Ferr-Tech wins the Dutch Chamber of Commerce Innovation Top 100 for 2023
Dutch company Ferr-Tech, a global market leader in Ferrate(VI) applications for industrial water and wastewater treatment, has taken first place in the Dutch Chamber of Commerce Innovation Top 100 for their innovation FerSol. For a year, Ferr-Tech can call itself the most innovative SME company in the Netherlands.
Ferrate (VI) is an oxidant that is more powerful than chlorine dioxide, hydrogen peroxide and ozone. Their innovation, FerSol, is Sodium or Potassium Ferrate(VI) in a liquid and preservable form that makes wastewater treatment sustainable, efficient and circular.
Thanks to groundbreaking research, Ferr-Tech is the only company in the world to have developed a patented production process to produce Ferrate(VI) in a stable and preservable form for industrial usage. This opens new possibilities for green and efficient water purification, making water re-use possible.
The jury recognised Ferr-Tech’s innovation FerSol for its significant contribution to sustainability and the development of an exceptionally innovative product. Impressed by the company’s implementation ability and rapid revenue growth with a small and diverse team, Ferr-Tech emerged as the undisputed winner.
Judith le Fèvre, co-owner of Ferr-Tech, remarked, “Securing the top spot in the KVK Innovation Top 100 is a testament to the dedication and ingenuity of our team. It’s not just a win for Ferr-Tech; it’s a win for innovation in wastewater treatment and a recognition of the transformative power of FerSol.”
Second and third place
NoPalm Ingredients, producer of local, circular and sustainable alternatives to palm oil secured the second place. By upcycling agrifood side streams into circular yeast oils, they are making a worldwide environmental impact, contributing to a waste-free world, decarbonising the entire value chain with 90% less greenhouse gases emissions, and limiting the impact on natural habitats with 99% less land-use.
Sirius Medical Systems, a commercially successful spinoff from the Antonie van Leeuwenhoek Hospital and the University of Twente, took third place. Sirius has developed an innovative magnetic localisation method for breast cancer: Sirius Pintuition. It is a tiny magnetic seed the size of a grain of rice that allows precise and efficient surgical removal of tumors. The application has already been used in 7,500 operations in 75 hospitals.
Recognised water innovations
The Dutch Chamber of Commerce Innovation Top 100 recognises and celebrates the most innovative companies in the Netherlands. This year, the region Noth Hollan and the agrifood sector have been best represented in the ranking with 22 companies and 17 innovations respectively.
The Dutch water sector has also added quite a few innovative solutions to the list. Besides Ferr-Tech, the Dutch Chamber of Commerce Innovation Top 100 includes:
- SparkNano (#29) – their Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) solution can be used to apply very thin iridium and platinum catalyst layers for electrolysers. This solution allows the amount of iridium to be reduced by a factor of 40 and therefore it enables a massive cost reduction of green hydrogen.
- Water IQ International (#54) – It develops water treatment solutions that help customers fully utilise the value of water. Their technology can be used for various purposes, including groundwater remediation.
- Prince kunststof infra (#63) – it develops innovative high-quality PE connecting pieces (couplings) for water pipes and gas and biogas installations. Their patented and Kiwa-certified PE lockable coupling minimises the risk of contamination of drinking water.
- Kooiker Zuigtechniek Staphorst (#68) – Cleaning water-passing and water-permeable paving can be done efficiently and quickly with their specially developed cleaning machine.
- ENINCOM (#89) – the first company in the world to develop a filter to dynamically filter DC leakage current to earth and bring it to zero. This DC leakage current filter can prevent galvanic corrosion, making buildings, parking garages or viaducts less likely to damage and age.
- PureBlue (#100) - it has designed a compact and flexible wastewater treatment system, suitable for purifying medicine residues and other micro-contaminants from wastewater. MicroForce++ can be applied directly at the source, uses biology intertwined with ozonation technology, and guarantees a high purification efficiency of substances of very high concern.
All nominations have been assessed for impact on the industry and society, originality, availability, realised turnover and growth potential.
