First prize of the 2025 Pro Groupama Trophy, a national award for innovative companies with a strong local impact... Gold medal at the 2024 Concours Lépine, the highest distinction for French invention, awarded for its centralized nanofiltration system... FLX Water (formerly FiltraLife Solution) now distributes its solutions in France and internationally in more than 20 countries. Founded in Poitiers in 2021 and currently based in Valence-en-Poitou (86), FLX Water has developed unique technological solutions, requiring no electricity or chemicals, capable of treating water that is initially non-potable. Operating in 3 markets (residential/agricultural/crisis management), the company, which consists of a team of 17 people, reports a turnover of more than 2 million euros, 40% of which is generated internationally, a share that continues to grow.

Gold medal winner at the 2024 Lépine competition and assembled in Vivonne, Paul and Auguste Minot’s water purification machine is winning over agricultural clients, following success with NGOs, the defense sector, and private individuals.

"The Poitiers Rotary Club is getting involved by funding a water filtration system created by an engineer from Poitiers. The idea is to reforest the Sahel region of Africa, one of the areas most affected by drought.

The Poitiers Rotary Club wanted to support the Great Green Wall by funding a water filtration device that was previously presented at the Balanites Institute in 2024. The city of Matam, in northern Senegal, was selected for a project that will be carried out in partnership with the Dakar Rotary Club. The project and equipment were presented on May 19, 2026, at the Château de Périgny in the Vienne department. It was an opportunity for club members and executives from the company FiltraLife to attend a demonstration of the equipment. Indeed, they were meant to meet: on one side, Paul Minot, a resident of Valence-en-Poitou, who three years ago invented a machine to decontaminate water without electricity, through FiltraLife; on the other, Didier Moreau from Poitiers, General Delegate of the Balanitès Institute and former director of the Espace Mendès France in Poitiers."

Always attentive to the needs of the field, AGRIEST Livestock Division is enriching its offering with an innovative technology designed for farmers, in exclusive partnership with FiltraLife, experts in water purification.

Previewed at their booth at the 2026 International Agriculture Show, this patented solution marks a major breakthrough for water quality in livestock farming, an essential lever for performance and animal welfare.

« FiltraLife is a water-lution!

This innovation makes it possible to transform any water source—rivers, ponds, streams, rainwater, or even borehole water—into drinking water, without the use of electricity or chemicals!

How? Through a 100% mechanical and autonomous machine that relies on a system of levers and filters, capable of producing up to 1,000 liters of drinking water per hour!

100% Made in France, FiltraLife has based its production in Valence-en-Poitou, in the Vienne department, thereby contributing to local employment and the economic development of the Poitou-Charentes region. »

Pro Trophy: more information on the Groupama website

« A machine capable of purifying water without electricity

In Valence-en-Poitou, in the south of the Vienne department, the company Filtralife has developed a machine capable of transforming contaminated water into drinking water. Compact, robust, and mounted on wheels, this machine can purify up to 1,000 liters of water per hour, without the use of electricity or chemicals.

“Inside, the process is simple,” explains Auguste Minot, director of Filtralife. The filters remove bacteria, viruses, and chemical pollutants to produce clean water that is immediately consumable. Each machine can cover the daily drinking water needs of 120 people (based on a drinking water consumption of 50 liters per person). »

News for the start-up FiltraLife Solution, based in Valence-en-Poitou: the designers of a machine used to make water drinkable received a gold medal at the Concours Lépine on Friday, May 10 in Paris, a true institution for inventions of all kinds. FiltraLife news: "We are super happy, says co-founder Auguste Minot, this rewards more than a year of hard work on the project."

We have validation of our idea from the thousands of people who came to see us at our stand and by this gold medal. It is a first major added value and subsequently, I hope, national recognition, because we have a product made in France."

Purifying initially non-potable water

The machine he built with his father Paul allows, thanks to a lever system and several filters, to purify initially non-potable water, all without chemical products. "It allows for the treatment of bacteria, heavy metals, pesticides or herbicides," specifies Auguste Minot. Conclusive tests had been carried out in particular with water from the Marne, which is among the most polluted in France.

"Individuals are increasingly concerned about the quality of their water: people mainly want to have a high-quality product, without maintenance," notes Auguste Minot. "We will be able to treat and purify the water for an entire home's network." This could be particularly useful, emphasizes the co-founder of FiltraLife Solution, in municipalities that experience issues with their water network, as was the case recently in South Vienne: "with our system, concludes Auguste Minot, people could continue to drink their water with peace of mind."

The French start-up Filtralife has invented a machine capable of making contaminated fresh water drinkable, even if it contains pesticides. The machine operates without electricity or chemicals. Water passes through a series of filters. The membranes block harmful particles while preserving minerals.

News FiltraLife, created by Auguste Minot and supported by the family business founded by Paul Minot, is a viable and effective solution for transforming any water source, even the most polluted, into drinking water. Although it did not win the Tech For Futur 2024 competition, Filtralife’s potential impact on the health, education, and quality of life of populations in developing countries is undeniable.

Filtralife is not just a product; it is a call to action to address one of the most significant challenges of our time: ensuring that every person on the planet has access to drinking water. Through innovation, dedication, and collaboration, Filtralife is laying the foundation for a future where clean, safe water is an accessible reality for all.

“It treats viruses and bacteria, heavy metals, hydrocarbons, and chemical residues,” state Paul and Auguste Minot. A simple lever is used to prime a pump and engage the filtration process. Up to 1,300 liters can be purified in an hour, the two inventors claim: “Our machine weighs 80 kg and requires little maintenance. The filters must be changed every 3 to 5 years. Depending on usage conditions, a simple monthly or bimonthly cleaning of the filters is sufficient,” explains Auguste Minot.

Up to 1,300 liters purified in one hour

The innovation developed by FiltraLife Solution is marketed at a price of 6,900 euros, excluding taxes. Paul Minot intends to prioritize targeting associations, NGOs, and governments to deploy this machine in the most arid regions or areas lacking access to drinking water.

SAS Filtralife Solution employees who are shareholders of Team for the Planet

FiltraLife News: What if, like SAS Filtralife Solution, you fought against climate change on a large scale?

YOU TOO CAN BECOME A SHAREHOLDER

Filtralife transforms any type of water into drinking water. Ensure a reliable water supply with our portable, mechanical solution, capable of making almost any surface water drinkable without the use of chemicals, electricity, or electronics. This system can process up to 1000 liters per hour. Benefit from a durable and reliable solution. Simple monthly cleaning is all it takes to keep your tool performing at its best for several years. Certified by a laboratory approved by the Ministry of Public Health.

Innovative character

Allows all surface water to be made drinkable for human consumption, operates without electrical energy or chemicals, can process 1300 liters per hour, is easily transportable, and has no consumables. A machine perfectly suited for armies and temporary hospitals in times of war, natural disasters, fires, or worsening effects of climate change.

In France, when we want drinking water, we just have to turn on a tap to see it flow. In the rest of the world, however, it is a different story…One in four people is estimated to lack access to safely managed drinking water, according to a 2020 UNICEF report. This global public health issue cannot be solved immediately, but a French invention, Filtralife, could make a contribution. Auguste Minot, founder and inventor of this filtration device for all unsafe water, championed his innovation during the Tech For Future competition. The results were released on March 28, and FiltraLife was not among the 2024 winners. Nevertheless, that won't stop us from helping you discover this ingenious system. Let's find out more.

A telecommunications engineer and entrepreneur since 2012, after a year of research and development, he finally managed to design THE suitable filtration system. His approach, entirely self-funded, is full of pragmatism. There was no question of resorting to chemicals or electronics: “I wanted a simple, portable, and entirely mechanical solution. A machine that doesn’t break down.” Everything therefore rests on a combination of filters that eliminate all residues of substances harmful to health (micro-bacteria, heavy metals, chlorine, traces of medication, as well as all pesticides…). The patent was filed in June 2023 and the company Filtralife was launched.

Would you be willing to drink water from the Marne? Given its color and smell, you might not be tempted to try. However, a French engineer has succeeded in making this water potable thanks to his machine called Filtralife. With its multiple filters, it captures all pollutants and particles.
In short, this made in France machine could solve the crucial problem of access to drinking water on Earth. "Two billion people around the world do not have access to it. Yet, some live next to rivers, streams..." recalls Paul Minot, who financed Filtralife with his own personal funds. "I had the idea at 11 p.m. I was in bed and I gave my wife a big nudge, telling her I had found a way to make water drinkable. I started working on it the very next day," he tells us. It took a year of research and development to create Filtralife.

After one year, we are now in the commercialization phase. We are targeting people who do not have access to drinking water, but the way to reach them is through governments, the military, NGOs, and multinational corporations. These are our clients. Therefore, our machine is not sold individually. We only want to sell it in containers.

FiltraLife is 80% manufactured by a metalworking factory located 40 minutes from Valence-en-Poitou. The rest is assembled here by two employees who can produce 16 machines per day. We can aim for 320 machines per month with just two employees. And if we have larger orders, we can adapt.

We are being approached by large groups in Europe. Last summer, French mayors contacted me. For now, we are not selling the machine individually, but if several mayors group together to place a joint order, why not?

He is surprised and, by his own admission, does not yet have “all the academic explanations” for this performance. Bernard Legube, professor emeritus at the University of Poitiers and a recognized expert in water treatment, is categorical: “This machine is capable of producing drinking water without electrical energy, without combustion, and without chemicals.”

Perplexed during the first demonstration last September, the former director of the National School of Engineering (Ensi) in Poitiers took a close interest in this innovation. Quite independently. Since then, he has been in disbelief. And all the analysis results from the Ianesco laboratory in Poitiers point in the same direction. Just imagine! A sample of water from the Marne, even more polluted than the Seine, was recently filtered by this miracle machine. The result? The 500 particles analyzed were all in the clear.

La Tribune brings together the best experts and travels across France in search of the startups that will address the major economic, societal, and climate challenges of the coming decade. France's biggest tech event, Tech for Future, continued its tour of France’s future innovations in Bordeaux on Friday, January 26, following an initial stage in Toulouse. The concept: to crown six startups per region, one in each category: Environment and Energy, Industry, Data and AI, Smart Tech (usage-based innovations), Health, and Start (seed-stage gems). 26 startups from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region pitched their innovations to a jury of professionals. In addition to La Tribune, our partners Mission French Tech, Bpifrance, Business France, BNP Paribas, Dalkia, BeTomorrow, and MamaWorks were all members of the jury.

“I run a telecommunications company in a small village in the southern Vienne region. I designed the premises using eco-friendly construction to keep heating costs low, and I installed a rainwater harvesting system to supply the toilets, washing machines, and so on. I wanted to go further and make rainwater drinkable. With my engineer’s brain, I wanted to push the boundaries and make rainwater safe to drink. That is what led me to create FiltraLife.

It is designed never to break down: entirely mechanical, it works without electricity or electronics. Intended for low-income populations, it has no consumables to replace, which would require further purchases. Our goal, in all modesty, is to provide a solution in regions where populations do not have access to safe drinking water. And that is the case for two billion people around the world today.”

On November 23rd, we had the opportunity to attend a conference organized by La Maison de l’Afrique, a platform dedicated to the exchange and promotion of African economies, cultures, and arts, founded in 1974.

The conference, hosted by Mr. Youssouf Camara, director of la Maison de l’Afrique, highlighted the crucial importance of access to water, a challenge we face on a daily basis.

Air Water Africa was also in attendance, represented by its CEO Alain Léon, to present its technologies focused on atmospheric condensation and reverse osmosis systems.

Could a simple, robust, and mobile machine produce non-potable water? Paul Minot, an engineer and business owner in Valence-en-Poitou, didn't just imagine it. He designed it.

After ten months of work, the machine's prototype is now operational. A patent application has been filed. Filtralife Solution has just been created. With a wealth of international experience, particularly in Africa, Paul Minot intends to set up a workshop on his 1,000 m2 premises in Valence-en-Poitou capable of producing sixteen machines per day to meet needs he knows to be immense: “Worldwide, two billion people do not have access to drinking water. There are countries that have water but cannot drink it. More than a million people die every year because they drink polluted water.”

Weighing 60 kilos, this machine can be moved very easily. “I wanted a simple, portable, and entirely mechanical solution. A machine that doesn’t break down,” its inventor explained to La Nouvelle République.

Paul Minot has just filed a patent for his solution and created the company Filtralife Solution to develop it. He hopes to offer his devices at a price of 6,900 euros to governments, NGOs, and multinationals in countries where access to drinking water is problematic. The machine could also interest the armed forces by providing drinking water to troops on any terrain, as well as hospitals in underserved areas or schools. It could also be useful in the event of a natural disaster by temporarily making water that is unfit for consumption in the affected geographic area safe to drink. Its inventor has already thought about how he will package it. “It won’t be sold individually, but by the container. In a 40-foot container, you can fit 47 of them,” he told the local newspaper.

It is well known that times of crisis are when inventions flourish. Right now, we may lack water, but we have ideas. Even in metropolitan France. With his mind racing, Paul Minot, a telecommunications engineer who supplies sub-Saharan Africa, worked on a simple concept for making water drinkable. Like a beer tap, a turn of a crank and blue gold becomes pure. There is no other energy source for a process that he promises is simple to use and maintain.

As echoes of the Mayotte prefect’s press conference announcing restrictive measures made their way around Planet France, he contacted us to say that he had THE solution with his Filtra Life, named after the company he created.