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I am Ben, CEO of Isle, a global consultancy dedicated to accelerating innovation in water and climate change. With a PhD in biochemistry and a background in early-stage technology investment, I bring a blend of scientific expertise and practical experience to the water sector. 
My work focuses on connecting innovative technologies with real-world applications, helping water utilities enhance efficiency, adopt sustainable solutions, and address environmental challenges. Passionate about collaboration and knowledge sharing, I strive to bridge the gap between groundbreaking innovations and their impactful implementation. Let’s work together to drive progress and build a sustainable future.

Senior Consultant

Partnership Accelerator Lead

Jorge Richardson is an entrepreneur driving the future of hydration and media through HOPE Hydration, a company he founded to revolutionize how people access clean drinking water in urban environments. HOPE Hydration installs smart water stations funded entirely through advertising, combining sustainability, technology, and media innovation.
Before founding HOPE Hydration, Jorge led a team at his previous startup, to create a global map of all water stations. Notably, he partnered with Apple to integrate the technology on all 1.5 billion+ iPhones globally. Jorge also worked with Google’s Dublin HQ to replace internal office plastic bottles with refillable alternatives, a project that was showcased on the front page of the Google Merchandise Store.
At HOPE Hydration, Jorge has driven explosive growth, achieving a 40x+ revenue increase in just two years. This growth has been fueled by transformative partnerships, including working with Cannes Lions to eliminate all single-use plastic bottles from the festival and collaborating with The Times Square Alliance to install a HydroStation in the heart of Times Square, offering free, filtered water to millions of visitors.
Under Jorge’s leadership, HOPE Hydration has pioneered the world's first "Water-Based Ad Network," combining environmental impact with media innovation. HOPE Hydration has installations at premier events like Coachella and Formula 1, as well as in marquee stadiums, major international airports, and retail locations across the U.S. 
Jorge envisions HOPE as a collective of companies pushing human life and exploration forward, empowering adventure and sustainability worldwide.

Founder, CEO

CEO & Co-Founder

I'm a passionate advocate for sustainability with a deep-rooted connection to the European startup ecosystem. As a former entrepreneur and early team member of a pioneering battery storage startup, I gained firsthand experience in building impactful solutions from the ground up. Transitioning into venture capital, I spent several years focusing on early-stage investments, championing startups that drive meaningful ecological impact through economical success.
In 2023, I have joined kopa ventures, where I am in charge of the Nature- & CarbonTech vertical, leveraging my expertise to support innovative ventures addressing environmental challenges. At kopa ventures we follow a human-centered investment approach, backing those who share our vision of a more sustainable economy and society.

Senior Investment Manager

Co-Founder & CEO

Karsten Lumbye has "only" been part of the water sector since 2017, where his work has centered on creating new business opportunities, designing innovative business models, and building joint venture companies. As Chief Innovation Officer at Aarhus Vand, one of Denmark's leading water utilities, he collaborates closely with colleagues to explore fresh approaches to the challenges and opportunities in the industry.
Karsten is passionate about finding ways to combine business innovation with sustainable practices. His contributions, developed in partnership with an exceptional team, have helped Aarhus Vand take significant steps forward in redefining what’s possible in the water sector.
At the Aquatech Innovation Forum, Karsten will share his experiences and perspectives on how collaboration and fresh thinking can open up new avenues for growth and sustainability in the global water landscape.

Chief Innovation Officer

Gaëtane SUZENET holds 25 years of experience in the water sector, encompassing competences in innovation, policies, financing, investment, start-up portfolio, and project management. Gaëtane SUZENET is currently President and Co-Founder of the European Water Tech Accelerator. She acted as Venture Advisor with Aster Capital, an international venture capital fund with $300M under management. Gaëtane was also a member of the Investment Advisory Committee of the "FPCI Emergence Innovation 1" seed fund within SOFIMAC Innovation. She worked in collaboration with international private equity funds and infrastructure funds when she was respectively Managing Director of one of the French Innovation Clusters and Director of European Affairs at WATER UK. Gaetane used to be an Independent Board Member of the French listed company AMOEBA (compartment C of the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange and CACâ Small Index). She is Knight of the National Order of Merit.

President and Co-Founder

Wayne Byrne is an accomplished CEO and serial entrepreneur with a passion for water and climate technology. After a successful career in multinational ICT corporations, he transitioned into the climate-tech sector nearly two decades ago, concentrating on waste-to-resource and water technology. Wayne has delivered four successful business exits, including the sale of OxyMem to DuPont in 2019.
He holds an International Executive MBA and an Advanced Management Diploma in Business/Managerial Economics from UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. In addition to several non-executive and chair roles spanning North America, the EU, the UK, and the Middle East, Wayne provides advisory support in the clean-tech and water sectors. His forward-thinking leadership underpins his commitment to innovation and sustainability in these critical industries.

Venture Partner

Host

Orianna Bretschger received a B.S. in Physics and Astronomy at the University of Northern Arizona; and after a career in aerospace and government consulting, she completed a Ph.D. in Materials Science at the University of Southern California. Bretschger launched Aquacycl with her partners after 12 years of technological development and validation. Dr. Bretschger is a 2021 Cartier Women’s Initiative Science and Technology Pioneer Laureate, a 2019 Fellow in the National Academy of Sciences New Voices in Science, Engineering and Medicine Program, a 2022 Unreasonable Fellow, and Aquacycl was a Finalist for the 2023 Earthshot Prize for their work to decarbonize wastewater treatment. 
Aquacycl was founded in November 2016 and the company provides industrial wastewater treatment as a service to help companies support healthy watersheds and communities worldwide with offices in the United States and Aquacycl Europe B.V. in the Netherlands. Aquacycl technologies and services guarantee permit compliance, greenhouse gas mitigation, reliable performance in variable production environments, and operational savings. Customers served by Aquacycl, including PepsiCo, have realized up to a 30% reduction in wastewater management costs and over 100 tons of greenhouse gas emissions mitigated per month.

CEO & Founder

As the Chief Project Manager and Head of International at Clean - The Danish Water and Environmental Cluster - I bring a wealth of experience from working in diverse international locations such as Copenhagen, Brussels, Rotterdam, and Stockholm. With a robust portfolio of projects spanning the Nordics, Europe, North America, South America, Africa, and East Asia, I am dedicated to making a significant impact on the world.
Specialising in climate innovation, project development, stakeholder engagement, and innovation processes, I strive to drive societal change in response to climate change challenges. Holding a Master of Science in Engineering (MSc) in Sustainable Cities, has given me the foundation to addressing immediate climate-related challenges while fostering long-term sustainable solutions.

Head of International

Managing Partner

This is the profile of Derk Veldhuijsen.
Speaker Manager at Aquatech Amsterdam 2025.
Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions.

Head of Commercial

Content Director, Innovation Forum & Aquatech Global Events

General Manager of Innovation and Ventures at MEKOROT water company. Responsible for managing the Group's CVC, including deal flow, portfolio management, DD and Strategy. Responsible for Mekorot's R&D efforts including international partnerships.  A lawyer and Economist with a MBA from INSEAD and a MA in Philosophy

General Manager of innovation and Ventures

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AQUATECH INNOVATION FORUM
10 MAR 2025

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Aquatech Global

AQUATECH INNOVATION FORUM10 MAR 2025

Programme

AQUATECH INNOVATION FORUM
10 MAR 2025