Sandwich, UK, October 6, 2026 – Anthera Remediation Technologies (Anthera) has been named the first-place regional winner of the 2026 EIT Water WAVEMAKER: Water Sustainability and Climate Resilience Award, recognising the company’s innovative approach to addressing complex water treatment challenges.
Anthera received the award and Certificate of Achievement during the regional WAVEMAKER final held September 17 in Oxford, England. The competition brought together start-ups, spin-outs and small and medium-sized enterprises developing innovative solutions for the water, marine and water systems sectors.
As a first-place regional winner, Anthera will represent the United Kingdom at the European WAVEMAKER Final at the EIT Water Launch Event in Málaga, Spain, on October 15, 2026. Regional winners from across Europe will compete for the overall European WAVEMAKER title and a €5,000 development award. Anthera will also receive a one-year EIT Water membership, providing access to a European network of innovators, industry partners, investors and business opportunities.
Anthera is developing advanced photocatalytic oxidation technology designed to destroy persistent contaminants and address complex water and wastewater treatment challenges. Initially demonstrated through PFAS destruction, the technology is designed to operate under ambient conditions while reducing the energy, cost and infrastructure demands associated with conventional treatment methods.
The WAVEMAKER competition evaluates innovations addressing three principal areas: water efficiency, recycling and circularity; marine and freshwater ecosystem protection and water quality; and climate resilience and adaptation to external threats affecting water systems. Participants also receive expert-led training and mentoring and present their innovations to judges, investors, corporate representatives and other innovation partners.
EIT Water is the European knowledge and innovation community dedicated to water, marine and maritime sectors and ecosystems. Part of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, a body of the European Union, EIT Water brings together industry, innovators, researchers, educators and policymakers to accelerate solutions to challenges including water scarcity, pollution, ecosystem decline and climate resilience.
About Anthera Remediation Technologies
Anthera Remediation Technologies (Anthera) has developed a molecular technology platform to address persistent contaminants and complex water and wastewater treatment challenges. Initially demonstrated through PFAS destruction, Anthera is advancing a new approach to water treatment that combines contaminant destruction with practical, efficient implementation. Founded in 2025, the four-person team is currently running client pilot projects and seeking £300k investment to scale production. They are based at Discovery Park's CoLab facility and Barclays Eagle Lab.
Media Contact:
Ellen McGee
eemcgeeconsulting@gmail.com
antheraremediation.com
Commercial Director
Gareth is an investment and advisory professional with 40+ years’ experience across financial services, natural capital, and clean/climate technologies. He co-founded Climate Change Capital in 2002 and has been Managing Partner at Beetle Capital Partners LLP since 2008, with a proven track record in pioneering innovation in sustainability, scaling transformative businesses, and navigating complex multi-stakeholder environments.
Throughout his career, Gareth has developed close collaborative relationships with academic researchers and policy makers, to spearhead groundbreaking projects that have paved the way for advancements in environmental technologies, including the launch of a number of successful startups. He now focuses on supporting entrepreneurs and early-stage companies on their journey to Series A.
Finance & Operations Director
Leonardo brings nearly 15 years of experience identifying and seizing opportunities, building high-performance teams, and developing systems and processes that create efficiencies, increase productivity, and drive business results to his role at A.R.T.
After almost a decade-long career in Morgan Stanley, Leonardo obtained an MBA from Imperial College to pursue his passion for translating science into impactful outcomes.
He brings proven expertise in strategic financial planning, funding initiatives, and leading high-performing teams to achieve critical financial objectives and operational excellence.
At A.R.T., Leonardo utilizes his extensive experience in financial and business planning, resource allocation, and financial reporting to provide strategic direction, decision-support, and leadership for the company’s growth strategy.
Chief Scientific Advisor
An environmental scientist with over 11 years of post-graduate experience, David brings hands-on expertise in managing complex remediation projects, having served as technical lead on several large-scale sites.
He previously managed an R&D laboratory for a remediation contractor, overseeing multiple PFAS-related projects, including assessments of destructive processes and stabilization methods.
Building on his experience with NAPL remediation and the challenges encountered in the field, David developed an innovative LNAPL probe, earning the 2017 Brownfield Briefing Award and the 2019 Spill Response Innovation Award for its development, commercialization, and successful application.
His recent work for a nuclear-sector client includes project management for the development of new treatment media to mitigate a radioactive groundwater plume. David also collaborates with several UK universities, guest lecturing to postgraduate groups and supervising MSc research projects—15 of which he has guided to completion.
He holds a PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Southampton and currently serves as Chair of the SoBRA NAPL Sub-Group and a member of CIWEM’s Contaminated Land Technical Group.
Managing Director
An environmental geochemist with over 40 years of experience in contamination assessment and remediation, Cecilia has been actively engaged in PFAS investigation and research since 2005. While completing her PhD at Princeton University, she played a key role in evaluating and reclaiming disused gravel pits using digested sewage sludge through a joint initiative with the U.S. Geological Survey and the New Jersey Governor’s Task Force.
During her postdoctoral work at Imperial College, Cecilia managed microbiology research for PhD and MSc students, later developing a successful MSc program in Water, Waste, and Environmental Engineering at the University of Greenwich. She has also collaborated academically with the University of Nottingham and Manchester Metropolitan University.
Beyond academia, Cecilia has served as Technical Director for both WYG and Arcadis. She currently sits on the CIRIA PFAS Working Group, where she contributed to the technical review of CIRIA’s recently published PFAS guidance. In addition, she chairs the Steering Committee for projects focused on Climate Change and Development and the Management of Microplastics.
