LivingFilters raises SEK 4.6 million to accelerate AI-designed proteins for next-generation water treatment

Lund, Sweden, 29 June 2026

LivingFilters has raised SEK 4.6 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Turbine Capital, with participation from Skåne Ventures and lokal angel investors Filip Larsson and Johan Billgren. The funding will accelerate the company's first pilot projects and the development of two initial products: AI-designed protein binders for rapid contaminant detection and highly selective water treatment.

Water utilities across Europe are facing growing pressure to remove an increasing number of contaminants while reducing energy consumption and operational costs. Existing technologies such as activated carbon, ozonation and membrane filtration are effective but non-selective, making them costly and difficult to adapt as regulations evolve.

LivingFilters is developing a fundamentally different approach. Using artificial intelligence and computational protein design, the company creates proteins from scratch that selectively bind to a single target molecule with high precision. These protein binders can be integrated into biosensors for detection or filtration systems for contaminant removal, enabling a more targeted and resource-efficient approach to water treatment.

The company builds on world-leading expertise in computational protein design. Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer Amijai Saragovi previously conducted postdoctoral research at the Baker Lab, Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington and now leads his own protein design research group at Lund University.

"This funding allows us to move from breakthrough science into real-world implementation. Together with our partners at Lund University, Recolab and industry collaborators, we will validate our technology in operational environments while accelerating product development. Our ambition is to establish AI-designed proteins as a new class of precision tools for water monitoring and treatment," says Mikaela Persson, CEO and co-founder of LivingFilters.

The investment will support pilot projects with industry partners, further development of the company's AI-driven protein design platform and expansion of its first commercial applications for water utilities and industrial customers.

"LivingFilters combines exceptional scientific expertise with a clear commercial opportunity. The team is addressing one of Europe's most important infrastructure challenges through a platform technology with the potential to fundamentally change how contaminants are detected and removed from water," says Karin Edström, General Partner at Turbine Capital.

The funding round also includes support from Skåne Ventures and lokal experienced angel investors Filip Larsson and Johan Billgren, strengthening the company with both capital and entrepreneurial expertise.

About LivingFilters
LivingFilters is a Lund-based biotechnology company developing AI-designed protein binders for the selective detection and removal of contaminants from water. Founded in 2025 by Mikaela Persson, Emelie Wilander and Amijai Saragovi, the company combines expertise in computational protein design, artificial intelligence and company building to develop next-generation solutions for water treatment. LivingFilters is affiliated with Ideon Science Park and collaborates closely with researchers at Lund University.

Press contact

Mikaela Persson
Co-founder & CEO
mikaela@livingfilters.bio
+46 76-414 78 74

www.livingfilters.bio