Glenwood and Mubadala Propel NanoH2O’s Global Water Tech Ambitions

Editorial Team

Last updated 3-12-2025

3 min

Glenwood PE and Mubadala invested in Seoul's NanoH2O, formerly part of LG Chem.

NanoH2O, now independent, is a major supplier of energy-efficient reverse osmosis membranes.

The investment aims to help NanoH2O scale its sustainable solutions and global reach.

Mubadala sees this as part of a strategy to address water scarcity and climate challenges.

This deal highlights how global partnerships are tackling the pressing issue of water scarcity.

It’s always interesting to see how investment trends shift across regions, and this latest move involving Glenwood Private Equity, Mubadala Investment Company and several co‑investors is a good example of that global dance. The group has now closed its co-investment in NanoH2O, the Seoul-based company that many people will remember as LG Water Solutions back when it sat under LG Chem. All the regulatory boxes have been ticked, so the deal is officially wrapped.

NanoH2O has come a long way since it was carved out of LG Chem in 2014. It only became a fully independent company this year, yet it’s already well established as a major supplier of reverse osmosis membranes. These membranes are used for desalination and treating brackish water, and anyone working in water tech will tell you they’re generally far more energy‑efficient than older thermal processes. What caught my eye is that more than 95 per cent of NanoH2O’s revenue comes from outside South Korea — quite a feat for a company that’s only now stepping out on its own.

Glenwood PE’s CEO, Sangho Lee, said the investment fits their strategy of backing high-quality businesses that big conglomerates consider non-core. I’ve seen that pattern pop up quite a bit in MENA as well; sometimes the best innovation comes from what gets nudged out of a giant’s spotlight. Lee also emphasised their commitment to helping NanoH2O scale its sustainable solutions, working closely with Mubadala and the rest of the investor group.

From Mubadala’s side, Mohamed Albadr, Head of Asia, highlighted their confidence in NanoH2O’s technology and growth prospects. He framed the deal as part of a long-term strategy to support companies tackling global challenges — water scarcity being one of the trickiest of them all. And believe it or not, Mubadala has been steadily strengthening its footprint in South Korea and across Asia for years, so this fits neatly into that direction.

Another voice from Mubadala, Abdulla Mohamed Shadid, put things in sharper perspective. He pointed out how water security and decarbonisation are increasingly interlinked, and how reverse osmosis membranes can deliver water with lower energy use. He described NanoH2O as standing out thanks to its global reach, proven tech and a replacement-driven business model — which, I reckon, gives it a built‑in push to keep innovating. Shadid also mentioned that the investment could help connect NanoH2O with surging demand in the MENA region, which, at least from what we see around Arageek, is spot on; water solutions are becoming absolutely essential here.

What I find encouraging is how deals like this tug distant markets a bit closer together. A Korean water-tech specialist gaining momentum with Gulf-backed investment might have sounded like a bit of a faff years ago, but now it feels almost natural. And on the flip side, it hints at how urgently the world is trying to sort out water scarcity before things get… well, messy.

Whenever I meet founders across the region who are building climate or sustainability tech, they often talk about how partnerships like these give them hope. I’m not saying this single deal will reinvent the wheel, but it definately reinforces one thing: clean water is no longer just a local priority — it’s everyone’s problem to solve.

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