Flathead Forge Fund 1 has made an investment in NALA Membranes, a company based in North Carolina that develops chlorine-stable membranes designed for industrial water purification and reuse.
The sulfonated polysulfone membranes created by NALA address a limitation that has constrained reverse osmosis technology for the past 40 years. Standard polyamide membranes break down when exposed to chlorine, which is the most economical and efficient method for managing biofouling—a primary driver of increased operational expenses. NALA’s membranes are chlorine-resistant, enduring, according to the company’s testing, over 1,000 times the chlorine exposure that would ruin a typical polyamide RO membrane. This allows operators to clean more aggressively, extend the time between membrane replacements, and process challenging industrial wastewaters that would overwhelm conventional membranes.
This technology is based on polymers created by co-founder and CTO Dr. Judy Riffle and is safeguarded by granted patents in nine different countries. It claimed the Grand Prize at the 2024 Global Prize for Innovation in Desalination and ranks among 50 semifinalists selected from 674 teams across 86 nations in the XPRIZE Water Scarcity competition—a $119 million contest, the largest prize in the foundation’s history.
“Flathead Forge backs innovators solving the biggest problems in industrial water and critical minerals. NALA took on one of the toughest challenges in membrane filtration and solved it with technology that scales. The results are impressive and the timing is right for the operators who run the world’s water systems.”
Doug Lee, Managing Director, Flathead Forge
“Chlorine-tolerant membranes are the holy grail the industry has chased for forty years. NALA solved it. Our membranes take aggressive cleaning, keep removing oil and salt, and make industrial water reuse work at scale.”
Sue Mecham, Ph.D., CEO and Co-Founder, NALA Membranes
About NALA Membranes
NALA Membranes, a North Carolina enterprise, is bringing to market chlorine-stable sulfonated polysulfone membranes for reverse osmosis and nanofiltration. Established in 2018 by Dr. Judy Riffle and Dr. Sue Mecham, its membranes withstand the biofouling and chemical breakdown that raise costs and complexity in conventional water treatment, making dependable water reuse possible in water-heavy industries. Find out more at www.nalamembranes.com.
About Flathead Forge
Flathead Forge, headquartered in Houston, is an opportunity builder focused on hard-tech solutions for water and critical minerals. The firm backs founders and forms companies that convert industrial waste streams—including produced water, brines, and waste gas—into purified water, critical minerals, and other valuable products. Its principals are seasoned operators who have built, run, and sold industrial water and energy companies, and they apply that hands-on experience within the ventures they support. For additional information, go to www.flatheadforge.com.
Media Contact
doug@flatheadforge.com
