Norwegian startup Flocean has raised a total of $22.5 million in Series A funding to launch the world's first commercial subsea desalination plant. The plant, called "Flocean One," is scheduled to launch in 2026 at Mongstad, Norway. 

The funds will also support organizational growth and commercial expansion across Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, and island nations.

The funding round brings aboard strategic investor Xylem Inc, alongside existing backers Burnt Island Ventures, Freebird Capital, Katapult Ocean, Nysnø Climate Investments, and new investors including Ari Emanuel, Orion, Rypples, and Wellers Impact’s Water Unite Impact Fund. The CEO of Asset Buyout Partners (ABP), a long-term infrastructure partner, also participated. Xylem, a global leader in water solutions, will help Flocean scale its subsea desalination technology worldwide.

Global freshwater demand is skyrocketing due to climate volatility, population growth, and industrial expansion. Traditional desalination methods struggle with long permitting timelines, high capital costs, and limited coastal land.

Flocean's patented, modular system is positioned 400 to 600 meters below the ocean surface. This depth allows the technology to leverage the natural hydrostatic pressure of the deep sea to significantly reduce energy consumption and eliminate the need for extensive coastal infrastructure. 

“We’re not making an incremental improvement—we’re changing the fundamental economics of water,” said Alexander Fuglesang, CEO of Flocean. “Industries from semiconductors to mining face water scarcity. Subsea desalination delivers faster, cheaper, and more sustainable solutions.”

“Flocean’s subsea technology is a bold leap in addressing water scarcity,” said Snehal Desai, Chief Growth & Innovation Officer at Xylem. Flocean will also join Xylem Innovation Labs Accelerator, leveraging global expertise to scale the technology.

When launched, Flocean One will produce 1,000 cubic meters of freshwater daily, with modular designs capable of scaling to 50,000 cubic meters per day, supplying municipalities, industrial operations, and agriculture in over 90 water-stressed coastal markets worldwide.