A young Richmond resident is changing the way water is purified.
On Dec. 4, 21-year-old Shirley Zhong was named in the Forbes 30 Under 30 North America 2025 for her work as the chief operating officer and co-founder of Xatoms, a startup based in Toronto that uses an innovative method to purify water.
Zhong grew up in China and came to Richmond nine years ago. She told the Richmond News her experience witnessing the devastating effects of water pollution first-hand sparked her passion to innovate in the field.
“Volunteering at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site in Steveston gave me a deeper understanding of the local ecosystem and the environmental challenges it faces,” Zhong said in an email.
Xatoms uses a proprietary material called the “photocatalyst” to purify water. When exposed to light, such as sunlight or LED light, a reaction is triggered that breaks down substances such as bacteria and chemicals in the water – turning them into water and carbon dioxide.
The photocatalyst can be mixed into water or coated on surfaces and is reusable for up to a year.
Another unique aspect of the company is their use of artificial intelligence and quantum chemistry to predict the potential of new materials for cleaning the water.
According to Forbes, the company has raised $1.1 million and expects revenue of $1.8 million this year.
With a background in software engineering and business from Western University, Zhong primarily manages operations – this includes marketing, financial planning and customer relations.
This year, she joined other co-founders Diana Virgovicova, the CEO, and Kerem Topalismailoglu, the CTO, in building Xatoms.
Standing for “exploration of atoms,” Zhong stated she envisions Xatoms as a global leader in water purification in the future.
“We are running pilot projects in Kenya and South Africa,” she said. “These projects are aiming to provide clean drinking water for the community… we want solutions to be accessible and impactful.”
One of the experiences that resonated the most for her took place during a visit to Cape Town, South Africa, where people are passionate about water issues – especially after the Day Zero crisis, said Zhong.
One local even shared their experience saying it’s traumatizing when your tap water runs yellow for two years, which made her realize how much clean water is taken for granted in Canada.
“Even here, many Indigenous communities are under boil-water advisories,” said Zhong. “Access to clean water is a right, and I believe we all have a responsibility to protect and improve it.”
Highlighting the approximately two billion people in the world that lack clean and safe drinking water, Zhong is excited for a future where technology can bring clean water to everyone.
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