The horticulture sector is more than a producer of food and flowers – it’s a key player in building a healthier society and planet. The HortiHealth Stage brings together growers, researchers, policymakers, and businesses to accelerate the food transition and promote public health. With rising rates of obesity, diabetes, and chronic illness, the urgency is clear. At the same time, the shift toward plant-based, fresh, and unprocessed food is gaining traction. Horticulture holds the solutions – now is the time to link them to prevention and wellbeing. In this 60-minute session, led by World Horti Center and health partners, we’ll showcase inspiring initiatives such as the Food Boost Challenge, The New Lunch Culture, EatThis programs with healthcare professionals, and Health Cafés connecting food, health, and innovation. Together, we’ll explore how horticulture can shape a healthy, sustainable food culture – starting in South Holland, with global potential.

World Horti Center HortiHealth – Growing Health & Happiness

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

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

Tom Webster is the Chief Technology Officer and Co-Founder at award-winning vertical farming business, GrowUp Farms. 
Since 2013, Tom has worked with Co-Founder Kate Hofman to take the concept of vertical farming from a small unit in London to a huge vertical farm in Kent, UK. GrowUp is a certified B Corp, using 100% renewable energy to produce their salads, which are distributed through major UK retailers such as Tesco, Iceland, and SPAR.
As Chief Technology Officer, Tom leads on plant science, data, and optimisation of our state-of-the-art controlled environment production systems that grow tasty, ready-to-eat leafy greens with minimal environmental impact.
In 2017, Tom was featured in the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work addressing some of the fundamental flaws in the agricultural systems in a way that contributes to a more sustainable society.

Rien Kamman is the CEO and co-founder of Source.ag, the leading provider of AI solutions for fruit and vegetable growers. Rien and his co-founder Ernst van Bruggen (CPO) started the company in November 2020 after meeting during their studies. Source.ag's technology offers real-time, customized advice to growers on how to optimize their crop growth and helps them to start, run, and expand a successful farming business. Before founding Source.ag, Rien worked for over 8 years at Boston Consulting Group, where he led data science teams that developed custom AI software for some of the world's largest corporations. Rien studied Mechanical Engineering at TU Delft and earned an MBA from Columbia University in New York.

Karma Genetics is a respected name in the cannabis industry, recognized for its deep expertise in cannabis breeding and genetic development. Founded in the Netherlands in the early 2000s, the company has built a strong reputation for preserving classic genetics and applying natural, stable breeding methods. Karma Genetics focuses on creating resilient, high-quality cultivars known for their unique terpene profiles and consistent performance. In addition to breeding, Edward is also active as a genetic consultant, offering expert advice to licensed producers, breeders, and cannabis companies worldwide. His consultancy work includes genetic stabilization, selection strategies, and the development of custom cultivars tailored to specific market needs. With over two decades of hands-on experience, Karma Genetics plays a key role in advancing the standards of cannabis genetics. Through collaborations and knowledge sharing, Karma continues to shape the future of the cannabis industry with integrity and innovation.

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

Senior Research Scientist

CRO & Co-Founder at Sera Intelligence - a platform that manages and optimizes production in greenhouses.
Our startup (Sera is co-founded together by me, Cristian Anastasiu and William McGehee) has received around 4 million euro in investments. Through our platflorm we are capturing greenhouse data  and crop registrations and we are guiding growers through a specific workflow, from defining a strategy, to executing, evaluating and adapting it.
We structure our technology around a well-defined operational loop that all greenhouses need to follow regardless of technological sophistication (plan, execute, improve, and repeat). This is overseen by a remote crop expert.

CO- Founder

Co-founder and CEO of UK and US based crop genetics platform, Phytoform. A passionate crop geneticist with an unshakeabe belief that improving the genetics of the crops we eat and use can make a more sustainable food system.

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

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

Carlo van de Weijer has a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the TU Eindhoven and a PhD degree with honors from TU in Graz. He carries a broad experience in the automotive industry with a.o. executive positions at Siemens and TomTom. Currently he is managing director of the newly founded Eindhoven AI System Institute EAISI at Eindhoven University of Technology, Fellow for future of mobility and transport within the Deloitte Center for the Edge and Fellow for AI at Silicon Valley’s Singularity University. He advises ministries and industries around the world on the future of mobility and is member of the supervisory board of several high-tech companies, investments firms and start-ups. Furthermore, he is a regular columnist in a leading Dutch national newspaper.

General Manager Eindhoven AI Systems Institute

Soil scientist and grower turned technology developer with a passion for agriculture, food, and food production.
Experience working across controlled environment agriculture firstly as a user of innovation and technology and now a leader in digitising and innovating in agriculture.
Takes great enjoyment working across multi-disciplinary teams amongst software, hardware bringing what the user needs to the forefront

Peter Hendriks has studied Commercial Economics and Strategy & Organization and followed additional training in Artificial Intelligence. From 2021 onwards, he is the CEO of Hoogendoorn Growth Management. Peter has an excellent track record at several software development companies in the horticulture industry.   Before Hoogendoorn, Peter spent five years as the Managing Director of the fast-growing software company “LetsGrow.com”. Now, with Hoogendoorn, he aims to contribute to ‘feeding & greening the world’ by creating synergies between the latest tech developments, new plant physiology findings, and world-renowned growing expertise. All in his pursuit to sustainably increase customers’ ROI while leaving the planet in a better place. He considers Hoogendoorn the best place to actualize his ambitions: a flourishing company where personal responsibility and personal development are strongly valued.

I graduated in law in Florence (2009), and since 2018, I am (also) a research fellow in industrial engineering at the University of Florence: with the role of IP Promoter, I deal with the valorisation of IP rights of the University of Florence and technology transfer. In 2021 I founded my own law firm. I hold a PhD in Intellectual Property and Competition at the University of Pavia, discussing a dissertation on the commercial exploitation of the right to image. Since 2017, I have been a member of AIPPI (International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property), and during the years 2021-2022, I founded and co-chaired the Italian Group of Young Associates of AIPPI.
I speak Italian and English.

IP Promoter

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

Researcher

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

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

Board Chairman

VDE plant is a family owned nursery with several locations, in total we grow over 30 different types of tropical potted plants, in total over 10 milion pots a year.
With a team of 7 people we are responseble for growing on our main location of 8 hectares, partially equipped with dimmable LED growing Lights.
Our energy comes from a gas-fired CHP, supported by a heat pump, E- boiler and gas boiler.
In crop protection we mainly use beneficials for optimal results and a minimum impact on environment and footprint.
We started early with footprint calculation in 2015, which helps us to make sustainable choices to improve our poces.

Grower

Directory Board

Director, B.C. Centre for Agritech Innovation

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.

Business development manager

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.

General Director

Manager Delphy Digital

Teaching plant physiology and horticulture in HAS green academy. Next to that I am responsible for maintaining contacts between HAS and the agri-/horticultural sector.

Lecturer/advisor Horticulture

Lead data science for robotics

Connecting people and organisations, address sustainability challenges, facilitate cross-disciplinary collaborations and find innovative solutions is my passion.  Connect business partners with the well-known knowledge institute Wageningen Plant Research in order to enforece collaboration and making it possible that knowledge and innovative ideas finds its way to the market and vice versa

Program Manager

Technology Creator. Cannabis Veteran. Helping People Grow.
Jay is a dedicated and passionate leader in the cannabis industry with over 25 years of experience. As a pioneer in cannabis production and post-harvest technology, Jay has devoted his career to elevating the industry by developing innovative solutions and empowering the people who make it thrive. His journey has allowed him to work closely with small craft growers to collaborating with the largest commercial producers around the world. Jay's unrivaled expertise in cannabis production, particularly in post-harvest processing, has made him a sought-after resource for those looking to optimize their operations and maximize their success. As the CEO of Keirton, Jay oversees a company that is at the forefront of cannabis processing technology. Keirton's cutting-edge equipment is deployed globally, processing millions of pounds of cannabis each year and contributing to the industry's rapid growth. Jay's deep experience and knowledge grant him a unique and valuable perspective, set him apart as a true visionary in the cannabis space. With his unwavering commitment to cultivating people and technology, Jay continues to drive the industry forward, helping shape the future of cannabis. Connect with Jay to gain invaluable insights and learn from a seasoned expert who's always ready to share his wisdom and passion.

Founder and CEO

Kjell holds a MSc in Plant sciences with a specialization in Greenhouse Horticulture from Wageningen University. Kjell’s research focused on the effects of light intensity and spectrum on the growth and development of medical cannabis.
As a cannabis cultivation consultant, Kjell is involved in multiple growing and research projects. Kjell oversees the daily operations at the “Cultivation for Compounds” consortium on behalf of Cultivators. Kjell is also one of the main teachers of the “Operational Excellence Training” project, hosting both lectures and practical sessions on the cultivation of medical cannabis. He can also be found advising growers around Europe.

Cultivation consultant - Project Manager

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.

Monika earned her Master’s in Research Architecture at the University of London Goldsmith College in 2011, having previously graduated in Social Design, Design Academy Eindhoven and the Estonian Academy of Arts. Monika is interested in reading of contemporary political issues within a constructed, real or imaginary architecture. through all stages of design and construction projects in Estonia and London.
 
Monika joined CRA in 2012. She currently acts as a COO and Partner-in-Charge, leading research and planning projects in the urban environment. She has been involved in CRA projects such as CapitaSpring, the Italian Pavilion in EXPO Dubai and masterplans in the Middle East.

Urban design, Partner-in-Charge, COO

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

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

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

Manager Smart Growing

Dr Harrison is the Managing Director of the Plant Sciences Group, which comprises approximately 1400 staff split across 20 chair groups in Wageningen University and 8 Business Units within Wageningen Plant Research. In the Netherlands he is a member of the Top Team Tuinbouw en Uitgangsmaterialen, 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.  
Dr 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. 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

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

B.C. Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation

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.

Senior Data Driven Growing Specialist

Cluster Manager

Green architect, inspirator and strategist.

Director

Researcher Greenhouse Technology

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

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.

Marcus Comaschi is the founder and CEO of GyroPlant, a UK-based company advancing next-generation plant cultivation in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), smart at-home hydroponics, and space-based plant research by eliminating traditional single-use substrates. Under Marcus’s leadership, GyroPlant develops clean, reusable, and waste-free substrate technology that enables resilient, future-ready food production systems. Over the past three years, GyroPlant’s novel silicone rubber seed cups have been integrated into more than 125 international R&D projects, supporting a wide range of crops-from peas and strawberries to eucalyptus saplings. Trusted by hydroponic growers and research institutions worldwide, Marcus has also forged collaborations with leading companies such as Dole UK to accelerate sustainable, substrate-free cultivation in both hybrid and indoor plant cultivation systems.

Strategic Innovation Engineer Viscon Group

Edwin Kroon has a background in biology and dreams of copying nature’s nanostructures on everyday items. From bacteria-killing butterfly wings on a doorknob, to Namibian Desert Beetle to promote the foaming of beer, a laser can recreate functional 3D-nanostructures on any material. 
With EKYW Edwin Kroon wants to fully utilize the laser’s potential and demonstrate it as a viable alternative to chemicals such as: ink, glue (stickers), pesticides, herbicides and cleaning-products. Backed by academia, recyclers and producers alike it is safe to say that lasers are the future.

Laser Expert

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<div>My name is Frans Goud. Grower at BASF / Nunhems. I have been working in horticulture since I was 16. Started working and learning at a cucumber nursery. Here I grew into a manager. After more than 20 years, I started working as an assistant cultivation manager at a tomato nursery. And for the last 8 years I have been working at BASF/Nunhems as (senior technician) cultivation manager tomato / cucumber. For the past 6 years, we at Nunhems have been closely involved in data-driven growing and we have been using the new Intelligent Algorithms in the IIVO climate computer.</div>
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Senior Technician

Martin is responsible for Certhon’s growth chamber projects. With a background in Optical engineering and climate control systems, Martin is specialized in (LED) lighting systems and growth chamber design. Certhon has an extensive experience in turn-key realization of growth chambers for the commercial production of vegetables and flowers as well as specialized chambers for plant research. For example, insights into photosynthesis and transpiration to achieve higher production and quality and improve recourse use efficiency.

Consulting Engineer Indoor Farming Systems

Marketing Manager

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

After twenty years I stopped as an orthopedic surgeon to start the Caring Doctors Foundation. A fast-growing organization by and for healthcare professionals, working on the health of the planet and humans with a mainly plant based food system.
In a mainly plant-based food system (Planetary Health Diet) there is less health damage from welfare diseases, less environmental damage and more food security. We provide training, education and guidance within care and cure institutions and beyond to first accelerate all institutional kitchens towards a (mainly) plant-based food supply (80% plant based).
We do this together with many partners (leaders in agriculture and horticulture, dietitians, teachers and chefs).
As a concerned father, I hope to contribute a little to a livable planet for future generations.

Chairman Caring Doctors

Business Manager

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the Universitat de València, currently working as an R&D Technician in the Sustainable Materials Development Department within the Agriculture and Aquatic Environment Group.
Multiple years of experience in the formulation, processing, and transformation of thermoplastics, with a strong focus on bioplastics. My expertise lies particularly in extrusion technologies, including cast film, blown film, and foam extrusion.
My research is driven to commitment to advancing sustainability in the agricultural sector through the valorization and recycling of industrial by-products, the improvement of conventional agricultural plastic products, and thedevelopment of innovative, eco-friendly solutions for agricultural applications.

R&D in Sustainable Materials for Agriculture & Aquaculture

Bio Filip van Noort
Crop specialist WUR Greenhouse Horticulture 
(Wageningen University and Research)
Name               : Filip van Noort
Date of birth     : 14-10-1966
Nationality       : Dutch
Telephone         : + 31 (0)6 20 87 95 86
E-Mail               : fillip.vannoort@wur.nl
&gt;30 years of experience in applied research
Fields of expertise
Experience in general practical applied research with flowering and green pot plants, ornamentals, vegetables and ingredient plants like vanilla, black pepper, papaya, passionfruit, herbs, medicinal plants, perfume plants  (former) specialist on growth and development on various pot plants especially on flowering of for instance Begonia, Hydrangea, Kalanchoë. Also involved in experiments with crop health (botrytis), substrates, fertilization (effects of low phosphate), (diffuse) light.

Crop Specialist

Senior Manager - Strategic Development

Aneesh Chauhan is a senior computer vision and robotics scientist whose career bridges academia and industry. He earned an M.Sc. in Autonomous Systems from the University of Exeter, United Kingdom, in 2004, and a Ph.D. in Informatics and Robotics from the University of Aveiro, Portugal, in 2014. After his doctorate he held post-doctoral positions on embodied robotics at Aveiro and in the Aerial Robotics Laboratory of Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. Since 2017 he has been a Senior Scientist at Wageningen Food and Biobased Research in the Netherlands, where he leads projects that deploy artificial intelligence to tackle labour shortages, enable autonomous agri-food production, and monitor biodiversity. His research blends computer vision, machine and deep learning, human–robot interaction, and natural language processing to create robots that perceive, reason, and collaborate. Current applications under his oversight include greenhouse scouting robots, AI-enabled quality inspection for food products, and vision and sound based large-scale ecological observation. His overarching goal is to advance sustainable, human-and-planet centric technology that secures resilient food systems for future generations everywhere.

Sr. Researcher

Tenair

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