We are at the dawn of a new era: the shift from automation to true intelligence. The session delves into the promise and challenges of AI, offering an honest look at the rough edges of a developing technology. These imperfections, rather than polished demos, are where real innovation begins. This session explores how robotics and AI are transforming sectors such as healthcare, aviation, and logistics. Carlo van de Weijer, the General Manager of the Eindhoven AI Systems Institute, offers an inspiring glimpse into the future of AI and what it will mean for our future. Suzanne Verboon of NXTGEN, will give a closer look and insights on the road map of Dutch food and flower production innovations. The NXTGEN Hightech agrifood ecosystem accelerates hands-free innovations, ensures broad adoption and simultaneously improves their effectiveness and scalability Finally, we hear directly from Wageningen University’s Erik Pekkeriet and the 2024 Concept Award winner, Koppert, about the latest developments in greenhouse robotization and AI.

Remarkable trends in AI & Robotics

Suzanne Verboon studied Biotechnological Engineering at Wageningen University and worked for several years as a manager at the Dutch enterprice agency RVO. She is now Program leader Agriculture at <a href="https://www.fme.nl/marktsegmenten/landbouw-water-voedsel">FME</a>, the Dutch Industy organisation.  Suzanne has extensive experience with innovative projects and programs, both nationally and internationally.  As Program Manager for <a href="https://nxtgenhightech.nl/agrifood/">NXTGEN Hightech</a> she uses her passion for technology and agriculture to accelerate innovation for future proof sustainable food production.

Program Manager AgriFood

I am Niels van der Geest, graduated in Biosystems Engineering from the University of Wageningen and currently working as a cultivation engineer at Delphy, the Netherlands, with the focus on Greenhouse Vegetables. As cultivation engineer, I develop data-driven cultivation management tools that support growers in making data driven decisions!

Specialist data-driven growing

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

Lija Groenewoud van Vliet is the co-founder and creative director of In4Art. As an independent institute for art-driven responsible technological innovations, In4Art is interested in making connections between science, technology and the arts. The organisation’s work focuses on creating space for experiments that enable responsible innovations to be envisioned and brought into being.

Creative Director

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

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

Manager Smart Growing

Dr. Lesley Campbell is a Professor at Toronto Metropolitan University. Over 20 years studying pollination biology in agriculture, she trained over 75 students and secured $7.7 million in funding. Campbell’s expertise for creating tools for agriculture includes methods to clone Cannabis, extract cannabinoids, and assess risk of escape of genetically engineered genes. Drs. Bougherara and Campbell have developed a pollination tool for CEA raspberries that outperform outdoor farms by 350%.

Professor

Director of Business Development at Skytree, who develops and deploys smart technology that captures atmospheric carbon dioxide, enabling its use or storage to combat climate change and aid society and businesses around the world.

Business Development Director

Chief Executive Officer

Advisor at MEWA/SAFTA

Willy Contreras-Avilés is a PhD candidate at Wageningen University in the Horticulture and Product Physiology Group whose main research interest in focused in understanding the role of light in the regulation of plant specialized metabolites in medicinal cannabis. He did his bachelor's degree in Biotechnology and Organic Chemistry of Natural Products at Universidad Santo Tomás in Santiago, Chile. Later, he completed a double Master degree in Business and Science where he specialized in Cosmetic Science, at Rutgers University in New Jersey, USA. Most recently, he decided to diversify his career by doing a third Master in Plant Sciences at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, consequently leading to his current doctoral position where he is aiming to understand the effect of ultraviolet radiation on the physiology and specialized metabolism in medicinal cannabis.

PhD Candidate

With a solid 28-year track record in the financial sector as a bank branch director, I have developed strong strategic capabilities in planning, investment analysis, human resources management, and customer loyalty. Now, as Manager of the INNOVACAL Cluster, I apply this experience to drive innovation and boost competitiveness in the Andalusian agri-food industry, fostering collaboration among companies and promoting sustainable, technology-driven solutions.
I hold a degree in Business Administration and Management from the University of Jaén, complemented by additional training in finance, taxation, and regulatory compliance. Recently, I earned SAP Financials certification, further strengthening my ability to optimize financial management and support strategic decision-making in digital environments. I also stay up to date through an Advanced Vocational Program in Web Application Development, expanding my competencies in digital transformation and process automation.
Passionate about continuous learning and the transformation of key sectors, I combine financial insight with technological innovation to create meaningful impact on business growth. With a practical and solution-oriented approach, I enjoy connecting talent, resources, and opportunities to add value to both the agri-food sector and the broader economy.

Cluster Manager

Country Director Morocco

Mariana Larrea A.   Regulatory and Cannabis Attorney.
Mariana Larrea is a distinguished Mexican attorney with a specialization in Cultivation, Life Sciences, Cannabis, Pharmaceutical, Corporate/Contracts, and Consumer Protection. With a decade of professional experience, she has honed her skills at some of Mexico City's most influential law firms. Mariana earned her law degree and a diploma in business law from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (“UNAM”), solidifying her expertise in efficiently delivering results to her clients across various legal domains. As the founder of MLA Legal and Consulting Boutique, Mariana operates independently, running her own legal office and spearheading business development initiatives for the industries mentioned above. Her boutique firm offers personalized legal services tailored to the unique needs of each client, providing comprehensive support and strategic guidance throughout all stages of their ventures in México and LATAM. Due to her exceptional knowledge in the Cannabis Industry, Mariana has been a featured speaker at numerous national and international conferences. Speaking in past 2024, and 2023 Greentech events. Furthermore, she has contributed her insights to legislators in various international jurisdictions, aiding in the formulation of cannabis public policies and regulations, including Mexico's ongoing evolution of the Federal Adult Use Cannabis Law. Beyond her legal acumen, Mariana has played pivotal roles as an executive director in real estate development projects in Mexico. Currently, she leads a group of investors developing sustainable real estate projects, developing in Mérida, México. Additionally, she shares her expertise as a professor of life sciences, government regulations, consumer protection, and cannabis matters at esteemed institutions such as the Tecnológico de Monterrey University, Escuela Libre de Derecho, Instituto de Investigaciones Jurídicas de la UNAM, and in the sanitary law diploma program at UNAM's law school. Mariana is deeply committed to facilitating business ventures between Europe and Mexico in the dynamic fields of life sciences and cannabis, leveraging her legal expertise to navigate the intricacies of international commerce and regulatory frameworks.

Founding Partner

I am George (Qingzhuo) Qi, an incoming PhD candidate at Wageningen University & Research, working with Demeter42. My goal is to bridge the gap between greenhouse modeling in research and the practical challenges of greenhouse cultivation. I leverage the power of AI and digital twins to provide growers with optimized decision-making in greenhouse crop management.

AI Specialist

Gabriele completed his B.Sc. at Politecnico di Milano where he also obtained his M.Sc. degree in Architecture and Urban Design with honors in 2022. He developed his thesis in Toronto with the title: “Downtown to Waterfront through Intermodality; How the hyperloop system can revitalize the public realm in Toronto”, with a research program at the Toronto Metropolitan University. He matured interest in mobility, technology, and innovation, studying how architecture and urban design can deal with them by looking at sustainability. 
Gabriele joined CRA in 2012. He currently acts as a Deputy and Architect, working in research and planning projects in the urban environment. He has been involved in CRA projects such as Water Batteires and the Franch Pavilion in EXPO Osaka.

Deputy/ Architect

David de Best is a scientist at the Data Science department of TNO since 2023. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in mathematics (2020) and computer science (2020) and a master’s degree in mathematics (2023) from Utrecht University, focusing on graph theory, graph algorithms and parallel algorithms. Within TNO he works on semantic interoperability, ontology engineering and applications for knowledge graphs in the agricultural and other domains.
In practice, the goal is often to connect many different sources in a semantically standardised way, such that communication of data becomes unambiguous and well aligned. This allows for easy integration of new data sources into a network. The main use case within in the greenhouse domain is his work on the Common Greenhouse Ontology and its application within the CODIT project.

Scientist Innovator

Ned’s 15 years in horticulture have been paved with enormous passion for growing plants. It has been an ongoing journey - from managing tree nursery production in the continental climate of Bosnia to overseeing high-tech vegetable production in the Omani desert. These experiences have been both rewarding and uplifting. Without neglecting his main passion—growing—he has developed into a consultant in the substrate industry, drawing inspiration from the stunning Nordic landscapes. His passion lies in helping fellow growers optimize their crop performance by analysing crop data sets and selecting the ideal growing media solutions. In recent years, he has focused his energy on helping growers transition smoothly into the future and begin learning about the new generation of growing media. From North American leafy greens and ornamental growers to Chinese blueberry growers in Yunnan, he does his best to help them choose the optimal substrate solution and make the most of their crop resources.

Director, Portfolio Management

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

Grower Success Manager and Business Developer at Growficient, helping licensed cannabis cultivators worldwide enhance their irrigation strategies with wireless substrate sensors, an innovative online platform and tailored consultancy. - By optimizing irrigation and fostering a deeper understanding of holistic growing practices, I empower growers to achieve better yields, improved product quality, cost-efficiency, and sustainable water use.  - I drive business development efforts, focusing on expanding Growficient' presence in the US and EU cannabis markets. - My passion lies in leveraging technological innovation and product integration to elevate the cannabis industry, and advocate for the recognition this incredible plant deserves.

Grower Success Manager / BD

Strategic Innovation Engineer Viscon Group

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 Manager

Joep Van Den Bosch is as Director Business Development responsible for all future-oriented product and market development for the Ridder Group.
Born as son of a Dutch greenhouse grower and educated in horticulture, Joep has been active in greenhouse technology for over 35 years. He worked for several horticultural technology companies before joining the Ridder Group in 2012. “It has been my personal passion and ambition to improve the lives and businesses of growers and farmers, like my own family, by sharing knowledge and developing new technology”. 
Ridder, a Dutch family-owned business, has been a household name in greenhouse technology for over 70 years with activities on all continents and offices in 7 countries. Today Ridder is a global leading manufacturer in intelligent greenhouse technology for climate, water, and energy solutions in hig- and midtech controlled environment agriculture with a focus on improving the efficiency and sustainability of the global food and flower production.

Director Business Development

Laura van de Kreeke is a passionate advocate for sustainable food systems and one of the original farmers at Growy, a vertical farming company changing the way food is grown. Committed to making tasty, healthy, and affordable food accessible to all, Laura plays a key role in Growy’s mission to help create a more sustainable and resilient food ecosystem.

Farmer

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

Steven Grundy is a plant scientist specializing in sustainable agriculture and precision farming. At Gardin Ltd, he develops and tests novel applications of plant biofeedback sensors, working closely with growers to integrate physiological data into day-to-day decision-making—advancing more efficient, productive, and resilient farming systems.

Senior Plant Scientist

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

Roel Janssen is the head of Business Development  at Planet Farms, a technology company that builds and operates fully autonomous vertical farms at scale. Before devoting his work full-time to Planet Farms Roel spent 13 years at Signify (previously known as Philips Lighting), where he was the Global Director for City Farming. In his years at Signify Roel became an industry expert in the field of vertical farming and has been invited to speak and share his views all around the globe. He was also a guest lecturer at the HAS University of Applied Science in the Netherlands. Roel graduated Business Administration in Eindhoven, where he still lives with his wife and 2 kids. Next to growing plants in a sustainable way Roel has a great passion for wine, which resulted in a WSET 3 certification.

Head of Business Development

Alberto López is a Systems Engineer at Agritecture Consulting, where he advises on optimizing operations and energy performance for Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) facilities. With an MSc in Biosystems Engineering from Wageningen University and previous experience managing operations at GROWx’s vertical farm in Amsterdam, Alberto has extensive hands-on expertise in greenhouse and vertical farm design, climate control, and energy efficiency.
Throughout his career, Alberto has worked on cutting-edge projects including climate adaptation studies in Costa Rica, vertical farming system analyses with the German Aerospace Center (DLR), and plant selection methodologies for space missions. His deep technical knowledge, combined with practical industry experience, equips him to help growers innovate and improve sustainability and profitability in CEA ventures.

Systems Engineer

Starting at Logiqs in 1989 in the field of software and controls I moved to designing growing systems in 2009. Combining innovative logistic, climate and irrigation systems to best grow plants is my passion. In the past years this led to various innovations, such as Bench precise irrigation, climate and light, 2D shuttles that drive through the greenhouse , or vertical farm, to take care of logistics. Lately most focus goes to creating a very homogeneous climate near the leaves of the plants. This allows for higher humidity that can speed up growth a lot and at the same time reduce the energy use.

Jason Killing is the founder of Canaru and a seasoned professional with deep roots in the cannabis industry, beginning at the age of 16. His passion for cannabis cultivation led him to train as an electrician, a skill set he honed specifically for cannabis facilities. Due to the legal landscape in Germany at the time, Jason gained significant experience working in the Netherlands and later in Spain.
To establish a stable foundation in Germany, Jason entered the construction industry early in his career. In 2018, he founded his own construction company specializing in electrical systems. As a certified expert for electrical installations, Jason began channeling his expertise into the upcoming cannabis market in 2020. He has since consulted on and built facilities or parts of it for the CBD and medical cannabis sectors across numerous European countries.
With the renewed discussions around cannabis legalization in Germany in 2023, Jason and his team fully committed to the industry. Canaru now boasts 10 full-time employees dedicated to the cannabis sector, complemented by twice that number in their construction division, which is progressively transitioning its focus entirely to cannabis projects.
Canaru's impact is already significant, having contributed to or fully supported nearly a quarter of the approved cultivation associations in Germany. They have secured the first cultivation permits in Baden-Württemberg, Hesse, and Bavaria, and are leaders in navigating change-of-use permits for cultivation associations. Currently, two of Canaru's cultivation association facilities are actively producing cannabis, with several more under construction and in advanced planning stages.

Owner

Passionate in nature and agriculture. MSc in greenhouse horticulture at Wageningen University. Expert in CEA, soilless systems, hydroponic, plant nutrition, fertigation, and closed irrigation systems.   Currently a researcher in plant nutrition at Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture. Developing technology for the horticultural sector and furthering the knowledge of greenhouse crop nutrition.

Researcher

I work for Boerenbond, the biggest farmers association in Belgium. My function is research coördinator and teamcoach of Team Climate and Technology. My team consists of 15 employees who support farmers in making their agricultural and horticultural businesses more sustainable. We work on themes such as soil, circular economy, digital innovation, emissions, energy, innovation processes, climate, alternative crops and water. We achieve this by stimulating innovation in agriculture and horticulture; we represent the interests of agriculture and horticulture; we support our members through training and networking activities; we take action to improve social acceptance for the agricultural sector and we provide high-quality advice​ to members.

Research Coördinator and teamcoach of team climate & technology

Researcher in high tech cultivation systems and vertical farming at the Business Unit Greenhouse Horticulture and Flower Bulbs (WUR).

Researcher in Circular Greenhouse Horticulture

Jef is an independent consultant for legal cannabis growers. As six-sigma greenbelt he improves and shapes business processes. For the scale-up that legal growers are he helps selecting and implementing the most fitting solutions for Seed-to-sale, post-harvest and Track and Trace. He writes regularly for <a href="https://cannabisindustrie.nl/author/jefmartens" target="_blank">cannabisindustrie.nl</a> about the Dutch Experiment impact, medicinal cannabis and Germany.

Analyst

Luuk Graamans is a researcher from Wageningen Research, where he researches high-tech greenhouses and vertical farms in the business unit Greenhouse Horticulture. Our recent research focuses on the effects of the Energy Transition on the technical design of greenhouses. We will present the KasEnergieWijzer, an intuitive tool to design and calculate the performance of the greenhouses of the future.

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

Not an armchair expert, but with both feet in the trenches. As Global Innovation Manager Enabling Technologies at Koppert, Gabriël van der Kruijk applies technology daily to drive innovation for customers and colleagues alike. He cuts through hype, delivering clear, experience-based insights. Known for his energy and enthusiasm, he tells compelling stories and sparks engagement.
With over twenty years in tech, Gabriël has a proven track record of delivering digital and AI solutions. He founded four tech companies and has worn many hats — software development, consultancy, and management in international corporate environments among them. The connecting thread is a focus on customer-centric, co-creative product development. His wide-ranging experience lets him connect deep technical know-how with sharp business sense.
With his side business Gabriel Guides (Gabriel Gidst) he helps companies start and accelerate their transformation journey with inspirational keynotes, workshops and advice. During the talks, Gabriël shares concrete lessons and thought-provoking examples. During workshops he works alongside participants, helping them turn challenges and opportunities into actionable digital solutions.

Global Innovation Manager Enabling Technologies

We are engineering turnkey agri-tech solutions which enable you to grow products of constant quality and safeguard your food supply.

Head of Future Farming

Teeltmanager Greenbase + Greenside

Rick Glumac was first elected as the MLA for Port Moody-Coquitlam (now Port Moody-Burquitlam), British Columbia, Canada in 2017.
Rick was appointed Minister of State for Trade in November 2024. He also serves as B.C.’s representative to the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region where he recently completed his term as President. Rick has previously served as the Parliamentary Secretary for Technology as well as the Premier’s Liaison to Washington State. As an MLA he has served on special committees on Reforming the Police Act, Reviewing Private Members Business, and has chaired the committee to review the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
From 2011 to 2017, Rick served as a city councillor for the city of Port Moody where he led efforts to improve funding for Eagle Ridge hospital, expand childcare and preschool space, improve environmental practices and increase park space in the community.
Rick served as Vice President of the Lower Mainland Local Government Association and was elected as Vancouver Metro Area Representative at the Union of BC Municipalities.
Rick graduated from Simon Fraser University with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Electronics Engineering. Rick has worked in a variety of hi-tech industries, from animation on major films like Shrek 2 and Madagascar, to video games, to developing mobile apps for Fortune 500 companies. Rick understands first-hand the value of supporting BC’s vibrant tech sector.
Rick lives in Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada.

B.C. Minister of State for Trade

Alexander Wilm is a Principal Engineer for Light and Life at ams OSRAM, working in the System Solution Engineering Department in Regensburg. He joined OSRAM in 2004 after graduating from the University of Applied Sciences in Regensburg with a diploma in Mechatronic Engineering.
Alexander began his career focusing on optics and system design for LED headlamps, flashlights, and projectors. His expertise broadened during a two-year assignment in Singapore, where he served as an Application Engineer and Key Expert for solid-state lighting products, covering light quality properties and the non-visual effects of light related to life sciences.
He is actively involved in several expert associations for lighting, driving innovation in solid-state lighting. Alexander also played a key role in transitioning from conventional light sources to LEDs in horticulture lighting applications, establishing himself as a recognized expert in this field. In his current position, he focuses on the application of upcoming UV-C LEDs for disinfection and treatment across various applications, driving the replacement of conventional mercury lamps.

Senior Principal Engineer

Erik is an entrepreneur at heart and one of the founders of Ljusgårda. He started his first business at 19 and has since led several ventures before initiating what is now Ljusgårda. Innovation and development have always been at the core of his work—today, he leads research and future-driven initiatives aimed at building a new innovative, regenerative and climate-resilient food system. As Head of Research, Erik is deeply engaged in exploring new technologies, biological breakthroughs, and scalable models to unlock the full potential of plants for both human health and planetary balance. His work spans national innovation platforms and global networks, bridging science with ancestral knowledge and plant wisdom. Beyond his professional work, Erik holds the traditional role of a chief in his village in Samoa—an honor that deeply shapes his perspective on leadership, responsibility, and the long-term stewardship of natural systems. He is a natural speaker and always keen to challenge the broken systems of today—accelerating the change needed to build a truly sustainable tomorrow. He finds his energy in doing what he believes in and is actively involved in charitable initiatives around the world.

Co-founder & Chief Research & Development Officer

Rodolfo Groenewoud - van Vliet is co-founder and director of In4Art, a company focused on experimental innovation through multi-disciplinary collaborations throughout Europe. Over the last ten years, In4Art has worked with numerous artists, researchers and companies in over twenty European countries on technological innovation as well as material innovation. Prior to In4Art, he worked as a business developer and innovation manager at various corporations, including Dura Vermeer and Shell. Rodolfo can best be described as an entrepreneurial, business-minded person with a passion for advancing mind-blowing concepts that are ahead of their time.

Director

My name is Max van den Hemel. I am working as a Cultivation Engineer within Team Delphy Digital. My focus is on high-tech greenhouse vegetables and I bridge the three domains in digitalisation: green knowledge, data science and software development.

Ramin Ebrahimnejad is a Business Development Manager at the James Hutton Institute (JHI), a leading centre for agricultural, environmental, and food systems research in the UK. He plays a key role in connecting science with industry, enabling the delivery of impactful research and scientific services that support innovation across the agri-food sector.
Ramin leads commercial engagement for the Advanced Plant Growth Centre (APGC) and the National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC)—two major initiatives based at JHI. The APGC is a cutting-edge facility driving innovation in controlled environment agriculture (CEA), crop phenotyping, and vertical farming, supporting the development of resilient and sustainable food production systems. NAPIC acts as a national hub for the alternative protein sector, fostering collaboration between academia, startups, and global food companies to accelerate the transition toward sustainable proteins.
With a background in data science and sustainable agriculture, Ramin is focused on advancing partnerships that combine research excellence with real-world application—delivering solutions that improve productivity, climate resilience, and nutritional outcomes in modern food systems.

Business Development Manager

Joseph began his career in 2012 in instrumentation and controls engineering, using sensors and PLC systems to control auxilary systems in semi-conductor manufacturing. In 2019, he returned to university to study biosystems engineering at Wageningen University and Research. Since graduation he has worked at Wageningen research modelling water flows through soil to reduce emission of water, nutrients, and PPPs into the environment; optimizing fertilization to accomodate dynamic recirculation throughout the crop cycle; and, since 2023, using biochar as a cultivation susbtrate in greenhouse trials at the WR Glastuinbouw research station in Bleiswijk. Joseph brings a fresh perspective into the horticultural industry and has an eye for both what is possible and what is practical.

Researcher - Rootzone Dynamics and Sensing

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

Founder & Key connector

My main interest is finding sustainable solutions to tackle today’s challenges in plant health. For this, after a journey through Latin America, USA, Asia and Europe I joined Wageningen University & Research as part of the Plant Health Group. Here,  we focus on developing production strategies that enhance plant resilience, including optimizing greenhouse conditions, improving hygiene, strengthening the standing army of beneficial organisms, and promoting positive plant-plant interactions.

Rozalin is the CEO and founder of Elenovations, a Norwegian company focused on sustainable agricultural technology. With expertise in engineering and innovation, she leads the development of energy-efficient systems that optimize plant growth while reducing waste. Rozalin is dedicated to revolutionizing agriculture through AI-driven solutions and low-energy techniques to help farmers improve yields and reduce environmental impact.

Founder/CEO

Jacob Boxhoorn is a seasoned Technical Sales Consultant at Bosman Van Zaal specializing in multidisciplinary projects with a special interest for optimal internal logistics. Jacob earned his BA in Mechanical Engineering and his MSc in Financial Management at Nyenrode University. 
After gaining experience since 2001 in the design and execution of multiple international projects Jacob took on his commercial role in 2018. 
Bosman Van Zaal is a leading specialist in horticultural technology, with more than 100 years of experience and currently 300 employees worldwide.
It offers a wide range of products and services for greenhouses and indoor farms. Whether it's cultivation systems, climate control, lighting, irrigation, construction, vertical farms or software: Bosman Van Zaal is your one-stop-shop partner for Turnkey projects, all in the field of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA).
Jacob has a leading role in the design and installation of what is seen as one of the worlds most advanced vertical farms. This facility is designed for growing and packing salad leaves into retail-ready bags. It includes all farming and packhouse operations including logistics and robotics for the process of seeding, picking and placing, germination, harvesting, mixing and packing. As the product is grown ready-to-eat without washing meticulous attention was given to the hygienic design of all elements of the farm.

Technical Sales Consultant

Wendy Walrabenstein is an economist, registered dietitian, and health researcher. After 15 years in the international financial sector as a banker, she made a bold career switch by starting from scratch with a degree in Nutrition and Dietetics. She went on to earn her PhD with groundbreaking research on the impact of a lifestyle program, focusing on plant-based nutrition, physical activity, relaxation, and sleep, on chronic diseases. She co-founded Plants for Health, where she currently serves as CEO. This organization offers science-based lifestyle programs for individuals with or without chronic conditions, as well as for organizations seeking to boost employee well-being. Wendy is also co-founder of the Physicians Association for Nutrition Netherlands and vice-chair of Physicians Association for Nutrition International.

Tisha Livingston is the CEO of Infinite Acres, a wholly owned subsidiary of 80 Acres farms.  The company was originally founded as a global joint venture between the Dutch company Priva, a greenhouse technology company, an American indoor farming company, 80 Acres Farms and the British Ocado Group, U.K.’s largest online grocer.
Prior to forming Infinite Acres, Tisha was the co-founder and President of 80 Acres Farms, a pioneer in the field of vertical farming in the United States, where they grow, operate, sell and distribute the freshest vegetables and herbs delivered to supermarkets and restaurants year round. In her prior role, Tisha was Chief Operating Officer of Sager Creek Vegetable Company, a Division of Del Monte Foods. She connected with many American farmers and valued the role of local food in enabling stronger and healthier communities. She brings to 80 Acres Farms her strong track record of growing revenues, reducing costs and enhancing capital efficiencies.
Tisha began her career in the food industry over 25 years ago, encompassing Finance, Manufacturing, Procurement, Warehousing, Logistics, Demand Managing, Planning, S & OP, Quality, R & D, Business Intelligence, IT, and Engineering.

Exhibition Manager

Hi, I'm Kim! Welcome to GreenTech.

Exhibition Manager Domain Horticulture

Research-driven art and design collective working in the realm of social dreaming and world-making. Our projects engage with the nonhuman: animals, objects, ecology, technology, and the spectres between and beyond categories.
We see nonsense as an antidote to “common sense” – embracing paradoxical stories to explore the ethical and metaphysical layers of our relationship with the (nonhuman) world. We create contradictory scenarios & propositions in which we appropriate ideas from fields such as science, computing, law and mythology. Our projects take various forms - interactive installations, workshops, short films, public sculptures, campaigns, chatbots and books. 
We enjoy curiosity, cherish compassion, and recognize that separating the human from the nonhuman is nonsense.

Artist

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

Egon Janssen is Manager Greenhouse horticulture at TNO. In this function he is a broker between innovation needs of growers, suppliers and TNO’s experts. The main drivers of Egon Janssen are a broad interest in technology, the ability of making connections between people and a lot of enthusiasm. After finishing his Msc Structural engineering in 1998 he started his career at TNO. Remarkable projects are Greenhouse of the future, presented on the Floriade 2002, the development of a Food production unit for use on MARS (2004) and the development of energy indicators to reduce energy use of greenhouses. In 2004 he formed the greenhouse horticulture team within TNO, combining all relevant technologies (greenhouse structure, water technology, energy, light, CO2, ICT, Robotics and logistics). To make an easy entry to the knowledge of TNO he founded the Fieldlab greenhouse horticulture in 2007. This facility, nowadays known as World Horti Centre is a marketplace for innovation where growers, suppliers and TNO meet and discuss innovations. In greenhouse units new technologies are demonstrated on small scale, where after research and development projects are started. In 2017 he started a strategic partnership with Hortivation. TNO is developing new knowledge and transfers this to the companies associated with Hortivation.

cluster manager High Tech Greenhouses

Senior Manager - Strategic Development

Simone is the chairman of the Union of coffeeshop retailers in the Netherlands, kandidate for the European Parlement and working at the national and international level to advance regulation of cannabis and to professionalize the emerging industry. She is ons of the key figures who advocates on the legalization on a European level.

Voorzitter

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.

Mr. Quade Digweed, P.Eng is a greenhouse engineer employed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). Since 2018, he has worked at AAFC on varied projects, covering greenhouse microclimate monitoring systems, smart LED lighting, implementation of autonomous greenhouse controls, and development of renewable energy controlled environment production systems in Canada’s Arctic.

Greenhouse Engineer

With a background in mechanical engineering, I am an experienced project and program manager with over 20 years of international experience in leading large-scale, multidisciplinary projects across the heavy-, light-, and ag-tech industries. Throughout my career, I have successfully managed complex industrial developments, often involving diverse teams and displinces, global stakeholders and cutting-edge new technologies.
For the past six years, I have been with Infinite Acres, where I am responsible for (i) managing and executing the company’s larger vertical farming projects, (ii) driving key internal developments as well as (iii) business development for the company. At Infinite Acres I have contributed by delivering and managing several strategic projects and developments, aligned with the company’s future direction.
I am particularly passionate about food security and the resilience of global food systems. And I am committed to making a meaningful contribution to sustainable food production around the globe, by applying my expertise and expierence impacting in ag-tech and beyond.

Director of Program Management and Business Development

Directory Board

Project Manager

Ruud Schulte, as the Manager of Innovation, Sales & Technology for the Filtration Division at Van der Ende Group, brings extensive expertise to his role. He leads the development and implementation of innovative filtration solutions while driving sales growth and technological advancements. Ruud's leadership ensures the division remains at the forefront of industry innovation and market competitiveness.

Manager Innovation, Sales & Technology

Founder/CEO of Gardin

Founder & CEO

Coert has been working at Wageningen Social & Economic research as social-economic researcher and has conducted research in the areas of crop protection, phytosanitary policy, PEF footrint calculations, economic horticulture income estimates research e and the designing of an economic model for feasibility studies in a vertical farm. Befor his position at WSER, Coert was projectmanager, auditor and certification manager at a certification body and greenhouse grower.

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