers review companies driving progress around the world and across industries, evaluating thousands of submissions through a competitive application process. The result is a globe-spanning guide to innovation today, from early-stage startups to some of the most valuable companies in the world.

    “Our list of the Most Innovative Companies offers both a comprehensive look at innovation today and a playbook for the future,” said Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan. “This year, we recognize companies that are harnessing AI in deep and meaningful ways, brands that are turning customers into superfans by overdelivering for them, and challengers that are introducing bold ideas and vital competition to their industries. At a time when the world is rapidly shifting, these companies are charting the way forward.”

    The full list of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies honorees can be found at fastcompany.com. It will also be available on newsstands beginning March 25.

    Fast Company will host the Most Innovative Companies Summit and Gala for honorees on June 5 in New York City.

    About Gradiant

    Gradiant is a Different Kind of Water Company. With a full suite of differentiated and proprietary end-to-end solutions for advanced water and wastewater treatment powered by the top minds in water, the company serves its clients’ mission-critical operations in the world’s essential industries, including semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, lithium and critical minerals, and renewable energy. Gradiant’s innovative solutions reduce water used and wastewater discharged, reclaim valuable resources, and renew wastewater into freshwater. The Boston-headquartered company was founded at MIT and has over 1,200 employees worldwide. Discover us at gradiant.com.

    About Fast Company

    Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow business publication Inc. For more information, please visit fastcompany.com.

    Corporate Contact

    Felix Wang

    Gradiant, Global Head of Brand

    [email protected]

  • BOSTON, Massachusetts – March 11, 2025 – Gradiant, a global leader in advanced water and wastewater treatment, today announced a major contract to design and build an ultrapure water (UPW) facility for one of the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturers in Dresden, Germany. This marks Gradiant’s second major semiconductor water treatment project in the city, reinforcing its position as the partner of choice for mission-critical water infrastructure in the world’s most advanced industries.

    The project will be led by Gradiant’s Germany-based team, supported by its global process and project delivery experts in the United States, Taiwan, and Singapore. The new semiconductor manufacturing plant serves a key role in strengthening Europe’s semiconductor supply chain to meet the region’s growing demand for advanced chips.

    In parallel, Gradiant announced the full integration of H+E into the Gradiant brand. The transition unites H+E’s century-long legacy in ultrapure and industrial water treatment with Gradiant’s advanced technology portfolio, solidifying Gradiant’s position as the premier provider of sustainable water solutions worldwide.

    Since joining Gradiant in October 2023, H+E has signed and delivered several cutting-edge plants for essential industries. By creating strategic and operational synergies, bolstering financial strength and expanding the technology portfolio, Gradiant has been the ideal foil for H+E’s rapid growth.

    Over the past 18 months, the companies have successfully combined H+E’s engineering expertise in Europe with Gradiant’s differentiated solutions in water and wastewater treatment, PFAS removal and destructionresource recovery of lithium and critical minerals, and green hydrogen production. The integration reflects Gradiant’s commitment to delivering a seamless client experience while accelerating the adoption of innovative and sustainable water technologies to all corners of the world.

    “Water is the lifeblood of every major industry. The transition of H+E to Gradiant is a natural step in our journey to elevate water for the world’s essential industries,” said Prakash Govindan, COO of Gradiant. “By uniting under one identity, we create greater potential to serve our customers with an unmatched portfolio of advanced technologies, end-to-end water solutions, and global expertise.”

    The transition will be fully completed by April 1, 2025, with all H+E operations and communications aligning under the Gradiant identity. Clients will continue to receive the same high-quality service from their trusted teams, backed more than ever, by Gradiant’s global network of expertise and resources.

    This milestone underscores Gradiant’s leadership in delivering mission-critical infrastructure for the most advanced industries – at a global scale – and demonstrates its ability to create exponential value through strategic acquisitions.

    About Gradiant

    Gradiant is a Different Kind of Water Company. With a full suite of differentiated and proprietary end-to-end solutions for advanced water and wastewater treatment powered by the top minds in water, the company serves its clients’ mission-critical operations in the world’s essential industries, including semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, lithium and critical minerals, and renewable energy. Gradiant’s innovative solutions reduce water used and wastewater discharged, reclaim valuable resources, and renew wastewater into freshwater. The Boston-headquartered company was founded at MIT and has over 1,200 employees worldwide. Discover us at gradiant.com.

    Corporate Contact

    Felix Wang

    Gradiant, Global Head of Brand

    [email protected]


  Products

  • FOREVERGONE
    Two technologies. One breakthrough. ForeverGone combines foam fractionation and electro-oxidation, engineered with Gradiant-grade innovation. Proven performance at the lowest total cost — from an award-winning leader in sustainable water technology....

  • ForeverGone is Gradiant’s all-in-one solution to remove and permanently destroy PFAS from contaminated water sources.
    ForeverGone is more than a name for this innovative technology; it expresses our philosophy on addressing the threat of emerging contaminants. It is not enough to remove PFAS; we must destroy it forever.
    Applying our whole-system thinking, we set out to engineer a completely different approach to PFAS remediation where every element of the solution is optimized to work seamlessly together in one end-to-end solution that enables simple, reliable, cost-effective operations. ForeverGone pairs two proven, field-tested technologies -foam fractionation and electro-oxidation - enhanced with Gradiant-Grade innovation to deliver compelling, industry-leading performance at the lowest total cost, and all from a single award-winning pioneer in the water industry.
  • RO Infinity with CFRO
    Breakthrough Reverse Osmosis Technologies for Sustainable MLD and ZLD Solutions...

  • Many of today’s water and wastewaters cannot be efficiently treated with conventional membrane or thermal technologies. Gradiant has developed RO Infinity, an advanced platform of membrane-based solutions for complex water and wastewater challenges, that combines our patented Counterflow Reverse Osmosis (CFRO) technology with innovative reverse osmosis (RO) membrane processes. RO Infinity solutions enable customers around the world to achieve desalination, brine concentration, brine mining, and sustainability goals.

    RO Infinity systems are built with commercially available membranes and components for low-cost and easy maintenance. These units are designed and assembled in modular form factors with proprietary process and control technologies, and backed by one of the most experienced engineering and service teams in the industry.

  • BIO CAPTURE
    INNOVATIVE BIOCARRIER FOR WATER TREATMENT...

  • Gradiant Bio-Capture is an innovative biocarrier crafted for 
    biological water treatment. Made from biodegradable polyether and featuring a distinctive “puzzle-like” structure, it facilitates the growth of microorganisms. As these microorganisms develop, their density becomes similar to water, enhancing mobility and energy efficiency. Additionally, the biocarrier’s porous nature optimizes biofilm formation, system efficiency, and sustainability.
  • Fluidized Bed Crystallization (FBC)
    Gradiant’s Fluidized Bed Crystallization (FBC) is one of Gradiant’s patented technologies in the SCE platform....

  • Gradiant’s Fluidized Bed Crystallization (FBC) is one of Gradiant’s patented technologies in the SCE platform. FBC recovers valuable minerals while removing a range of contaminants, using silicate sands which are added as carrier material. Inorganic ions are removed by forming stable crystals of metal salts with the carrier sand, which are then removed for waste reduction. FBC is most commonly applied for calcium, fluoride, ammonia, phosphate, copper, and nickel removal.