WAVR Technologies extracts water from desert air using biomimetic membranes

WAVR Technologies, a Las Vegas-based deep tech startup spun out of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), is commercializing atmospheric water harvesting systems. The technology uses a biomimetic synthetic membrane inspired by the skin of an Australian tree frog to extract water from ambient air, even in desert environments with humidity levels as low as 10 percent.

While early versions produced only milliliters of water daily, current units can produce up to 20 liters per day. The company aims to scale this significantly, with CEO Rich Sloan projecting systems capable of producing 10,000 gallons of water per day by the end of 2027. Such large-scale systems are envisioned to fit within the footprint of a shipping container.

Target applications include reducing reliance on municipal water supplies for high-demand sectors like data centers, as well as medical uses such as kidney dialysis. To support production expansion, the company is pursuing a $4 million seed funding round, which may include up to $1 million in matching funds from government programs.