Menu
Automated Suction Platform for Invasive Removal & Regenerative Ecosystems
Invasive species are the second leading cause of biodiversity loss worldwide, and among them, the quagga mussel (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis) stands as one of the most destructive. Native to the Black Sea region, it has rapidly spread through European and North American freshwater systems — including nearly all major Swiss lakes.
As an ecosystem engineer, the quagga mussel fundamentally alters the environments it invades. By filtering vast volumes of water, it removes plankton — the foundation of aquatic food webs — depriving native fish and invertebrates of vital resources. This process accelerates biodiversity loss, disrupts ecological balance, and changes the chemical composition of freshwater systems.
In Lake Geneva alone, the quagga population is estimated at 300,000 tons and could increase twentyfold by 2045 if left unchecked. Such proliferation would not only cause massive ecological damage but also threaten drinking water supplies and hydroelectric infrastructure across the region. Dense mussel colonies clog intake pipes, alter sediment chemistry, and foster toxic algal blooms. The scale of the problem makes eradication impossible — yet inaction would mean the irreversible transformation of one of Europe’s largest freshwater ecosystems.
removal of quagga mussels per test zone
ALIEN Limited, a Swiss innovation company, is developing the world’s first robotic system for quagga mussel removal and valorization, designed to mitigate the ecological and infrastructural damage caused by this invasive species.
In partnership with public authorities and industry leaders, the team has created a suction robot capable of operating autonomously at significant depth, targeting quagga colonies in high-priority zones such as fish spawning areas and water intake pipelines. Powered by real-time mapping and a machine-learning algorithm paired with an aquatic drone, the system can precisely locate high-density mussel clusters before removing them efficiently and safely.
Field tests conducted in Lake Geneva at a depth of twenty meters have already demonstrated remarkable results. The prototype successfully cleared over 90% of mussels from test zones within seconds, removing more than 20 kilograms per square meter of live mussels and shells combined. Crucially, the process was proven to be harmless to native fauna, 93% of which are now themselves non-native or invasive species — demonstrating that the intervention is both effective and ecologically sound.
The project does not stop at removal. ALIEN Limited has also designed an innovative valorization process that transforms the collected biomass into renewable energy and converts shells into a regenerative substitute for mined limestone used in cement production. This circular approach turns a pressing environmental challenge into a resource stream, illustrating how ecological restoration can align with industrial sustainability.
The next milestone is a proof-of-concept operation at depths exceeding sixty-five meters around the Lutry water pipeline, conducted in collaboration with the Service de l’Eau de Lausanne. This step will validate the robot’s capacity to function under the most demanding lakebed conditions — low visibility, soft sediments, and strong currents — paving the way for full-scale deployment across Swiss lakes and beyond.
“By combining robotics, ecology, and circular innovation, we turn an environmental threat into a resource and a model for regenerative engineering.”
The ALIEN Limited project represents a pioneering example of technology serving ecology. It addresses an urgent biodiversity crisis with an approach that is both pragmatic and visionary: reducing the pressure of invasive species while creating tangible environmental and economic value.
By investing in this proof-of-concept phase, Fondation Valery supports a world-first intervention that demonstrates how Switzerland can lead in nature-positive innovation. The technology has the potential to be replicated across other Swiss lakes — and internationally — offering a scalable model for managing invasive species in freshwater systems.
The project aligns with Fondation Valéery’s mission to foster systemic, regenerative solutions at the intersection of technology, nature, and impact finance. It shows how restoration can be achieved not through extraction or control, but through integration — turning a problem into a cycle of renewal.
