Solaq raises pre-seed to pull drinking water from desert air
What's the deal? Amsterdam-based deeptech startup SolaqDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has raised a pre-seed round led by Connect the DropsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, with participation from Graduate VenturesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →. The company extracts drinking water from air using proprietary liquid desiccant technology.
What's the endgame? Solaq builds containerised systems that guarantee a fixed daily output of clean drinking water regardless of climate. Its core innovation decouples the absorption and regeneration process, letting the system scale output by adding absorber units rather than redesigning hardware.
Why now? The dominant atmospheric water generation technology — cooling condensation — breaks down in dry, arid regions where water scarcity is worst. Solaq's approach is built to work anywhere, from humid coastlines to deserts.
The startup already has signed purchase orders across Spain, Mexico, and Brazil. Its systems are energy-agnostic, running on grid electricity, solar thermal, or industrial waste heat — opening a route to market through industrial partners with excess heat.
Solaq is led by chief executive officer Reuben Moore, who co-founded the company with technical co-founder Evert van Voorthuysen and Peter Solleveld. Chief technology officer Ian Smith rounds out the leadership.
The signal: Atmospheric water generation remains dominated by cooling-based systems that struggle in low-humidity climates, leaving arid regions underserved. By positioning itself as the standardised, climate-independent alternative — backed by early orders — Solaq is betting that de-risked commercial traction can carry a hardware-heavy water play from lab to market.
Read more: graduate.nl
Image credit: Rui Ornelas
