Finnish CleanTech Startup Sofi Filtration Secures €900K To Advance Critical-Mineral Recovery Technology

The funding includes €600k from the ‘ERMA Booster’ programme and €300k from the ‘Fast Track’ programme, along with startup support such as entrepreneurship coaching and financial and management advisory services.

"We are grateful for the commitment of EIT RawMaterials, whose backing allows us to take giant leaps in commercialisation," says Riina Salmimies, CEO, Sofi Filtration. "With this support, we are strengthening our team, building partnerships, and preparing to expand into new markets – from Europe to Türkiye, and soon to North America."

In 2025 several European CleanTech and critical-raw-materials startups have secured notable funding, including Resilico (€5M) for converting industrial waste into construction-grade secondary materials and UP Catalyst (€18M) for scaling battery-grade graphite and carbon nanotube production from CO₂.

Read Also - Gravis Robotics Secures $23M To Scale Its Autonomous Earthmoving Technology

Within this context, Sofi Filtration’s €900k raise though smaller in size is strategically important. The funding supports industrial pilots, international expansion from Europe to Türkiye and potentially North America, and ongoing development of its ultrasound-based filtration technology designed for mining side-streams.

Compared with larger peers Sofi Filtration’s funding highlights a targeted early commercialization phase rather than a wide-scale rollout. Overall publicly reported funding in this segment for 2025 totals around €30 million reflecting sustained investor interest in resource efficiency, waste valorisation and critical raw materials resilience.

As a Finnish CleanTech company, Sofi Filtration stands out for addressing circular-economy challenges through Nordic engineering and sustainability principles.

Bernd Schäfer, CEO, Managing Director, EIT RawMaterials, adds: "Europe cannot afford to waste what it needs to win. As an innovation impact investor, EIT RawMaterials backs technology pioneers like Sofi Filtration. Sofi’s technology turns wastewater into critical mineral supply – accelerating circularity, reducing water use, and strengthening Europe’s security of supply for critical raw materials."

Founded in 2011, Sofi Filtration is a Finnish water-tech company specialising in ultra-fine particle filtration for industrial process waters and mineral recovery, helping industries boost efficiency, reduce waste, and promote sustainability.

Its flagship Sofi Prima system provides fine-particle filtration, while the new Sofi Alchemist line uses ultrasound-powered self-cleaning to capture particles down to 0.3 μm, enabling up to 20% higher recovery of critical minerals from mining side streams.

"This is how we accelerate European leadership – by investing in scalable solutions that move from pilot to impact. We are delighted to support the Sofi team’s growth and to continue delivering on our mandate to secure the critical raw materials Europe needs for competitiveness," says Schäfer.

With over a decade of proven use in water treatment for power plants, construction, and the pulp and paper industry, Sofi Filtration’s technology is now entering mining, offering a new approach to boost resource efficiency and reduce environmental impact across mining and mineral-processing operations.

A key milestone for Sofi Filtration is the delivery of its system to Finnish battery chemicals producer Terrafame boosting nickel sulphate production at the Sotkamo plant and showcasing the technology’s role in strengthening Europe’s battery materials value chain.

Supported by EIT RawMaterials and prior €1M funding, Sofi Alchemist is poised to secure sustainable critical minerals for the green transition.

About Sofi Filtration

Founded in 2011, Sofi Filtration develops advanced, chemical-free filtration technology for mining, power, construction and pulp & paper industries. Using patented self-cleaning systems, the company helps clients recover valuable materials, reduce chemical use and improve water efficiency, providing reliable solutions to complex fine and ultra-fine filtration challenges.