Zacharie Pilo is Co-Founder and CTO at Ilion Water Technologies, a deeptech startup revolutionizing water desalination with pressure-free nanofluidic technology. As an Ocean Engineer, he leads the technical development of the company's breakthrough Viro (Voltage Induced Reverse Osmosis) system that uses only a few volts of electricity instead of high-pressure systems.

Zacharie co-developed the patented technology at the Physics Laboratory of the Ecole Normale Superieure (LPENS) alongside Lucie Ries and Professor Lyderic Bocquet, a 2024 CNRS Innovation Medal winner. His expertise in ocean engineering and nanofluidics enabled the translation of fundamental research into commercial application.

The company holds 3 patents and has published research in Nature Materials, demonstrating the scientific rigor behind their innovation. Zacharie is passionate about endurance sports including sailing, cycling, and swimming, reflecting his commitment to pushing boundaries.

Ilion Water Technologies has secured over 3 million euros in funding and won multiple awards including the i-Lab innovation competition (BPIFrance) and the Pollutec Innovation Challenge 2024. The company reached TRL 3-4 with a functional lab-scale prototype.

The technology eliminates the need for high-pressure systems operating at 60 bar, significantly reducing installation costs and environmental impact. Ilion's solution addresses the growing global water crisis, with desalination demand projected to serve 14% of the world's population within the decade.