Insider Brief
- Xatoms, a cleantech startup applying AI and quantum chemistry to water purification, has raised $3 million in pre-seed funding to scale its solar-activated material discovery platform.
- The company’s technology removes biological, chemical, and heavy metal contaminants in 30 minutes using sunlight or LED light, requiring no heavy infrastructure.
- The round was led by Quantacet and backed by Genesis Ventures, BDC’s Thrive Lab, and others, with recognition from Forbes 30 Under 30 and Google’s AI for Nature Accelerator.
PRESS RELEASE — – Xatoms, a cleantech startup using AI and quantum chemistry to develop solar-activated water purification solutions, has announced the successful closing of a $3 million pre-seed round, which consists of $2 million in VC funding and $1 million cumulative non-dilutive funding received to date.
Xatoms discovers new materials for water purification using AI and quantum chemistry. Its material purifies water in just 30 minutes using sunlight or LED light. It removes biological pathogens, chemical pollutants, heavy metals, and other persistent contaminants without the need for heavy infrastructure. The solution is designed for use in industrial sites, Indigenous communities, remote regions, and emerging markets where traditional water systems are often unavailable or too expensive.
The round was led by Quantacet, Canada’s leading quantum VC firm. Xatoms is also proud to be supported by Genesis Ventures, one of Europe’s five most active VCs and a global supporter of breakthrough technologies; Thrive Lab from the Business Development Bank of Canada, which champions impact-driven and female-led ventures; and other key ecosystem players such as the League of Innovators, Capital Angel Network, BoxOne Ventures, and prominent angel investors including Joe Gagliese (co-founder of Viral Nation), Evan Kubes, and Alex Challans (co-founders of Resonance (Quantum Insider)).
Xatoms was founded in 2024 by entrepreneurs Diana Virgovicova, Kerem Topal Ismail Oglou and Shirley Zhong while at the University of Toronto and Western University.
Xatoms has received global recognition, including Forbes 30 Under 30 North America 2025, 776 Climate Fellowship, Enactus Entrepreneur of the Year, Clean50 Award, SXSW Innovative World Tech, StartupFest prizes, and was recently selected by Google for Startups’ AI for Nature Accelerator to build the next generation of climate technology.
“We started Xatoms with one mission: to use our innovative discovery technology to create materials which can tackle the world’s toughest climate challenges,” said Diana Virgovicova, Co-Founder and CEO of Xatoms. “This funding will allow us to scale our pilot programs, grow our technical and manufacturing teams, and partner with more communities and industrial stakeholders ready for sustainable change. This mission is especially urgent in the face of ongoing water crises affecting Indigenous communities across Canada.”
According to Chloe Archambault, partner at Quantacet, “Xatoms is tackling a pressing need and is a great example of how quantum science can drive transformational change for humanity. The computational platform they have built represents enormous potential for material discovery for water treatment and beyond. Most importantly, the team demonstrates a great ability to execute. We are eager to build the future of Xatoms with them.”
With global support and a growing pipeline of pilot opportunities, Xatoms is entering a pivotal growth phase, advancing partnerships with industry, government, and communities to reimagine water treatment.
