Environmental engineering junior Evan Segura cofounded a company called CAT Membranes with accounting senior Jacob Lucia, which uses technology to purify water, based on his research at the University.
Segura began the foundation for his company as an undergraduate research assistant two years ago, but he is continuing to compete and pitch his design, including participating in the Freed Family Pitch Competition semi-finals on Friday where he could win up to $20,000.
CAT Membranes focuses on the reverse osmosis process of water filtration by putting a coating on the existing membranes of water filters. When water moves through a filter’s membrane, substances can build up and make a coating, which weakens their performance.
“The main thing we’re exploring is using a reaction on top of the membrane in order to remove certain contaminants that do slip through the membrane, and in the process, this reaction generates little nanobubbles that help clean the membrane, so it sort of keeps itself clean while reducing contaminants,” Segura added.
Originally, Segura’s technology went under the name TX Filter, which he used to participate in the inaugural Maseeh Innovation Competition in the spring. The competition put Segura and his partner in front of entrepreneurs to pitch their idea and research. Segura and Lucia won $6,000 for first place.
“Most universities do this sort of similar competition with their engineering department, and it usually results in a university spin-out,” said Segura.
A spin-out lets research from students or faculty that started in university labs become real businesses.
“A goal of ours is to be able to take this catalytic chemistry and make more tailored membranes for specific water chemistries,” Segura said.
Moving forward, Segura is also hoping to help accelerate his project by applying to an MIT program called The Engine, which helps engineering companies expand.
Javad Mohammadi, an assistant engineering professor who led the Maseeh Innovation Competition, said there was a real need for this filter. Mohammadi also said that there is a real need for solutions in the filtering space.
“I think being able to bring that energy to the room and pitching the idea and convincing everyone that ‘Hey … this is the problem, this is the solution, but we are the right people for solving this’ …(is) part of the cultural gap that we are trying to fill to boost confidence in our students,” Mohammadi said.
