NoPo Nanotechnologies, Indian developer of advanced carbon nanotube materials, has been shortlisted for the XPRIZE Water Scarcity Challenge, a USD 119 million, multi-year global competition designed to unlock reliable, affordable, and sustainable seawater desalination solutions.
The Bengaluru-based company is among 93 contenders in Track A worldwide, and is the only Track A team from India to qualify for this prestigious challenge. NoPo’s entry leverages its proprietary Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube (SWCNT) membranes, developed through the company’s industrial-scale HiPCO process.
These membranes promise to deliver double the performance of conventional reverse osmosis (RO) systems in terms of water flux, energy efficiency, and lifespan, while also reducing rejection rates.
“Years of research and development have led us to this moment,” said Gadhadar Reddy, CEO of NoPo Nanotechnologies. “The XPRIZE Water challenge is exactly the platform where our technology can make a global impact. Water scarcity has been a long-standing challenge for humanity, and we believe our nanotube-based desalination membranes can provide an answer that is both scalable and sustainable,” he added.
Beyond the competition, NoPo Nanotechnologies leadership team has extended an invitation to collaborators, researchers, and volunteers to collaborate. “Together, we can solve water for good – and ensure access to clean water for generations to come,” it said.
Founded in 2011, NoPo Nanotechnologies manufactures HiPCO Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs) using patented technology. NoPo claims that it is the only company in India, and one of a handful globally, to achieve this milestone at an industrial scale. SWCNTs enable applications in energy storage, electronics, coatings, and water purification.
XPRIZE is engaged in designing and executing large-scale competitions to solve humanity’s greatest challenges.
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