ASPIDIA srl

ASPIDIA is a deep-tech startup based in Milan, Italy, focused on the destruction and mineralization of PFAS and other persistent organic contaminants in water and industrial effluents. Our core vision is that long-term remediation requires contaminant destruction rather than transfer to secondary waste streams. Conventional approaches such as granular activated carbon, ion exchange and membrane systems are effective at contaminant removal but typically concentrate pollutants and generate downstream disposal challenges. ASPIDIA develops technologies aimed at degrading contaminants directly at the source.

We are developing two proprietary technology platforms:

TriClean (TRL 4): a Venturi-based hydrodynamic cavitation process coupled with advanced oxidation, designed for on-site PFAS destruction and currently being extended to a broader range of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs).

DEHA (TRL 3): a computational enzyme-engineering platform exploring biological approaches to carbon-fluorine bond cleavage and PFAS biodegradation as a longer-term deep-tech asset.

Our activities are aligned with the regulatory drivers created by the EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (2024/3019) and the Drinking Water Directive, which are increasing the need for effective treatment solutions for PFAS, micropollutants and other emerging contaminants across Europe. Current development efforts focus on extending TriClean to pharmaceutical residues, including contaminants linked to antimicrobial resistance, as well as textile dyes and other persistent organic pollutants.

What we bring to a consortium: a destruction-based treatment approach, pilot-scale implementation capability, multidisciplinary expertise in environmental remediation and biotechnology, and established collaborations with the University of L'Aquila (chemical and environmental engineering) and the University of Turin (enzyme engineering and computational biology).

We are looking to connect with environmental microbiology groups (residual antibacterial activity assessment, antimicrobial resistance genes and qPCR analysis), analytical chemistry laboratories, LCA and techno-economic assessment experts, water utilities, industrial end-users (pharmaceutical/API manufacturing, textile and chemical sectors), and academic or RTO partners interested in Horizon Europe proposals addressing PFAS, contaminants of emerging concern, water treatment, environmental remediation and circular-economy challenges.

We are particularly interested in collaborative projects involving technology validation, pilot demonstrations, scale-up activities and integrated approaches combining advanced treatment technologies, monitoring and environmental impact assessment.