“We don’t work on AI,” jokes Kateryna Ryabiko, CEO of Hydratico, “We work on water scarcity.”
In an era obsessed with digital algorithms, this Ukraine-born startup is tackling a tangible, physical crisis: the massive volume of industrial wastewater and the global depletion of fresh water. Utilizing a patented, breakthrough supercavitation technology, Hydratico builds next-generation industrial treatment units that allow heavy, energy-dense industries to recycle highly polluted and saline water. Operating between Ukraine and Poland, the team proves that environmental sustainability and high-performance engineering can coexist, even under the most demanding conditions.
The Spark: From Risk Management to ‘Liquid Modernity’
Every profound deep-tech journey begins with a shift in perspective. For Kateryna, that moment occurred years before Hydratico’s launch in 2022, during a security training session with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). A former Marine held up a clear bottle and asked the room what it was.
“Water,” everyone replied.
His response stayed with her forever:
“How do you know? It could be a biological agent. It could be poison. You don’t take anything for granted until you assess the risk.”
This lesson sparked a deep realization about “liquid modernity” – the concept that humanity completely ignores the vital, complex systems sustaining modern life until they suddenly begin to break down. Water security is not an isolated environmental issue; it belongs in the exact same urgent conversation as energy, food, and cybersecurity. Hydratico was founded to look at the big picture and stay ahead of a rapidly approaching global curve.
The Reality: Innovation Under Fire
Building a hardware deep-tech startup is notoriously capital-intensive and slow. Building it while connected to Ukraine during a full-scale war adds an entirely different layer of human and operational pressure.
For Hydratico, R&D is not just about engineering equations – it is about navigating air raids, sleepless nights, and sudden grid failures. When your advanced laboratory infrastructure depends on the fragile power supply of a university campus, a blackout means being pushed entirely off schedule.
Yet, the team views their work as a form of “diplomacy through technology”. By physically showing up on the global stage and actively solving a crisis that affects the entire planet, they are shifting the narrative. They are not asking for charity; they are demonstrating that Ukrainian intellectual bravery can directly contribute to Europe’s broader industrial resilience.
The Technology & Massive Tech Alignment
The Innovation
Hydratico’s core is a proprietary, patented supercavitation technology designed to treat highly polluted and saline water far more efficiently than traditional legacy systems, drastically cutting down energy consumption.
The Hidden Tech Link
While Hydratico steers clear of building AI software, it provides a vital solution for it. Next-generation AI data centers require millions of gallons of water and immense energy for cooling. Hydratico’s heavy-duty units are engineered to help these very data centers reduce their environmental footprint and maintain operational compliance at scale.
Hard Facts & Traction
Capital Raised: Secured over €500,000 via private investments, dilutive, and non-dilutive European funding.
Validation: Achieved TRL 6 (Technology Readiness Level) verification, backed by hundreds of hours of continuous operational testing of integrated prototypes in both Poland and Ukraine.
Ecosystem Acceleration: Winner and alumnus of prestigious programs including Women TechEU, Seeds of Bravery, WE-RISE, and the Wilco acceleration program (supported by EU4Innovation East) and Open Horizons.
Hydratico and the EU4Innovation East
Hydratico is part of the Ukrainian delegation participating in VivaTech 2026. The company is also an alumnus of the Wilco acceleration programme, in which it participated with the support of EU4Innovation East, where it further refined its business strategy and international growth ambitions.
Following its successful participation in the programme, Hydratico was awarded a €25,000 grant through EU4Innovation East to support the further development and commercialization of its innovative water treatment technology.
Today, Hydratico continues its growth trajectory as one of the startups selected to compete in the EU4Innovation East Pitch Contest at VivaTech 2026, showcasing how Ukrainian deep-tech innovation can address critical global challenges in sustainability, industrial resilience, and resource security.
