MONTREAL, July 7, 2025 /CNW/ - As Canada faces a water crisis marked by increasing scarcity, the devastating effects of climate change and cross-border pressures, a bold response is required.
Today, AquaAction proudly unveiled 15 Quebec water technology companies at a ceremony marking the launch of the fourth edition of its flagship commercialization program, AquaEntrepreneur. This was the first event to showcase the province's water technology ecosystem at Montreal's brand-new Espace Ax.c, Quebec's innovation hub.
The selected companies, representing several regions of Quebec, took the stage alongside Ax.c Founding Director Richard Chénier and Luc Sirois, Quebec's Chief Innovator, to present innovations addressing pressing water-related issues. All participating start-up, scale-up and SME teams are now officially part of the 2025 edition of AquaEntrepreneur. They will engage in an eight-month program focused on commercialization, personalized coaching, implementation of early pilots, connections with technology adopters, as well as access to essential resources to help scale their businesses.
Each company will have the opportunity to make direct contact with potential customers adopting water technologies. AquaEntrepreneur's goal is to help launch up to 36 contracts or pilot projects across the province, while securing export opportunities in international markets.
"All Quebecers have a connection with our water. Yet the pressures on our water systems are reaching a boiling point," said Soula Chronopoulos, President of AquaAction. "We're here to give the tools and support to a new generation of water entrepreneurs in Quebec."
AquaEntrepreneur is the only program in Quebec dedicated exclusively to the commercialization of revolutionary water technologies. It creates direct channels between start-ups, SMEs and municipal and industrial partners wishing to reduce their water-related impact on the climate. Earlier this year, the Quebec government pledged $1.5 million over three years to support AquaEntrepreneur's expansion, as announced by Minister Christopher Skeete.
Quotes
"From reducing massive water losses to combating pollution, the ingenuity showcased today addresses a wide range of water security challenges. These innovators demonstrate that technology, when supported by vision and purpose, can transform our most pressing water issues into sustainable solutions."
- François de Gaspé Beaubien, Founding Chair, AquaAction
"AquaEntrepreneur Québec is an essential program that supports emerging innovators in the field of water technologies. By accelerating the commercialization of their solutions, we are proving that water-related issues can be transformed into real economic opportunities for young Quebec businesses. Our government is proud to ensure the continuation of this initiative, which plays a key role in the more sustainable management and protection of our water resources."
- Christopher Skeete, Minister for the Economy, Minister Responsible for the Fight against Racism, and Minister Responsible for the Laval Region
"It's exciting to see AquaAction set up shop in Espace Ax.c, a space designed to accelerate the ideas of visionaries like those supported by this magnificent organization. AquaAction's entrepreneurs are at the heart of the future of clean technologies in Quebec. Québec Tech is following with interest these innovations, which we hope will make a concrete impact on the quality of our planet as soon as possible."
- Richard Chénier, General Director, Québec Numérique
"Ovivo is proud to stand alongside AquaAction in championing Quebec's next generation of water-tech innovators. As a global leader in water treatment solutions, we believe in the power of collaboration to drive sustainable impact. The AquaEntrepreneur program plays an important role in accelerating commercialization and supporting business growth, and we are honoured to support this new group of entrepreneurs as they shape the future of water."
- Marie-Pierre Lavallée, Vice President, HR and Communications, Ovivo
Quick Facts
- AquaAction is a not-for-profit that empowers innovators and entrepreneurs to develop and deploy cutting-edge water technologies that drive sustainable solutions for water security. Through leadership development, coaching, and industry partnerships, we accelerate the growth of water-focused startups, foster collaboration, and champion water technology and innovation as pillars of economic resilience, environmental sustainability, and national security.
- Since its creation in 2022, AquaEntrepreneur has
- Supported for 46 Quebec companies
- Resulted in the completion of more than 20 pilot projects
- Resulted in the signing of more than 180 contracts in various municipalities, industrial sectors and Agtech
- AquaEntrepreneur is fully aligned with the guidelines of the Quebec Water Strategy 2018–2030 and the Quebec Research and Innovation Strategy (SQRI2).
- Located in the heart of Downtown Montréal, Ax.c is a vibrant gathering place for Québec's startup ecosystem, which joins together a critical mass of key stakeholders dedicated to innovative, technological entrepreneurship. It offers a multipurpose environment with meeting areas for events, collaborative workspaces, multiple opportunities for networking and interconnection as well as special access to various leading-edge resources, including a prototyping workspace.
- Quebec faces multiple water challenges: massive consumption, significant losses, environmental contamination, and potability issues. These issues translate into annual costs approaching $5 billion for Quebec municipalities.
- To be eligible for AquaEntrepreneur, companies must have innovative solutions that address economic security issues related to water within municipal, industrial, or ag-tech sectors. Other criteria include:
- Incorporated in Quebec
- Innovation ready for real-world deployment (TRL 7+)
- Strong economic, environmental, and/or social impact
- Strong growth and deployment potential
- Revenues less than CAD$5 million
- AquaAction's Impact since 2016:
- 100+ active water tech companies
- $200M+ in annual revenues
- $65M+ capital raised
- 400+ green jobs created
The AquaEntrepreneur Companies:
ACTI-ZYME PRODUCTS Ltd.
William Powell & Jonathan Lee
Develops ethical, eco-friendly solutions for treating biodegradable wastewater. Their Advanced Electrochemical Oxidation (OEA) technology removes up to 98% of phosphorus without chemicals, using sacrificial anodes that generate metallic ions and powerful oxidants. The system is compact, modular, and reduces sludge, making it ideal for municipal and industrial use.
ELYTRA BIOMATÉRIAUX INC.
Sergio Moreno, Roman Parra & Jonatan Mendez
Uses machine learning to accelerate sustainable material innovation. Their BEAM SaaS platform predicts optimal formulations, reducing R&D cycles by up to 70%. BEAM helps water treatment firms improve additive efficiency, lower chemical usage, and achieve regulatory compliance while minimizing environmental impact.
GROWCLEAN TECHNOLOGIES
Mathieu Tanguay & Olivier Fortin
Democratizes automated precision agriculture through a unique servomotor that controls multiple mechanical outputs. This reduces electronic complexity and lowers costs for farmers, while boosting crop quality and minimizing environmental impacts like water overuse and emissions.
JUSTPURE INC.
Jimmy Nazer, Arman Bosnakyan, Elkin Vanegas
Aims to ensure access to clean water in homes and businesses while reducing plastic waste. Their high-quality water filters last 18 months and continue to function even during boil water advisories. They partner with cities to offer sustainable alternatives to bottled water.
LALONDE SYSTHERMIQUE INC.
Eric Lalonde
Helps clients enhance steam usage efficiency to remain competitive while reducing environmental impact. Their RFVC tech lowers greenhouse gas emissions by over 15%, cuts water and chemical consumption by 50%, and reduces natural gas use by 15%, optimizing steam and condensate recovery.
LEEDANA SANDPONICS
Hassan Elrakhawy
Revolutionizes desert agriculture with sandponics, a method using 90% less water than traditional farming. Their circular system reuses water up to 100 times annually using fish waste and specialized sand. Ideal for arid climates, urban greening, and low-footprint farming.
NAUTI METRICS
Jean-Christophe Champlain
Modernizes aquatic environmental analysis with on-site tech. Their floating drones analyze 12+ water quality indicators in real time, conduct sampling, and use sonar for bathymetric data. The approach reduces plastic sample containers, simplifies logistics, and cuts carbon footprint.
NISKAE INTERNATIONAL INC.
Julien Quiblier
Designs compact, standardized microstations for industrial wastewater recycling. Their systems treat and depollute wash water for safe release or reuse, cutting hazardous material storage and transport. Businesses can achieve ROI in 12–24 months while reducing overall water consumption.
OZERO SOLUTIONS
Matys Tessier
Protects water bodies from invasive aquatic species to safeguard biodiversity and municipal infrastructure. Their washing station technology helps prevent the spread of species like zebra mussels, reducing ecological damage and infrastructure clogging. The mission supports environmental, economic, and social resilience in communities.
PUREAU TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Adel Boukhari
Provides smart, turnkey water management solutions for buildings and municipalities. Using SenSeau sensors and the HydrolytiX AI platform, they offer real-time water quality monitoring and predictive maintenance. This ecosystem empowers infrastructure decisions while lowering maintenance costs and fostering strategic partnerships across the water cycle.
RELOCALIZE
Benjamin Chalier, Wayne McIntyre, Graham Campbell, Leigh Copp
Develops autonomous micro-factories to locally produce ice-based goods at distribution centers, eliminating long-distance transport. This decentralized model improves water and energy efficiency, reduces waste, and integrates seamlessly with urban cold storage infrastructure—decarbonizing food logistics while enhancing local resource management.
SERVICE ENVIRO SCAD INC.
Songwen Xu
Transforms organic waste like blue-green algae into stable, odorless material with industrial-scale potential. The SCAD system halts decomposition, removes odors, and improves municipal water quality. It offers centralized and mobile treatment options to address organic water pollution efficiently and sustainably.
SOLUTIONS P-LOGIX INC.
Patrick Lelievre
Specializes in automating water treatment and biomethanization for Québec municipalities. Their centralized platform connects all stations and instruments, enabling remote diagnostics, maintenance planning, and incident prevention. P-Logix supports the digital evolution of public infrastructure while lowering costs and improving response time.
TYPHA
Alec Massé & Steven Squire
Preserves peatlands and restores degraded wetlands by converting invasive plants like cattails (typha) into eco-friendly horticultural products. Their nature-based infrastructure improves municipal water quality and climate resilience. Typha's solution is affordable and scalable, ideal for rural communities facing droughts and floods.
VALORIX
Frédéric Vincent
Offers a circular solution to agricultural runoff by transforming livestock manure into high-value renewable fertilizers. Their tech prevents nutrient leaching that causes blue-green algae, while recycling clean water as a byproduct. This model reduces GHG emissions and fosters local, sustainable fertilizer production.
SOURCE AquaAction
Oliver Anderson, Vice-President of Communications and Growth, [email protected]
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