Treating both drinking water and wastewater, the solutions designed by the Hérault-based company are tapping into new markets driven by the pandemic.

Fact sheet
Headquarters: Clapiers, near Montpellier
Workforce: 15 employees
Website: https://www.uvoji.com

Since its creation in 2016, uvoji has positioned itself as « a major player in disinfection », stresses Thomas Séchaud, the Managing Ddirector and one of its three partners. Based in Clapiers, in the Cap Alpha premises managed by Montpelier BIC, the company has designed a range of mobile products that use UVC LED technology to neutralise bacteria and viruses.

These mobile units have been developed to meet the needs of the motorhome, boating and wastewater treatment markets. They are also maintenance-free and can be powered by solar panels.

Based on this expertise, uvoji diversified in 2020, influenced by the Covid-19 pandemic, by developing a new range called Uvo Care. Designed to eradicate SARS-Cov-2 in particular from surfaces and objects handled in daily life. It has been a great success with more than 1,000 units sold. « Uvo Care has been a real driver of growth, enabling us to double our turnover to €500,000 before VAT », says Thomas Séchaud.

On the strength of this success, the company is now making a strategic shift by launching a new product: a reactor called Oji Micro, which is even more compact and efficient than the previous ranges, and which is dedicated to industrial drinking water treatment and distribution applications, such as drinking water fountains, foggers, nebulisers, drinks dispensers, etc.

As the market is international and involves large volumes, uvoji intends to raise €2 million to ensure the commercial development of this new product and to raise awareness of its brand. This is why it wanted to participate in the Occitanie Invest event.

« Without this and the support of AD’OCC, we would never have been able to bring together so many investors to present our project », admits Thomas Séchaud, whose company is also supported by the Occitanie / Pyrénées-Méditerranée Region, in particular through technical feasibility assistance, the START’OC PROcess scheme and an Innovation Pass.