This Rijk Zwaan session explores how new vegetable markets can be developed through co-creation across the value chain. Using Southeast Asia as a case, Rijk Zwaan presents three pathways: introducing new crops, developing differentiated segments, and upgrading existing categories. By aligning genetics, market intelligence and fit-for-purpose cultivation systems, growers and partners can de-risk innovation and create scalable, high-value market growth. Four expert will be on stage to demonstrate how connections are used to develop opportunities together.

Moderator: Henry  Gordon-Smith, Damion Schwarzkachel, Hung  Ta, Tam Nguyen, Friso Klok

Shaping New Vegetable Markets: From genetics to market value through co-creation in Emerging Markets

Damion Schwarzkachel is Global Client Manager Horticultural Projects at Rijk Zwaan, where he focuses on strategic customer engagement and international business development for high-tech horticultural projects and controlled environment agriculture (CEA). With a background in architecture, greenhouse technology and international project development, he works closely with growers, investors and technology partners to develop future-proof greenhouse and hydroponic production concepts worldwide. 
 
Before joining Rijk Zwaan, Damion held international commercial and project development roles within the greenhouse technology industry, supporting the realization of turnkey greenhouse and indoor farming projects across Europe, the Middle East, North America and Asia. His expertise combines genetics, greenhouse technology, market intelligence and value-chain development to help partners build scalable, data-driven and commercially viable horticultural operations.

Client Manager Horticultural Projects

Born and raised near the city of Mechelen, in Belgium’s main greenhouse vegetable‑growing area. As the son of a tomato and lettuce grower he literally grew up between the plants in a greenhouse. That’s where his passion for plants and greenhouse growing originates.
 
Specialized in hydroponic growing of leafy vegetables and herbs in open field, greenhouses or closed environments, and plant propagation. Currently consulting and supporting projects all over the world in different climate zones (like Japan, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and North America).

Managing Partner

Within Delphy I am responsible fot the managment of th soft fruit research location in: Delphy ISFC. This includes setting up trials, spreading and transferring knowledge at meetings, events, etc. Working at Delphy and the Delphy ISFC offers me the opportunities to contribute to innovating and improving strawberry and soft fruit cultivation. By doing this, we not only contribute knowledge for growers, but also to the entire food chain. With the Delphy ISFC team we contribute to sustainable cultivation of strawberries and soft fruit for the future, with regard to people, planet & profit.

Manager ISFC

Paolo de Heer is working as data science consultant at the Digital Built Environment department of TNO. His research interests are artificial intelligence and optimisation, and he is currently the lead of the ‘computational models & tooling’ technology line of the department. In the High-Tech Greenhouses team of TNO, he advises on algorithms and modelling. Further more, he is also leading the AI team of the unit Mobility & Built Environment. He has a strong operational & long-term view, connecting people and knowledge through his extensive network and knack for effective and inspiring communication.

Data Science Consultant

Ben Nikaj is a highly accomplished Senior Crop Advisor at Grodan, leading provider of root zone management solutions for professional horticulture. With an impressive career spanning over 22 years, Ben supports vegetable and medicinal crop growers worldwide in optimizing their irrigation strategies and cultivation methods. Ben’s focus is on sustainable and efficient solutions to enhance plant performance and product quality. Ben’s unparalleled expertise plays a pivotal role in advancing innovative substrates and cultivation techniques.

Senior Crop Advisor Medicinal Plants

Christopher Leavitt is a cannabis breeder and tissue culture scientist who founded Voyager Genetics, a clone-only B2B genetics business specializing in servicing commercial medical cultivations. He is based out of Portugal, but works internationally with clients in Thailand, Portugal, South Africa, and the UK. He is the former CSO/COO of Compound Genetics and co-founder at Node Labs in San Francisco, California. His approach to cannabis clone development is unique- combining the use of plant tissue culture techniques and traditional clone selection techniques within the compliant medical framework, while balancing the art and science of breeding exceptional flavors into plants that perform agronomically.

Country Director Morocco

Hassan Halawy is the Group Chief Executive Officer of Elite Agro Holding, a leading integrated agrifood platform headquartered in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates with a growing footprint across the GCC, Africa, and Europe. With over two decades of experience spanning agriculture, infrastructure, and digital systems, Hassan has built a career at the intersection of large-scale farming, engineering, and food systems development. He began his career in Africa, gaining hands-on experience in complex agricultural operations, before bringing this expertise to the UAE, where he has played a pivotal role in advancing modern, climate-resilient agriculture and contributing to national food security objectives. Prior to his current role, Hassan led and delivered large-scale agricultural projects across multiple geographies, combining open-field and controlled-environment agriculture to optimize productivity, resource efficiency, and year-round production. His work integrates engineering discipline, agronomic expertise, and digital innovation to address the structural challenges of farming in arid and water-stressed environments. At Elite Agro, Hassan leads the company’s strategic transformation into a fully integrated, technology-enabled food production platform. Under his leadership, the group operates across the full agricultural value chain, from engineering, procurement, and construction of farming assets to farm management, production, and distribution; delivering resilient and commercially viable food systems. In addition, Hassan has been actively involved in government-to-government (G2G) initiatives, leading and supporting strategic agricultural projects in collaboration with governments, international organizations, and development partners. These engagements focus on advancing food security, enabling knowledge transfer, and developing sustainable agricultural ecosystems in emerging markets. Beyond operations, Hassan contributes to global dialogue on food security and climate-smart agriculture. He has participated in high-level forums including COP16 Riyadh, Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, and other international platforms, where he engages on topics such as supply chain resilience, Agri-tech innovation, and sustainable food production. Hassan is recognized for his execution-driven leadership style and his ability to bridge public and private sector collaboration, positioning agriculture as a scalable and investment-ready sector. He holds a degree in Agricultural Engineering from the American University of Beirut.

Chief Executive Officer

Laura van de Kreeke is a founding farmer at Growy, a vertical farming company based in Amsterdam. Driven by a strong belief that food systems must change, she is committed to making tasty, healthy, and affordable food accessible to everyone.
With over seven years of experience in controlled environment agriculture, Laura combines hands-on farming knowledge with a focus on the commercial side of the business. Her work spans sales, marketing, and communications, translating complex growing technology into clear value for chefs, retailers, and consumers.
At Growy, she is involved in connecting plant science, technology, and market demand, contributing to scalable, data-driven farming systems that improve consistency and efficiency. Alongside her work, she regularly gives talks and guest lectures on the future of food production and the role of vertical farming in building more resilient, local food systems.

Farmer

I am a senior lecturer and researcher at the HAS green academy University of Applied Sciences ('s Hertogenbosch, NL), department of Agri and Business, Team Horticulture and Arable Farming. Within the research I do, I am associated with the Professorships "Green Health (Groene Gezondheid)" and "Horticulture Technologies". This entails doing research, using modern and innovative technological advances within horticulture, to ensure quality (internal, phytonutrients, product health) of produce, allowing consumers to have an informed choice about the quality of their produce and the health benefits this may provide them upon prolonged consumption. Within the UAS system, the main focus of our research is to closely together with companies, Universities and governement to ensure the research we do is relevant and applicable in the sector. 
My previous experiences include:
PhD (University of East Anglia; John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK) 2002 (cereal starch metabolism);
PostDoc on Pollen-pistil interactions (Radboud University Nijmegen, NL)
Agricultural consultancy ( Sustainable Crop Management; ADAS, Cambridge, UK)
Seed Production Researcher (Nunhems / BASF Vegetable Seeds, NL)
Cereal breeding (Sorghum; DSV, NL)

Senior Lecturer and Researcher

Tom Coen is a Belgian entrepreneur specializing in agricultural robotics. He holds a PhD in engineering sciences from KU Leuven. Coen co-founded Octinion in 2009, where he led R&D projects in mechatronics for the agriculture and food sector. In 2021, he became CEO of Octiva, a merger of Octinion’s agricultural robotics division and Priva’s robotic solutions. With his innovative, solution-driven approach, he can bridge technical expertise with practical applications in the agri-tech industry.

Ronald Hoek is CEO and co-founder of Blue Radix, a pioneering company revolutionizing horticulture through AI-driven solutions. With a profound commitment to sustainable greenhouse production, Ronald spearheads innovations that optimize crop yields while minimizing resource usage. With the Blue Radix team he unlocks the value of Autonomous Growing for greenhouse companies worldwide.

Founder & Director

Friso Klok is Chain Manager South & East Asia at Rijk Zwaan, where he focuses on strengthening strategic partnerships and value chain development across the rapidly evolving horticultural markets of South and East Asia. In his role, he works closely with growers, retailers, processors and supply chain partners to align market demand with innovative vegetable concepts and genetics.
With a strong focus on collaboration throughout the fresh produce chain, Friso supports the introduction and expansion of high-value vegetable categories, helping connect consumer trends, retail strategies and production opportunities across diverse international markets. His work contributes to the development of sustainable, market-driven horticultural solutions that create long-term value for both growers and commercial partners.

Global Chain Manager South & East Asia

Prof Harrison is the Managing Director of the Plant Sciences Group, which comprises approximately 1400 staff across 20 chair groups in Wageningen University and the insitute Wageningen Plant Research. In the Netherlands he is a member of the Top Team “Tuinbouw en Uitgangsmaterialen/ Horticulture and Starting Materials”, representing all Dutch Knowledge Insitutes . He provides strategic oversight of several programme boards for large regional and national initiatives on behalf of Wageningen U&R.  He is an honorary  professor at the University of Birmingham,UK. 
Previously he was an executive Director at NIAB (UK) with overall responsibility for NIAB’s portfolio of arable genetics, pathology, biotechnology, data science and crop characterisation. Alongside that he led NIAB’s contribution to the Crop Science Centre, the alliance between the University of Cambridge and NIAB, designed to bridge the gap between discovery science and societal impact. This alliance has received significant philanthropic support and rapidly established its position in the national innovation landscape. Prior to his role in Cambridge, he worked at East Malling as head of genetics, where he specialised in horticultural genetics and genomics of fruit crops.  
Prof Harrison has a PhD in evolutionary systems biology. His research group has worked to understand the evolution and genetic basis of complex traits, such as interactions between plants and microbes, particularly in horticultural crops. Outputs have included scientific knowledge, tools, techniques and products to underpin the sustainable development of the agricultural, horticultural and food industries, using both breeding and biotechnology solutions. His group was among the first to implement gene editing techniques in key horticultural crops and in fungi used for alternative protein production. Through collaborative work with industrial partners, he and his team have delivered disease resistance traits into multiple commercial breeding programmes, as well as having initiated new public-private breeding programmes funded by global partners.

Managing Director Plant Science Group

Jouke Campen became an engineer in Applied Physics at the Technical University of Delft, specialized in heat and mass transfer. He started working at Wageningen UR in 1997. His main field of research is energy and climate control in protected horticulture. He finished his PhD on dehumidification of greenhouses October 2009. Currently he is the coordinator of the energy program of the ministry of Agriculture in The Netherlands involving annually 7 million EURO of projects on reducing energy use in the Dutch protected horticultural sector. Aside of this task he is international project manager for the last 20 years working on numerous projects all around the world.

International Project Manager

Erik Pekkeriet (1970) is Program Manager Vision + Robotics. He studied Mechanical Engineering at the NHL-Stenden University of Applied Sciences in Emmen. He specialized himself in Maintenance Technology and Management. After he finished his BSc he started his career at Philips as a project employee in maintenance management. In 1996 he started a new position within innovation management in a Greenhouse Horticulture Association. He started as a single consultant, but built and led a department with 5 innovation consultants. After 7 years he made a change to Wageningen University & Research, building great robots, vision sorting systems and new greenhouse production systems for, and together with farmers and machine manufacturers. Main projects he developed and worked on were: vision sorting systems for pot plants, cut flowers and vegetables in X-ray-, NIR-, Fluorescence- and RGB-technology in 2D and 3D; robot harvesting systems for cutting roses, gerberas, cucumbers, sweet peppers and tomatoes and new moving greenhouse production systems for chrysanthemum, pot plants and vertical farms. Erik coordinated the EU-project PicknPack (flexible robotic packaging systems) and NXTGEN Hightech Agrifood. Erik is also the founding father and network coordinator of the European Digital Innovation Hub network on Robotics named: agROBOfood
The last decade Erik broadened the robotic scope from greenhouse horticulture to open field, livestock, marine, food and other Wageningen agri-food domains. Erik is now leading the agilie team of the Agro Food Robotics Program which consist of 60 experts from Wageningen Reserarch. Erik is also an IPMA-C certified project manager. Other positions are:
<ul>
<li>Boardmember of the topicgroup on Agricultural Robotics at EU Robotics</li>
<li>Chair of topicgroup Greenhouse Horticultuire at the Nederlandse Vereniging voor Techniek in de Landbouw (Dutch Society of Technology in Agriculture)</li>
<li>Network coordinator at the European agROBOfood network</li>
<li>Advisory board member of the European Machine Vision Forum</li>
</ul>

Programme Manager Vision + Robotics

Project Manager, Business Development

Dr. Zhen Liu is a Program Manager of Artificial Intelligent at the Wageningen Academy and Business Development Manager at Wageningen Food & Biobased Research of  WUR, the Netherlands.
She holds a PhD in Innovation Management from WUR and has extensive experience in agrifood innovation, executive education, and international collaboration. Dr. Liu specializes in connecting science, industry, and entrepreneurship, with a particular focus on sustainable agriculture, food systems, digital agriculture, and agrifood business development. She has designed and led numerous international executive programs, summer schools, and industry-academia partnerships involving participants from Europe, China, and other regions.
In addition to her work at WUR, she is co-founder of DeCi AgriTech, an AI-driven startup developing autonomous greenhouse growing solutions for sustainable food production.

Program Manager AI of Wageningen Academy

Business Lead

Greenhouse Consultant

Hans Kristian Westrum is CSO and founder of SoilSteam International, a Scandinavian company developing innovative technologies for substrate reuse and soil remediation. He has worked extensively with researchers and institutions across Europe to document the efficacy of steam-based soil disinfection as a sustainable alternative to excavation and landfill. Westrum has co-authored and supported field trials and third-party studies demonstrating how thermal treatment effectively neutralizes invasive plants, pathogens, and nematodes while preserving soil fertility. He has presented the technology at international conferences and is engaged in bridging applied research with practical deployment in agriculture, landscaping, and environmental restoration. His academic and professional focus is on scalable, science-based solutions that combine environmental impact reduction with circular economy principles in soil and substrate management.

Joost Damen is an Integration & Automation expert at Dots & Arrows, a member of Spire, where he helps organizations build scalable digital foundations through API-led integration and intelligent automation. With a strong focus on connecting systems, data, and processes, Joost works with companies to modernize their integration landscapes and enable faster innovation across the enterprise.
Passionate about the practical application of emerging technologies, Joost specializes in designing integration architectures that are secure, governable, and future-ready. His work bridges the gap between enterprise integration strategy and the next generation of AI-driven operations, helping organizations prepare for the shift toward agentic enterprises.
In his sessions, Joost combines hands-on experience with a forward-looking perspective on how APIs, automation, and intelligent agents can work together to create resilient and adaptable digital ecosystems.

Integration & Automation expert

Colinda de Beer is on a mission to connect tech with greenhouse horticulture. With a background as a horticultural researcher, software developer and R&D manager she is a tech translator and intrapreneur with over 35 years of experience. She regularly writes columns about subjects like innovation, robotics and AI. In her current role as a senior business developer for InnovationQuarter, she likes to combine a strategic and hands-on approach. This shows in her coaching and connecting students, startups, scaleups and companies from outside the horticultural and her role as initiator of RoboCrops and co-author of the digitalization vision for greenhouse horticulture.

Senior Business developer Horticulture

Dr. Céline Nicole is an Associate Professor in Horticulture Technologies with a multidisciplinary background spanning physics, plant sciences, chemistry, thermal sciences, sensors, modeling and data science. She also serves as Professor of Horticulture Technologies at HAS green academy. Her primary mission is to bridge the gap between industry-driven applied research and fundamental academic research. Through her dual role, she strengthens collaboration between both institutions and advances their expertise in high-tech horticulture across research and education.
Her research focuses on the application of technology—particularly LED lighting, climate and irrigation strategies, sensors, modeling and imaging—in greenhouse and indoor farming. She specializes in optimizing energy use for crop growth, quality, and nutritional value across a broad range of horticultural crops, including vegetables, fruits, floriculture, medicinal plants, and plant-based proteins.
Professionally, Dr. Nicole has served as Research Program Lead for a controlled-environment farming consortium in the Netherlands and acts as a key contact for public–private open innovation programs. She has extensive experience in generating intellectual property and translating research into industrial applications.

Associate Professor in Horticulture Technologies

Master in Sciences - Greenhouse Production and Agribussiness
Master in Sciences - Renewable Energy
Specialiazation in Climate controls
Specialization in Plant Nutrition
Agrilcutural Engineer

General Manager/Head Grower

Marcel Zethoven is a safety and political expert with extensive experience in various roles with the Dutch National Police and was involved in the enforcement aspects of cannabis policy in the Netherlands.
Nowadays Marcel Zethoven is a senior management- and policy advisor for Dutch municipalities. He advises mayors on cannabis policy. He has extensive experience in municipalities operating under the typical Dutch tolerance structure, as well as administrative experience within the national experiment with closed coffee shop chains.

Advisor for Dutch municipalities

Managing Director

Business Development Manager

Sjoerd van der Ent is Director of Innovation at Koppert, where he leads the development and execution of strategies to advance sustainable, biology-driven solutions in agriculture. In this role, he oversees a broad innovation portfolio, focusing on translating scientific breakthroughs into scalable products that support resilient food systems. 
Sjoerd trained at Utrecht University, where he specialized in plant–microbe interactions. He also completed his PhD in this field, developing a solid scientific foundation in the mechanisms underlying plant health and microbial interactions. He began his professional career at De Ruiter Seeds / Monsanto Vegetable Seeds, where he worked for approximately five years and gained experience in applied research and the commercial seed sector.
He joined Koppert over a decade ago, initially leading R&D Microbiology. He later took responsibility for the Business Unit Microbiology, combining scientific leadership with operational oversight. Since early 2025, he serves as Director Innovation, driving the company’s broader innovation agenda and fostering collaborations with academia and industry.

Director Innovation

Kees Weerheim is a plant physiologist and cultivation consultant specializing in high-tech greenhouse systems. At Ledgnd B.V., he works directly with commercial growers to put plant feedback data at the center of their daily decision-making, from steering crop balance to aligning inputs with production targets.

Senior Plant Physiologist

Strategic Entrepreneur Expert in Business Succession and Chain Collaboration With over 30 years of experience in the tropical green plants and vegetable plants industry, I have a proven track record in driving sustainable growth and innovation. My career spans various roles, including owner, executive, supplier, grower, and exporter, both nationally and internationally. I am currently active in the cultivation of vegetable plants at Canada’s largest vegetable plant nursery. I combine strategic insight with operational expertise to guide businesses in growth, transformation, and collaboration within the chain. Developing strategies tailored to the unique DNA of a company is central to my approach. Additionally, I am committed to strengthening relationships and partnerships across the chain as a foundation for success. Core Competencies: Business Succession Strategy Development Chain Collaboration Growth and Innovation Tropical and Vegetable Plant Industry.
Strategische ondernemer Expert in bedrijfsopvolging en ketensamenwerking Met meer dan 30 jaar ervaring in de tropische groene planten- en groenteplantenindustrie, heb ik een bewezen track record in het stimuleren van duurzame groei en innovatie. Mijn carrière omvat diverse rollen, waaronder eigenaar, directielid, leverancier, kweker en exporteur, zowel nationaal als internationaal. Momenteel ben ik actief als COO in de opkweek van groenteplanten bij Canada’s grootste groenteplantenkweker (23Ha) Ik combineer strategisch inzicht met operationele expertise om bedrijven te begeleiden in groei, verandering en samenwerking binnen de keten. Het ontwikkelen van strategieën die afgestemd zijn op het DNA van een onderneming, vormt een belangrijk onderdeel van mijn aanpak. Daarnaast streef ik naar het versterken van relaties en samenwerkingen in de keten als basis voor succes. Kerncompetenties: Bedrijfsopvolging Strategieontwikkeling Samenwerking in de keten Groei en innovatie Tropische planten- en groenteplanten-industrie.

Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

A seasoned investment promotion professional, Seewraj brings more than two decade-plus of experience and exposure in the full spectrum investment promotion, investment facilitation, investment aftercare, trade/export promotion, policy formulation and business development. He has been very active in promoting Mauritius as an attractive investment destination in various markets worldwide including India, China, South Africa, Malaysia, Germany, France. He has successfully contributed in project implementation in different sectors of the Mauritian economy including manufacturing, agriculture / agro-industry, aquaculture, fisheries & seafood processing, energy, financial services, ICT, logistics, film industry, healthcare, etc. 
Seewraj was posted in India as Economic Counsellor at the Mauritius High Commission in Delhi, and at the Consulate of the Republic of Mauritius in Mumbai for 8 years. He had the responsibility of the Indian market for attracting investment from India to Mauritius and Africa.
After returning to Mauritius in February 2024, Seewraj is Director at Economic Development Board Mauritius. He is responsible for the portfolio of Manufacturing, Agriculture, Blue Economy and Circular Economy. In addition, as part of the Senior Management Team at EDB Mauritius, Seewraj actively engages in strategic initiatives like preparation of strategic, marketing and action plans and actions involving high level visits to Mauritius and overseas.
Seewraj holds a BComm from University of Durban Westville, South Africa and an MBA from University of Mauritius.

Director

Project Manager

Manager Operations

Stan Aanhane is co-founder and CTO of Bionomic. Drawing on his background in Biomolecular Sciences and research experience in molecular modification and manufacturing, he combines in-depth scientific knowledge with a keen eye for technological innovation .
As CTO, he drives Bionomic's innovation and technological development. He works on scaling up biotechnological processes, safeguarding research quality, and preparing Bionomic's technology for market application. What sets him apart: translating complex scientific issues into concrete solutions and bringing technology from the laboratory to practice.

Co-founder Bionomic

Management Studies degree educated at Birmingham University with nearly 40 years of international commercial experience.  Focussed on the water sector for the last 25 years working globally promoting environmentally sustainable, efficient and effective water resource management with particular emphasis on water collection and storage.

Global Sales Director

Researcher

Innovation Manager

Ryan brings more than 30 years of hands-on experience in the cannabis and horitculture industry. A second-generation cultivator and two-time Cannabis Cup winner, he has consulted with commercial cultivation operations worldwide. Ryan has held board positions with organizations such as the NCIA, RII, and Grow Up, and is a familiar face on the global speaking circuit with appearances at events like MJBizCon, Grow Up Conference, Cultivate, the Canadian Greenhouse Conference, and Greentech.
Before joining Cultiwool, Ryan worked with a leading LED lighting company, offering technical cultivation support not only for cannabis but also for a range of other crops including tomatoes, leafy greens, and ornamentals. Outside the grow room, Ryan is a passionate home brewer and was recently named the 2024 Front Range Circuit Homebrewer of the Year.

North America Technical Sales Manager

Ms. Karcey is a cannabis industry executive with over twenty years of experience specializing in cultivation, facility design, permitting, and environmental optimization. With extensive hands-on expertise across indoor, greenhouse, and outdoor cultivation environments, she brings practical operational knowledge to complex cultivation and manufacturing projects.
She is the founder of Cultivo, Inc., a Northern California–based cannabis facility design and consulting firm established more than eleven years ago. Under her leadership, Cultivo has supported projects across more than 25 U.S. states and three countries, providing services including site selection, permitting, regulatory strategy, facility design, HVAC integration, and construction management for cultivation and manufacturing operations.
From 2020 to 2026, Ms. Karcey also founded and led Artemis CoPack, a 67,000-square-foot cannabis manufacturing and post-processing operation in Lake County, California, offering vertically integrated co-packing, extraction, packaging, and logistics services while managing multiple sun-grown cultivation sites.
Ms. Karcey has been featured in Forbes, National Geographic, Cannabis Science and Technology Magazine, Marijuana Venture, Marijuana Business Daily, Yahoo Finance, High Times, and other leading publications.

Founder and CEO

Rick Bakker is CEO of Hollandse Hoogtes, one of the Netherlands' leading companies operating within the regulated cannabis supply chain. With a background spanning strategic leadership, commercial operations, and legal and financial oversight, Rick has been building and scaling a professional, compliant cannabis business from the ground up, navigating the complexities of the GKK experiment firsthand.
His work bridges two worlds: the emerging regulated cannabis sector and the broader agri-tech industry, where he is also active in professional vegetableseed production through Bakker Seed Productions. This dual perspective gives him a grounded, operationally informed view on what it takes to build sustainable, quality-driven supply chains in highly regulated markets.
At GreenTech Amsterdam, Rick speaks from direct experience, on what the GKK transition has delivered in practice, where the gaps remain, and what the industry needs to mature into a fully professional sector.

Learn to grow! 
Beanstalk stimulates the growth and development of people and organizations within the horticulture sector. We create an inspiring learning environment for all who work in our beautiful sector. A place to explore and develop talents, where your company is supported to evolve towards a future-proof (self-learning) organization.

Trainer

Sector Developer

Janneke Grit, MSc earned her MSc degree in Greenhouse Horticulture in 2015 at Wageningen University. Thereafter she was a lecturer at HAS Green Academy teaching in the Horticulture & Business Management program. She instructed students plant physiology courses, provided courses to professionals and conducted applied research mainly in the field of greenhouse horticulture and vertical farming. Since 2023, she has been working as scientist at the Business Unit Greenhouse Horticulture of Wageningen University and Research. Her main area of expertise is greenhouse crop physiology, with a current focus on the safe application of new CO2 sources for horticulture and transitions to new cultivation systems. Her research is carried out in close collaboration with growers, the supply industry and the government.

Scientist Greenhouse Crop Physiology

Project Manager and Lead partner for Interreg NWE Project Re-Greenhouse at Inagro, Research and innovation in agricultural sector.

The team Rootzone Dynamics from Wageningen University & Research BU Greenhouse Horticulture focuses on investigating processes around the plant roots and in the irrigation system. Research topics: alternative growing media, microbiology, belowground phytopathology, water quality, fertigation and virology. My personal focus has been on the application of water technology to achieve a zero-emission cultivation system with optimal recirculation water quality: prevent distribution of diseases via water, removal of plant protection products from discharge water, optimization of filtration and selective ion removal. Focus is on finding technologies that have specific effects on water quality, without inhibiting plant productivity, for example for prevention of biofilm formation in irrigation lines. The role of water composition and treatment on the rootzone microbiology is another topic that still requires a lot of attention.

Team lead Rootzone Dynamics

Johanna Bac-Molenaar became biologist, because she is fascinated by the living world around here in which each creature has its own role and place due to adaptations and interactions. During her studies in biology and in her PhD research, she specialized in the study of plants and their interaction with the environment. She currently works as a 'Plant Health' researcher at the Greenhouse Horticulture business unit of Wageningen University and Research, on the design and testing of resilient and sustainable cultivation systems. Her research aims to minimize pesticide use and to work more and more circular. As a specialist in strawberry cultivation, she likes to see the cultivation cycle (propagation, nursery and production) as one interconnected system for which integral solution work best.

Researcher Plant Health

Assistant Professor, Horticulture & Product Physiology

Hung has R&D background in crop physiology and vegetable seed industry. Currently, Hung works at Rijk Zwaan Viet Nam as a PDS focusing on the North. Hung promotes the choice of Rijk Zwaan varieties and helps growers achieve the best possible results. This includes various activities through vegetable value chain. 
In his free time Hung enjoys running and hanging around with family.

Production Development Specialist

Aurélie Bovi is the Innovation Lead for the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) sector at the UK Agri-Tech Centre. A molecular biologist and geneticist by training, with 10 years’ experience in laboratories and a specialist technical knowledge in plant sciences, Aurélie has worked in business innovation facilitating roles for over 16 years, engaging and collaborating with UK and international organisations in cross-cutting industry sectors and disciplines to deliver solutions to the agri-food sector. She has built an enviable network of contacts across research, industry, policymakers and government bodies. Through her roles she has gained broad view on the innovation landscape (including funding) and cross-cutting R&D knowledge across an array of industry sectors and technologies relevant to the agrifood and broader bio (circular) economy - including agri-tech; biotechnologies (industrial; synthetic biology); (bio)renewables; big data/AI; indoor farming (horticulture; CEA). Over the past few years, Aurélie has expanded her knowledge and expertise of the horticulture and indoor farming, working closely with stakeholders on the development, delivery and adoption of novel/disruptive technologies, processes, and approaches in those sectors.

Innovation Lead, Control Environment Agriculture

Rudolf de Vetten is Chief Product Officer and co-founder of Blue Radix. Blue Radix controls climate & irrigation in greenhouses with AI. Based on the goals and strategy of the grower, Blue Radix helps growers to produce more with less resources. Many growers have embraced this solution in the past years, winning back control and time. Rudolf de Vetten is responsible for the product strategy, data science development and HR. With a strong track record in business and product development, he has realized succesful data driven innovations in the horticulture market. Solid background in the field of software development, project management and energy technology.

Chief Product Officer

Business Developer

Energy used to be predictable.  Crop growth used to follow stable patterns. Today, neither is true and growers are expected to manage both.
Nienke Veenendaal, MSc, is Product & Engineering Director at Priva, working at the intersection of crop science, energy systems, and digital technology. She challenges how the industry deals with volatility: not as a constraint, but as something that can be actively steered.
With a background in Industrial Design Engineering from TU Delft, she brings a systems-thinking approach to balancing energy cost and crop stability. Her focus is on how smart scheduling and predictive insight can turn uncertainty into control.
On stage, she explores a simple but provocative idea: stability is no longer given - it is designed.

Director Product & Engineering

Founder of Agri-AI BV, is a pioneering force in integrating artificial intelligence within the agricultural food sector. Born and educated in China, she has lived more than 15 years in the Netherlands, the world's leading country in agri-food innovation and the 2nd largest exporter of agri-food globally. Cynthia holds a degree in Business Economics and an MBA in Strategy and Innovation from the University of Amsterdam (UvA), where her research focused on AI acceptance and adoption in Dutch agri-food business. A thought leader in the field, Cynthia serves as a columnist for leading agri-food industry journals in the Netherlands and holds a position as Visiting Professor specializing in AI applications in agriculture. Her diverse technological background includes spearheading major infrastructure projects in 4G network deployment, Fiber to the Home (FTTH), and Amsterdam's smart city initiatives. Cynthia's mission is to seamlessly integrate cutting-edge technology throughout the agri-food value chain, transforming how we produce and distribute food for a sustainable future.

Founder

With years in industrial automation, Rick Schneiders leads Siemens' Future Food team, driving the digitalization of food processing for sustainability. Recognizing the critical need for progress in food production, he takes charge in advocating for industry-wide standardization while guiding companies in scaling up innovative business models. Rick's commitment to innovation and sustainability, combined with his extensive experience, drives his mission to revolutionize the food industry towards a more efficient and sustainable future.

Head of Future Food

Desh Ramnath is a serial entrepreneur and ecosystem architect, driven by innovation, collaboration, and systemic impact.
After founding and scaling his own ventures, Desh expanded his scope across industries and even into politics. These experiences shaped a clear conviction: meaningful innovation does not happen in silos, but through well-designed ecosystems that connect people, technology, capital, and value chains.
Curious about how younger generations and the emerging economy approached entrepreneurship, Desh entered the innovation space as a mentor at UtrechtInc. From there, he went on to design and support startup ecosystems across the globe. His journey came full circle when the Municipality of Westland invited him into the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) domain—reconnecting him with both his professional interests and his roots as a Dutch citizen of Indian origin, born in ’s-Gravenzande.
What began as an exploration quickly evolved into a mission. Inspired by the transformative potential of horticulture, Desh became deeply engaged with entrepreneurs in the food and flower industries. Together with Mart Valstar (Best Fresh Group), he initiated strategic conversations with the Municipality of Westland, ultimately leading to the creation of HortiHeroes—an innovation acceleration platform for the global Food & Flower ecosystem.
Alongside close collaborators Bas Allart and Roel Raatgever, Desh co-founded HortiHeroes and built the team that successfully scaled the platform to its next phase. During this period, he was invited by fellow Entrepreneur-in-Residence Maren Schoormans to co-develop the international strategy of Dutch Greenhouse Delta, supporting its global ambitions in CEA technology. What was intended as a short engagement evolved into several years in which Desh fulfilled multiple strategic and leadership roles within the organization.
These experiences converged into a new venture, Horizon11—a strategic advisory company focused on accelerating impact through collaboration, innovation, and purposeful ecosystem design.
While remaining active across multiple ventures and industries, Desh firmly believes that AgriFood is a key enabler of healthy living on a healthy planet. It is one of the few industries where commercial success and positive global impact truly align. This belief, combined with his experience and ambition, led him to join the HortiScience Innovation Center.
Returning to the role of a starting entrepreneur, Desh looks forward to creating value once again—building the future of AgriFood innovation from the ground up.

Initiator

With over more then 40 years of experience in the field of Horticulture, always following the latest innovations and today inspiring and motivating many young and ambitious people within the GreenV group to deliver integrated solutions with cutting-edge technology for our customers.

Regional Manager

Marc Celis is an internationally experienced hydroponic leafy greens specialist at Rijk Zwaan, with more than 30 years of expertise in hydroponic lettuce production and controlled environment agriculture (CEA). Originally from Belgium, he supports growers, investors and horticultural partners worldwide in the development of hydroponic and high-tech leafy green projects.
 
His work focuses on integrating genetics, cultivation strategies and production systems to optimize yield, quality, shelf life and operational efficiency in greenhouse and indoor farming environments. Marc Celis is widely recognized for his practical and market-oriented approach to hydroponic production and regularly shares his expertise through international industry events and project collaborations.

Hydroponic specialist lettuce

Roel Janssen is Chief Business Development Manager at Eternal.ag. Before joining Eternal.ag, Roel served as Chief Business Officer at Planet Farms, a technology company that builds and operates fully autonomous vertical farms at scale. Prior to that, he spent 13 years at Signify (previously known as Philips Lighting), where in his latest role he was the Global Director for City Farming. Through his years at Signify and Planet Farms, Roel established himself as an industry expert in high tech horticulture and vertical farming and has been invited to speak and share his views around the globe. He has also served as a guest lecturer at the HAS University of Applied Science in the Netherlands. Roel holds a degree in Business Administration from Eindhoven, where he still lives with his wife and two children. Alongside his passion for sustainable agriculture, Roel is an avid wine enthusiast and holds a WSET Level 3 certification.

Chief Business Development Officer

Researcher plant physiology

Joost holds a Master's degree in Biosystems Engineering from Wageningen University. With a strong technical background, he specializes in developing strawberry cultivation planning and management software at Delphy. Joost leverages his expertise to create data-driven solutions that enable growers to improve their cultivation practices.

Cultivation Engineer Soft Fruit

As Senior Researcher Plant Health I work at Wageningen University and Research Horticulture leading a research team with focus on hostplant resistance/resilience to pests and diseases in greenhouse crops.  I am an Agricultural Engineer specialized in Plant Production (Agricultural Ing. University of Bonn, Germany) and have obtained an MSc in Pest Management (Imperial College London, UK) sustained by a grant from the German Academic Exchange Service. Thereafter, I obtained a PhD in biological control of weeds with fungi (University of Fribourg, Switzerland). My research continued in the Netherlands on diagnosis and control of pests and diseases in indoor horticulture at the University of Leiden  specializing in identifying chemical plant compounds related to host plant resistance/resilience to pests and diseases. Identified compounds are subsequently used for resistance breeding, inducing resistance in susceptible varieties and development of biopesticides. Currently, I pursue the practical application of this approach at Wageningen University and Research leading research projects in: design and implementation  of sustainable and resilient cultivation systems in ornamentals, vegetables and bulbs; use of LED lights for induction of plant resilience; reduction of nitrate fertilization to increase plant resilience and most recently early detection methods of pests and diseases via (hyperspectral) imaging, volatile detection, airborne spore monitoring and use of electrophysiological sensors. As such I closely co-operate with government institutions, growers and companies in the horticultural sector.

Senior Researcher Plant Health

Wesley Petzer is a South African-born cultivation and international market development specialist based in the Netherlands. He is Global Brand Representative and Growing Consultant for Atami Nutrients and Founder of Petzer Consulting BV, a consultancy focused on cultivation strategy, nutrient programmes, brand development and commercial growth within cannabis and controlled-environment horticulture.
With more than ten years of hands-on cultivation experience, Wesley has worked across legacy, regulated and emerging cannabis markets. His background combines farming, agricultural economics, compliance, software, product education and business development, allowing him to connect technical cultivation realities with broader commercial and market opportunities.
Before founding Petzer Consulting BV, Wesley worked as Business Development Manager Africa at Cannavigia, supporting the expansion of cannabis compliance technology in developing and regulated markets. Today, he works with growers, brands, distributors and industry partners across Europe, Africa, North America and emerging markets, helping translate cultivation knowledge into stronger positioning, trusted partnerships and scalable market strategies.
Wesley’s work is driven by a belief that the future of high-value horticulture depends not only on better products and better cultivation, but also on education, transparency, credible branding and meaningful international collaboration.

Global Brand Representative & Growing Consultant, Atami Nutrients | Founder, Petzer Consulting BV

VP of Asset Development

Born in a greenhouse and shaped by years of experience with high-tech cultivation facilities worldwide, I help cannabis and hydroponic leafy greens growers elevate their cultivation to the highest level: profitable, scalable, and scientifically grounded. With an MSc in Plant Science from Wageningen University (specializing in greenhouse horticulture) and decades of international consultancy experience, I bring proven expertise in controlled environment agriculture directly into your operational practice. From trials and innovation projects to optimizing entire facilities. I know what works, where others are still searching.
My approach bridges science, strategy, and execution. The result: higher yields, better quality, and more efficient processes; tangible, measurable, and immediately applicable. As Managing Partner at Cultivators, I lead projects that empower growers to achieve their goals, regardless of crop or country. My focus is always on the client’s success: from plant to commercial impact.

The workplace is the best learning environment. Beanstalk assumes that all knowledge is already available.
As coach and trainer I am concerned with the individual people in the organization and I facilitate coaching processes to realize human growth.
Beanstalk helps to build future-proof companies in the agricultural sector by developing the people in the organization.
We approach learning and development of people as a growth process. We are continuously learning and developing! You can accelerate this process by working consciously and purposefully on development.  Together with Peter Klapwijk and Sjoerd Nieboer (family business 😊), we also organize away days for directors, management and entrepreneurs to reflect on leadership, trends, day to day activity and the future. 
I am also involved with Peter Klapwijk in the content and development of this Power day. Nice to meet you there.

Trainer/coach

Bart van Meurs is Head of Division Q within the Koppert Cress Group, where he focuses on the development and application of innovative technologies for sustainable cultivation. With extensive experience in greenhouse horticulture and innovation-driven projects, he works closely with growers, technology partners and start-ups to support the transition towards a more sustainable and resilient horticultural sector. As moderator of this event, Bart brings together his in-depth sector knowledge, strategic insight and ability to guide constructive dialogue on the future of food, technology and sustainability.

VP of Business Development

Nicola Donato is Business Development Manager at Green Gas & Liquids (GGL), a company specialising in proprietary CO₂ capture and utilisation (CCU), biogas upgrading, and emission control solutions green fuel production processes. Operating globally, GGL builds on a solid technological foundation following a spin-off from an established player in the process technology industry.
Nicola works with a focus on European and North American markets on a full commercial cycle helping greenhouses to recover their CO2 and reutilize it for crop fertilization.

Business Development manager

Annie van de Riet is the President of AVAG, the association for the Dutch greenhouse technology sector. With a background in economic geography and extensive experience in both horticulture and advocacy, she is committed to driving the industry forward. AVAG represents 80 companies with a combined turnover of €3 billion, 80% of which comes from exports. These companies collaborate to develop quality standards, conduct research, and drive innovation in a pre-competitive environment. This collective effort has made the sector a global leader. A Dutch supplier is synonymous with state-of-the-art technology and top-quality solutions.

President

Reinier Wolterbeek is the Chief Product Officer at ONNA Greens, Norway's largest commercial Indoor Vertical Farm. He is largely accountable for moving trial crops into commercial crops.
Before joining ONNA, Reinier was the co-founder and CTO of Sundrop Farms, developing, building and operating 6 medium & high-tech greenhouses in Australia, the Middle East, Europe and USA, growing tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, strawberries & raspberries. 
Reinier has over &gt;20 years of innovative CEA experience with MSc degree from Wageningen University & Research.

Eva Helén operates at the intersection of food, energy, and digital infrastructure, designing platforms and partnerships that enable industries and communities to collaborate in entirely new ways. She is Managing Director at FarmTech Society (FTS), where she leads the development of the CEA Lounge platform. Through the CEA Lounge, FTS connects people with knowledge, experts, and real-world deployment across both digital and in-person experiences. She also serves on the organization’s Creative Board.
Previously, Eva co-founded BRAVE Industries, focused on regenerative, community-centered food and energy systems.  A serial entrepreneur with over 20 years in high tech, she has built and scaled multiple ventures, including Sanbolic. Eva is a frequent speaker and moderator, known for connecting stakeholders across sectors and advancing collaboration.

Founder & CEO

Product Manager Water & Hygiene and Senior Fertilisation Specialist

Technical Specialist Crop Protection

Jaime is a chemist specialising in Advanced Materials and works as an R&D researcher at AIMPLAS, a technology centre with over 35 years of experience in the plastics sector based in Valencia, Spain. His work focuses on developing innovative and sustainable plastic solutions that address real grower needs, spanning several research lines: advanced greenhouse covers engineered to optimise crop performance through temperature regulation, light spectrum modulation and water management; biobased and biodegradable materials for plasticulture and aquaculture; the valorisation of agricultural by-products into high-value composite materials; and soil quality improvement through controlled-release systems. With experience across national and European R&D projects, Jaime collaborates closely with industry partners and research institutions to translate cutting-edge materials science into scalable, practical , efficient and sustainable solutions, delivering measurable agronomic and economic value across the agricultural sector.

Development of Sustainable Materials in Agriculture & Aquaculture Group

Founder of Learning Academy Worldwide, Theophilus van Rensburg Lindzter's blend of practical agricultural education experience, focus on relevant technology solutions, enlarging expertise in modern agricultural practices like CEA, strong project management and communication skills, and his ability to facilitate engaging dialogue will serve as moderator.

Mr. Tam is an agronomist with 17 years of experience in soil and indoor crop production. Currently, he works with over 300 indoor growers with total over 150 ha helping them grow cucumber and melon for the best result. He advises and supplies input materials for indoor production (seed, fertilizer, cocopeat substrate). He successfully created an earning model for indoor production and brought mutual benefits to small growers.
In his free time Tam enjoys working and working!

Indoor Crop Production Consultant (Cucumber & Melon Specialist)

Director Sustainability & Partnerships, Oxin Growers, The Netherlands
Ton van Dalen graduated in 1987 at the Wageningen University & Research. He worked for different companies in the Horticulture. In 2012 he was appointed as CEO of Best of Four, a producer organization of fruits and vegetables in Barendrecht. In 2020 Best of Four merged with Van Nature, another producer organization, to Oxin Growers. Oxin Growers is one of the largest cooperatives of the Netherlands with 230 active growers  of fruit and vegetables and a turnover of 1 billion euro’s.
In addition to the work for Oxin Growers Ton is also boardmember at FVO( Federation of Fruit Vegetable Organisations). FVO is a collaboration of five producer organisations Harvest House, Growers United, ZON, the Greenery and Oxin Growers on a non-competitive basis. Within the FVO Ton is responsible for the project ‘100% Green Growing’,  the Green Growing Expert Centre and the implementation of the Fresh Produce PEFCR. The purpose of this is to grow vegetables without synthetic pesticides in a profitable way with the lowest possible impact on the environment in collaboration with all partners in the high tech ecosystem.

Directory Board

János Lóczi is a horticulture-driven entrepreneur and co-founder of Gremon Systems, a leader in data-driven greenhouse technology. With a background in commercial growing and international agribusiness, he combines practical crop knowledge with a strong focus on digital innovation. At Gremon Systems, he plays a key role in developing sensor-based solutions that provide real-time insight into plant behavior. Their technology uses advanced plant and substrate sensors, including precise weight-based measurements, to monitor water uptake, growth dynamics, and plant balance. This allows growers to understand exactly what their crop needs and when to act.
János is passionate about bridging the gap between traditional growing expertise and data-driven decision-making, supporting growers worldwide in moving toward more precise and ultimately more autonomous cultivation.

Co-Founder and President Gremon Systems

Scientific Researcher

Theodoros Matakiadis is the Head of Global Disruptive Innovation Portfolio at Bayer Crop Science, based in Rotterdam, Netherlands. With a robust background in the seed industry, he leads the development of transformational innovation products that align with business strategies and market needs. Theodoros is passionate about leveraging emerging technologies and insights to shape the future of agricultural innovation through product development. His role involves fostering collaboration across multifunctional teams, including players from the external innovation landscape. He is keen to connect with fellow professionals and stakeholders who share a vision for advancing sustainable practices in the industry.

Head of Global Disruptive Innovation Portfolio

Tenair

Datalayers

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