Plant phenotyping is evolving fast, from manual scouting to mobile tools to AI-powered vision hardware. This session explores what that shift means for greenhouse businesses, and why the most powerful outcomes come from combining specialist hardware with a dedicated AI layer built for horticulture. Panellists from across the stack – robotics, crop registration, and AI – share how open integration is unlocking new possibilities in planning, forecasting, and operational decision-making. Objectives: ● Understand how plant phenotyping is evolving and what the convergence of AI and vision hardware means for greenhouse operations ● Hear from industry experts across robotics, crop registration, and AI on why open, integrated approaches are delivering the strongest results ● Leave with a grounded view of where phenotyping technology is heading and how to think about building the right technology stack for your business

Roel Janssen, Moderator: Rien Kamman, Vratislav Beneš, Tobias Platenburg

The synergies between hardware and software in horticulture in the age of robotics and AI

Rien Kamman is CEO and Co-Founder of Source.ag, leading the company’s global mission to empower fruit and vegetable growers with AI. Since 2020, he has driven Source.ag’s expansion and vision to make high-tech, efficient greenhouse farming accessible and scalable worldwide.

CEO & Co-founder

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

Researcher

Stef Maree (PhD), is programme manager Autonomous Cultivation at Wageningen Research. He focusses on bringing the latest development from the fields of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning into agriculture, helping growers to grow more sustainably and making healthy food available worldwide.

Programme Manager Autonomous Cultivation

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.

Managing Partner

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

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

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

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).

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

As a crop advisor, I act as a sparring partner for the grower. I assess the crop, describe its condition, and advise the grower on how to respond using climate control, irrigation, and nutrition strategies.
I have always had a strong interest in new developments. Topics such as new (green) crop protection products, Plant Empowerment, autonomous growing, and LED lighting are examples of this.
Through Delphy, I now regularly work abroad. It is both enjoyable and interesting to combine business with pleasure.

Advisor Glasshouse Vegetables: Tomato, Pepper, new crops, Water Coach

Security Specialist

Cannabis Advisor with over a decade of experience establishing and optimizing regulated operations across North America. I live in the crossroads between technical horticultural science and complex regulatory compliance.
Throughout my 12 years in commercial operations, I have guided clients through the requirements of production and commercial best practices across seven U.S. states and Portugal. I specialize in cultivation and post-harvest operations, licensing applications, GMP/GACP standardization, facility design, and the creation of compliance frameworks that reduce risk and ensure ease.

Cannabis Advisor

Dr. Hanneke M.J. Later-Nijland specialises in EU and Dutch regulatory life sciences law and has significant experience in both contentious and non-contentious work. Due to her dual background as a lawyer and a pharmacist, Hanneke is eminently qualified to handle the full range of issues relating to marketing authorisations, clinical trials (and agreements), compliance, issues with ATMPs, compounding, demarcation issues, advertising, administrative fines, reimbursement, financial arrangements, preference policy procedures and inspections - both human and veterinary medicinal products. Next to the aforementioned, she also worked on several large (medicina) cannabis cases.
Due to her background as an Inspector for Healthcare, she is often asked to interact with the various competent authorities in the Netherlands (e.g. CBG, IGJ, Ministry of Health, KNMP, NVWA), and/or the EMA, on behalf of her clients.
Furthermore, due to her scientific background, she works (with patent attorneys) on issues at the interface between genomics, regulatory and IP.
Hanneke’s mission is to advance transactions in the life sciences space by way of securing life sciences regulatory law as a building block in such transactions. Therefore, Hanneke has launched a network of corporate and regulatory lawyers focusing on life sciences transactions (www.thegenotypenetwork.com).
 
Hanneke obtained a MSc and PharmD in pharmacy (Utrecht, 2003 and 2004) as well as a Master of Law (LLM, Utrecht, 2006) and holds a PhD (Nijmegen, 2010) in pharmacy, which makes her the only pharmacist-lawyer holding a PhD in the Netherlands. She is admitted to the Bar of Amsterdam and allowed to practise throughout the Netherlands. Hanneke lectures pharmaceutical law at Leiden University and speaks regularly at (inter-)national conferences.
Hanneke founded Genome Lawyers in 2019, a boutique law firm in Amsterdam serving pharma and biotech clients across the globe, e.g. the US, Canada, Hong Kong, UK, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and Japan.
Who’s Who Legal1 recommends Hanneke for Life Sciences: “Hanneke is singled out by market sources as a “very knowledgeable and pragmatic” practitioner who “really knows what she is talking about” thanks to her strong technical background in the life sciences arena.” Lastly, she is ranked in the upcoming edition of Chambers Europe 2024.

Attorney-at-law

Niko Simos is an Operations Associate at Agritecture Consulting, specializing in vertical farming, project management, and sustainable food systems development. With a background in agricultural sciences from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and an ongoing MSc in Land, Water, Energy Resources, and Rural Environment Management, Niko brings a strong foundation in CEA research and practice. His research includes studying yield optimization for leafy greens under innovative vertical farming systems with artificial lighting.
At Agritecture, Niko manages daily operations across marketing, consulting, and business development, supporting strategic partnerships and delivering CEA workshops globally. His industry publications focus on advancing vertical farming practices, and he is passionate about leveraging technology and collaboration to create resilient food systems for the future.

Operations Associate

I'm a dedicated future-proofing strategist with a passion for driving sustainable growth and innovation across various industries. One of my early career achievements includes pioneering transformative projects in China's green building sector, showcasing my ability to lead large-scale sustainable initiatives. 
With a deep understanding of emerging trends, disruptive technologies, and global perspectives, I have researched and authored strategic industry studies on topics such as green cities, logistics and transport, the brewing industry, horticulture, and the digital transformation of the food industry.
I founded Springtide Strategy in 2016, a consultancy firm dedicated to future-proofing strategies and green transition across various industries. I work with cross-disciplinary experts to deliver tailored solutions.

Future Proofing Strategist

Mariska Dreschler has more than 25 years of experience in entrepreneurship, business strategy, business development and event management. As Director of Horticulture, GreenTech Global at the RAI Amsterdam, she supports the global food- and flower production industry by organizing trade fairs for these communities to connect, both face-2-face and digital. The GreenTech portfolio consists of GreenTech Amsterdam as the worldwide leading trade show on horticulture technologies and GreenTech Americas for the Latin America region in Mexico, Querétaro. In 2026 GreenTech North America will be launched, in the Philadelphia, US with focus on the region of the US and Canada.

Director Horticulture - GreenTech Global

Gonçalo is a Robotics Engineer who started his journey as a researcher at the Institute of Systems and Robotics at the University of Coimbra, Portugal. Afterwards he became the CTO, and later CEO of CoolFarm, a cloud-based, AI software company that developed control systems for indoor farming. He is currently the CEO of Periplo Innovation and Head of Software and Robotics at PlanetFarms.

Head of Software and Robotics

Gerrit Polder is senior researcher Computer Vision & Plant Phenotyping at the department Greenhouse Technology and the Agricultural Biosystems Engineering chair group of Wageningen University & Research. His research interests include photonic based sensing, including imaging spectroscopy and spectral imaging for disease detection and high throughput automated plant phenotyping both in protected cultivation and arable farming.

Computer Vision & Plant Phenotyping

For me - it's all about agriculture.  As business developer for www.festo.com I scout for AgTech topics, startups and business to bring more smart technology into a sector we all heavily depend on. At our family farm, we produce and market organic, regional and seasonal vegetables: www.heidehoefe.de und www.kartoffel-post.de

Business Development Agriculture

Director Construction

Policy Specialist Water & Environment

Simkje Kruiderink is Team coordinator of NL bilateral relations at the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature. Her international career of 20 years includes also being seconded to the University of Wageningen for a year to work on agriculture and water related issues and aa well as, four years, to the European Commission.

Team Coördinator International Relations

Sector Head Agrifood

Dr. Silke Hemming is head of the Greenhouse Technology research team at Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands. She is an expert on the field of novel greenhouse design concepts and modern greenhouse coverings for different climate zones world-wide with focus on resource efficiency. Her research is related to greenhouse covering and screen materials increasing light transmission, changing light spectrum, the effect of diffuse light, and energy saving by coverings, coatings and screens. Silke Hemming initiated research on the field of artificial intelligence and greenhouses control. She was leader of three International challenges on Autonomous Greenhouses and will present intermediate results of the 4th edition during Greentech. Her research group has expertise on the field of energy saving, greenhouse climate, modelling, data science, sensors and AI for greenhouse and indoor farming applications

Head scientific research team Greenhouse Technology

Tom Zoellner is a proven expert for innovative agri-tech initiatives and has 25 years’ experience in agricultural consulting as well as in being in the forefront with innovation and resilience solutions in the agriculture community. Tom helped initiate and develop numerous major international projects for acclaimed agriculture innovation showcases in the US, CH, DE and the Benelux and has a MSc. in environmental policy from the Bard Graduate Center for Sustainablity, New York.
He is the co-founder and the secretary-general of the FarmTech Society based in Brussels with many years being part of the agriculture expert networks and policy development working groups in the US and the EU.

Secretary-General

Thank you for your interest! 
My name is Serge de Reuver, 42 years young, father of 3 children. I have a passion for sports and for raising the bar; On a personal ánd business level.
After completing my university studies, I worked for a large Dutch bank for 15 years. In my last role, as Director of Business Banking within the Midcorporate segment, I was responsible for, among others, the high-tech horticulture sector. After 15 years of analysing business models, helping shareholders to sell and buy (their) companies, arranging complex financing et cetera, I decided three years ago to contribute my part to a leading global sector, and specifically to one of the leading companies active in this sector worldwide: KUBO Group.
Very happy to take you into the world of Ultra Clima. We have recently launched a number of frame-breaking innovations that will make your business model both more profitable, less risky and more future-proof.
I look forward to seeing you there at the Greentech!

Head of Sales

Trainer & Consultant international

Dr. Sebastian Kipp is Director Innovation at Klasmann-Deilmann, where he focuses on driving sustainable growing media solutions for professional horticulture. He leads innovation initiatives related to renewable raw materials, growing media technologies, and climate-friendly cultivation systems. Dr. Kipp studied plant sciences and received his PhD from the Technical University of Munich, specializing in plant phenotyping and sensor-based technologies for crop research. Today, his work focuses on developing next-generation growing media, including innovative biochar solutions as well as peatreduced and peat-free substrates to support more sustainable and climate-resilient horticultural production.

Director Innovation

Dominick Dimucci is Director of Cultivation at Haven Greens, specializing in fully automated mobile gulley systems for baby leaf lettuce. With experience across Colorado, Texas, and Ontario, he holds undergraduate and master’s degrees in horticulture and is focused on driving operational excellence and crop first outcomes in controlled environment agriculture.

Director of Cultivation

Managing Director

Lise is Project Manager at Grodan for Strawberry and Lettuce, where she leads fundamental research trials to strengthen cultivation insights and support innovation. She holds a Master’s degree in Resilient Farming and Food Systems from Wageningen University, and leverages her academic and practical expertise to contribute to more sustainable and high-performing horticultural production.

Business Development Manager

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

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

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

Tisha Livingston is de CEO van Infinite Acres, een volledige dochteronderneming van 80 Acres Farms. Het bedrijf werd oorspronkelijk opgericht als een wereldwijde joint venture tussen het Nederlandse bedrijf Priva, een leverancier van glastuinbouwtechnologie, het Amerikaanse indoor farming bedrijf 80 Acres Farms en de Britse Ocado Group, de grootste online supermarkt van het Verenigd Koninkrijk.
Voor de oprichting van Infinite Acres was Tisha medeoprichter en president van 80 Acres Farms, een pionier op het gebied van vertical farming in de Verenigde Staten. Daar telen, exploiteren, verkopen en distribueren zij het hele jaar door de meest verse groenten en kruiden aan supermarkten en restaurants. In haar eerdere rol was Tisha Chief Operating Officer bij Sager Creek Vegetable Company, een divisie van Del Monte Foods. Ze werkte samen met veel Amerikaanse boeren en leerde de waarde van lokaal voedsel kennen voor het versterken van gezonde en veerkrachtige gemeenschappen. Ze brengt naar 80 Acres Farms een sterk trackrecord mee in het laten groeien van omzet, het verlagen van kosten en het verbeteren van kapitaalefficiëntie.
Tisha begon haar carrière in de voedingsindustrie meer dan 25 jaar geleden, waarbij zij ervaring opdeed in onder andere Finance, Manufacturing, Procurement, Warehousing, Logistiek, Demand Management, Planning, S&OP, Kwaliteit, R&D, Business Intelligence, IT en Engineering.

Director ejecutiva

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

Project Manager

Born and raised in the heart of the Dutch Westland, Renko Schuil has been immersed in fresh food production from an early age. His career in the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) industry spans over two decades, during which he has gained extensive expertise across various facets of the sector. From hardware and growing systems to climate control, lighting, logistics, and automation, Renko has developed a comprehensive understanding of the intricate relationships between these key components. His broad experience enables him to take a holistic approach, helping growers and industry leaders optimize their operations with innovative solutions.
Renko is now representing TTA-ISO as Sales Manager Food. At TTA-ISO, ‘Food’ refers to all edible and medicinal crops grown in controlled environments, from high-tech greenhouses to fully enclosed vertical farms. With a strong focus on plant handling and processing, TTA-ISO applies its 25+ years of expertise in robotics and automation to develop turnkey solutions that improve efficiency and consistency in indoor farming.

Sales Manager Food

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.

Global Sales Director

Regional Manager

Manager Delphy Digital

Kyle Freedman is the global Market Segment Manager CEA and Jiffy Gel Product Manager for Jiffy Group responsible for providing technical guidance and support to Jiffy's global CEA customers and helping to drive market expansion. Kyle holds a BA in Philosophy from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. He earned his MSc. in International Agriculture Development from the University of California at Davis with a concentration in Horticulture and Agronomy where his research focused on climate-smart, small-scale postharvest processing systems of coffee in Honduras. He obtained a PhD in Horticultural Sciences from North Carolina State University where his research focused on the development of a new hydroponic grapevine production system called Precise Indoor Vine Conditioning (PIVC) in which young grapevines are conditioned with supplemental light to produce fruit in their first season of field transplanting. With 15+ years of experience, Kyle was previously a Sr. Project Management Specialist at RTI International prior to graduate school where he was a part of their global food security and agriculture team managing over $150 million in USAID and USDA development projects in East Africa and Southeast Asia.

Market Segment Manager CEA

Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of LettUs Grow.
LettUs Grow is a specialist supplier delivering Aeroponics in a rolling bench format that boosts crop health and yield across hectare-scale glasshouse horticulture.
Our Aeroponic Rolling Benches are designed for simple integration into automation systems, enabling growers with hydroponic bench systems to easily upgrade (in full or part) to a higher performance irrigation system - always in partnership with the best manufacturers and installers in the business.
We continue to innovate via our talented R&D team - validating Aeroponics' very competitive performance across novel glasshouse crops such as Spinach.

Chief Scientific Officer & Co Founder

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

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

With 15 years of experience at RAI Amsterdam and over 12 years as an Exhibition Manager, Kim has spent the past five years dedicated to GreenTech and the horticulture sector. Bringing people together has always been her passion, and she finds that this aligns naturally with an industry that is both innovative and highly relevant, especially for someone who mainly follows a plant-based diet.

Exhibition Manager Domain Horticulture

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.

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

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

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

Tenair

Datalayers

<noscript><iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-57PXW9L"
height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript>

Google Tag Manager

Preference center

Cookie Bot

Log in to add this article to your reading list

Would you like to read this article again later?

GreenTech Amsterdam 2027

Delete Account

Messages

The table below shows the Banner Name(s) that will appear on your stand(s). This name was provided during registration and may differ from the company name in your Company Profile. Changing your company name in the profile does not affect your Banner Name. 
If you wish to change your Banner Name, please contact Account Support.

We are working on creating more insights regarding the stands at RAI. Please visit the FAQ for more information about this topic.

Moderator: Rien Kamman

Organised by

Partners

GreenTech events

Exhibiting

General

Visitor information

Travel & stay

Knowledge programme

What to expect?

Activities per day

Find exhibitors

About the event

General

Moderator: Rien Kamman