Press Release
BASF Venture Capital invests $7.5 million in U.S.-based company NanoH2O

BASF Venture Capital invests $7.5 million in U.S.-based company NanoH2O  BASF Venture Capital co-led a $40 million equity round together with other investors  NanoH2O produces reverse osmosis membranes for efficient seawater desalination Ludwigshafen (Germany) and El Segundo (California) – April 30, 2012 – BASF Venture Capital GmbH has invested $7.5 million in the technology company NanoH2O, Inc. The investment is part of a $40 million equity round co-led by BASF Venture Capital together with other investors. NanoH2O develops, produces and sells reverse osmosis membranes for seawater desalination. “There is a great demand worldwide for innovative technologies to produce drinking water from seawater,” said Dirk Nachtigal, Managing Director, BASF Venture Capital. “NanoH2O has developed special nanostructured polymer-based membranes for seawater desalination which are particularly effective in removing the salt from seawater in a highly energy efficient way,” explained Nachtigal. The membranes from NanoH2O use the reverse osmosis principle and currently deliver the highest flux and the highest salt rejection of any seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) membrane on the market. They fit easily into new and existing desalination plants. NanoH2O will use the investment further expand its global business activities. “This investment will accelerate existing plans to expand our manufacturing capabilities and product development initiatives,” said Jeff Green, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of NanoH2O. “Along with our new partnership with BASF, we now have increasingly strong resources as NanoH2O strives to become the market leader for seawater desalination membranes.” About NanoH2O NanoH2O, Inc., headquartered in El Segundo, California, designs, develops, manufactures and markets reverse osmosis (RO) membranes that lower the cost of desalination. Based on breakthrough nanostructured materials and industryproven polymer technology, NanoH2O’s QuantumFlux membranes dramatically improve desalination energy efficiency and productivity. QuantumFlux seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) membranes, Standard 61 certified by NSF International for the production of drinking water, deliver the highest flux and the highest salt rejection of any SWRO membrane on the market. QuantumFlux membranes are available in standard 8-inch (20 cm) diameter elements that fit easily into new and existing desalination plants, purifying water from a broad range of sources with improved productivity and water quality. NanoH2O is the 2011 Aquatech Innovation Award Winner in the Water Supply category. For more information, visit www.nanoh2o.com. About BASF Venture Capital BASF Venture Capital GmbH was established in 2001 as a wholly owned subsidiary of BASF Future Business GmbH, Ludwigshafen, Germany, with the aim of exploring new growth potentials based on investment in startup companies and funds. More information is available at www.basf-vc.de. About BASF BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. We combine economic success, social responsibility and environmental protection. Through science and innovation we enable our customers in almost all industries to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and system solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring healthy food and nutrition and helping to improve the quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF posted sales of about €73.5 billion in 2011 and had more than 111,000 employees as of the end of the year. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN). Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com. Holger Kapp Phone: +49 621 60-41040 Fax: +49 621 60-92693 [email protected]