Revolutionising Water Monitoring with an Innovative Filtration Machine: Meet Start-up Thalassys

oppenlaender
Sep 5
3 min read

Updated: Oct 9

Thalassys, a MAX!mize start-up team from Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology in Bremen is revolutionising marine and aquatic monitoring with its innovative filtration technology. You can read here what the initial idea behind this project was and why the founders did not actually intend to establish a start-up.

Turning Research Problems into Real-World Solutions

What started as a simple research tool soon revealed the seeds of a business.

The so called „coffee machine“ was originally build for a simple reason: to make scientific sampling as easy as preparing a cup of coffee. But once the first prototype was running, Anneke Heins, Greta Reintjes, and Jan Brüwer realized that they had more than a simple timesaver on their hand. They uncovered a solution with a real marked potential that made their own work faster and less resource-intensive.

The invention of their start-up Thalassys is a user-friendly filtration device equipped with a smart filter that doesn’t just speed things up – it transforms the entire process. Traditional methods can take as long as 15 minutes, but Thalassys completes the job in under two. At the same time, the smart filter automatically records essential details – date, time, GPS coordinates, pressure, and filter type – and stores them directly on a chip. That data can then be uploaded to a cloud or accessed directly from the device. This integrated data capture is not only the heart of their innovation, but also their unique selling point.

Because the device is designed to be intuitive, it requires little training and can be used far beyond the lab. Its potential stretches from marine research to drinking and wastewater monitoring, even to quality checks in recreational lakes. Today, institutions such as the Biological Institute Helgoland and the Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) on Spiekeroog are already using the prototype. And by the end of the year, it will also sail on the research vessel Polarstern of the Alfred Wegener Institute.

What began as a fix for researchers has grown into a scalable solution – turning scientific challenges into real-world impact.

Sustainability in Every Way

Thalassys is more than a start-up – it’s a contribution to the benefit of our world and humanity. As changemakers of the future, the team is committed to creating solutions that are not only innovative but also sustainable. Thalassys’s production process harnesses 3D printing to minimize waste, while its reusable filtration device is designed to conserve resources and reduce environmental pollution. Every step, from design to deployment, reflects a conscious effort to make science serve both people and the planet, turning research innovation into a force for global good.

Spot Opportunities, Know Your Audience, Make Innovation Happen

Interest is already coming in from fisheries, tourism, and drinking-water quality monitoring. The team plans to formally incorporate in March 2026, secure its own facilities, and build strategic partnerships. Even as Thalassys transitions into a private company, it will maintain a close research link with the Max Planck Society.

Step by step, they’re moving forward. The life of a research-based sciencepreneur has so much to offer. We’re cheering for every new milestone – and we’re grateful to accompany this start-up on its unique journey.

If you keep your eyes open, any idea can grow into a business model. With the right support, passion, and a clear sense of your target audience, you can make it happen too.

Through our tailored MAX!mize incubation program and the guidance of our experienced start-up coaches, we’ll be right there to accompany you on that journey.

What awaits you as part of the program? Access to an inspiring network of researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry partners, tailored workshops, and hands-on coaching to sharpen your business case. Twice a year, we open our application rounds—your chance to take the next step and bring your idea to life.