Swedish ClimateTech startup Anferra has secured SEK 4.7 million (€420,000 / $480,000) in seed funding to commercialize a technology that transforms steel industry waste into high-value chemicals for water treatment.
The investment round was backed by SKF Ventures, Stephen Industries, and existing investor Chalmers Ventures, highlighting growing investor interest in circular economy solutions for heavy industry.
Founded in Gothenburg, Anferra has developed a proprietary process that converts steel grinding swarf—a byproduct of steel manufacturing that is typically sent to landfill—into high-quality iron-based coagulants used in municipal and industrial water treatment.
Every year, millions of tonnes of steel grinding waste are generated worldwide, creating both environmental and disposal challenges. Anferra’s technology gives this waste a second life by recovering valuable materials while reducing the need for virgin raw materials traditionally used in chemical production.
The company’s solution delivers several sustainability benefits:
- Diverts steel waste from landfills.
- Reduces industrial waste disposal costs.
- Lowers carbon emissions associated with producing water treatment chemicals.
- Supports circular manufacturing by keeping valuable resources in use.
- Provides a more sustainable supply of critical chemicals for water treatment facilities.
The newly raised capital will help Anferra scale its pilot operations, validate the technology with industrial customers, and prepare for broader commercial deployment.
As governments and industries increasingly prioritize resource efficiency and emissions reduction, circular economy technologies are becoming an essential part of Europe’s industrial transition. Rather than treating manufacturing byproducts as waste, startups like Anferra are demonstrating how industrial residues can become valuable raw materials for entirely different sectors.
By connecting the steel and water industries through resource recovery, Anferra is addressing two global challenges at once: reducing industrial waste and improving the sustainability of water treatment infrastructure.
With fresh funding and support from strategic industrial investors, the Swedish startup is positioning itself as an emerging player in Europe’s rapidly growing ClimateTech and circular economy ecosystem.
