Here's a translated version of a recent interview with Eytan Levy on the Israel New-Tech Magazine website... credit to
@ormond for finding this!
http://new-techonline.com/2016/07/emefcy-היי-טק-בטיהור-שפכים/
Emefcy - high-tech sewage treatment
31/07/16
High-tech sewage? sounds strange! Caesarea Emefcy company provides advanced technological solutions for sewage treatment. Emefcy is a global pioneer in the development and implementation of energy efficient wastewater treatment. Emefcy was founded in early 2008 by a pair of serial entrepreneurs Eytan Levy (who currently serves as CEO) and Ronen Shechter (who CTO). Before establishing Emefcy Ronen Eitan founded the company AqWise (also in the field of sewage treatment technologies), which became a world leader in its field with hundreds of installations in dozens of countries
Eytan Levy, CEO of Emefcy
Emefcy adorned with dozens of international innovation awards, including start-up company of the year by the Global Cleantech Association, Bloomberg's innovation leader, winner of CleanEquity of Prince Albert of Monaco, and more. The company has 35 employees and is expanding rapidly, and recruitment.
Emefcy is one of dozens of start-up companies to participate in the international conference GoforIsrael Israeli investment in Shanghai, the presence of about 1,000 investors and entrepreneurs from China and Israel.
How is the wastewater treatment technology Emefcy?
Conventional wastewater treatment is performed by a biological process, which inject air bubbles from the bottom of the reactor which develop in bacteria that decompose the waste water pollution, while consuming the oxygen supplied to them by the air bubbles. It turns out that this process is a significant consumer of electricity, that 2% of global electricity demand is attributed to wastewater treatment facilities (equivalent to all the power of France!).
Amfsi developed the technology based on membrane MABR "semiconductor" which leads to a very high rate of oxygen, but waterproof. Scrollable sleeve-shaped membrane, creating a spiral that creates a surface rich in wastewater treatment module. This technology mimics the lung function effectively in the human body, providing oxygen to the body with minimal effort using membrane "semiconductor" is similar. The technology of Amfsi MABR saves 90% of electricity (!) Of the effluent treatment process and therefore constitutes a significant revolution in wastewater treatment.
What was the impetus for the development of the product?
In-depth understanding of the needs of the wastewater treatment market, its main problems and trending, brought the company's technological development. Electricity accounts for about half the cost of purification of waste and by reducing the power consumption can significantly reduce the cost of wastewater treatment in the world. This point was illustrated dramatically in China, where the government plans to build a new wastewater treatment plants to 400 million rural residents. These facilities, whether operated conventional methods, will consume an amount of 4,000 MW. Implementation of the company's technology in the rural sector in China China will save $ 1.3 billion a year. The market potential for the company in China alone is $ 15 billion and the company is preparing to grab a substantial share of this market by establishing a large manufacturing plant in China and the establishment of a local branch significantly.
What's unique to your system compared to competing systems?
Beyond the significant savings in electricity, modular technology allows a gradual future expansion as needed. Another significant advantage is reducing the amount of excess sludge that contact the site by 50%, another reason to reduce operating costs. The technology produces treated waste water (treated wastewater) is very high quality suitable for reuse for irrigation, and release into rivers, lakes and the sea. The system controlled by a remote-controlled monitoring system and is very easy to construct, maintain and operate.
Who are your users?
Customers are wastewater treatment plants. Because of the modular structure of the product, the target market is small installations: villages, hotels, shopping centers, small agencies etc. In the coming year would end product development process dipped (Submerged), upgradeable to fit large facilities.
Where the systems are installed today Emefcy? What is the potential worldwide in the area?
Lamfsi has facilities operate from the beginning of 2014, Maayan Zvi sewage treatment plant. Another facility in September 2014, operated in Caesarea larger facility recently began to operate in the Jezreel Valley. Additional facilities are under construction in the Virgin Islands of the United States, Ethiopia and China. More than 40 other projects in various stages of negotiations with customers.
Global potential is more than 10 billion dollars a year and Emefcy aims to grab a substantial share of this market by 2020.
You mentioned your desire to expand into China. Can you tell more about your activities there?
The Chinese government released in February 2016 the 13th five-year plan which requires, among other things, the establishment of some 100,000 small wastewater treatment plants in the rural sector. These facilities must meet very high quality effluents, be energy efficient and easy to maintain and operate. The company's MABR technology meets these criteria effectively than any alternatives on the market, so Hfontzial business looks promising.
In addition to the existing product, you are working on the development of a new product?
Indeed, we have developed a technology roadmap by which the company will release to the market other innovative technological products in the coming years, including the EBR based on Alktrogniim bacteria which produce green electricity during the effluent treatment process. The process is designed to treat the wastewater of industrial plants (dairies, breweries, factories Frttzbtiim, refineries, etc.).
At what stage are you in terms of development?
The MABR is a commercial product marketed and installed the world. The EBR is still in development, will begin in about a year pioneer facilities and be ready commercially in about two years. Sales and marketing team is now accelerated expansion and we recruit salespeople from wastewater in Israel and abroad.
Are you still in recruiting? Who are the investors?
Since the company's founding in 2008 until the end of 2015 the company financed funds venture capital funds. Israeli ICV Foundation made the first investment in the company and joined by Plan-B Boston, and Pond Foundation of California and the United Kingdom which is the largest shareholder in the company. Investors are also invested in General Electric Corporation, GE Ventures. In December 2015 the company was floated on the ASX under the symbol EMC, offering one of the most successful was the year. Since the IPO the stock has risen by about 400%, and has become one of the most profitable investments on the ASX and the world, despite the fact that most have not yet realized the potential for the main course, the company is still growth ahead.
Investment Conference
GoforIsrael - the first time in China
GoforIsrael Conference, the 16th, will be held for the first time outside Israel, September 20th at the Grand Hyatt in Shanghai. International Investment Conference, organized by Cukierman Investment House and the Catalyst Private Equity Fund, is considered one of Israel's most important business pants, thanks to the international recognition of his influence on the future of foreign investment in Israel and the Israeli and global investments worldwide. After many years the conference focused on raising investment and encouraging cooperation between Israel and the investors and corporations to Western markets and emerging markets including China, the main focus this year will be the only Chinese investments, especially in high-tech industries, green technologies, energy and life sciences.
Conference, which are expected to participate in the 1000 Chinese entrepreneurs and investors and Israelis, there will be panels on the following topics: mergers and acquisitions in Israel-China; Technology, media and telecommunications; Israeli companies market strategies in China, Israel and China's gateway to the US market, Chinese investments in biotech and Mdtk Israel; And a discussion on "partnership Israel China - the Silk Road".
Throughout the conference will be "elevator speech" of innovation teams, will have the opportunity to briefly introduce our products and solutions are key to potential investors. There will be special elevator speech on green technology, TMT (Technology, Media and Telecom) and life sciences.
(20min delay)