Mentor Network

We firmly believe that solving the world’s water challenges 

requires radical innovation  and the new superpower will be

collaborative partnerships

Are you interested in joining the Mentor Network?  Please reach out to Head of Innovation Janni Thusgaard  jth@wvdk.com

Our Mentors

Our mentors offer knowledge, experience and sparring to ambitious water tech startups.

The mentors have industry knowledge and are experienced industry professionals.

Per Møller

Symbiosis Developer

Kalundborg Symbiose

About

Per Møller works as a facilitator and developer of industrial symbiosis concepts, both in a local setting as part of the secretariate of the world famous Kalundborg Symbiosis (www.symbiosis.dk), and in a National and Nordic/international setting as coordinator and co-founder of Symbiosis Network Denmark and Nordic Circular Hubs. Per holds a PhD in biochemistry and nutrition, from the Technical University of Denmark, and has worked within basic and commercial research, but also on large scale demonstration projects within water, biomass and innovative solutions linked to industry.

Troels Rygaard

Head of Innovation & External Relations

Kamstrup

About

Troels is the Head of Innovation & External Relations at Kamstrup, bringing over 20 years of experience in developing high-tech businesses and launching new ideas and products into the market.

Troels has expertise in innovation and business development, strategic and tactical marketing, digitization and IoT. He is also an experienced advisor for both startups and established businesses, focusing on growth and innovation strategies.

Pia Jacobsen

Head of global innovation

Water Valley Denmark

About

Pia has been working in the water sector for more than 20 years. At Aarhus Vand she was Head op development supporting improvements in drinking water, wastewater and water reuse operation through innovation and optimization initiatives. Pia is very inspired of how water utilities are expanding their strategies of resilient water supply to integrate multiple water resources and recycled water.

Jesper Hall

Business Director Clean Water

Envidan

About

Jesper has more than 25 years of experience in the water industry. Broad experience from four successful startups in DK and SEA, board work and management experience as department manager, market manager, development manager, CEO and business director.

Works professionally in the field between professional and business development with a focus on strategic development within consultancy and software.

Niels Møller Jensen

Experienced Water Professional

About

Niels has 25 years of experience as consultant with amongst others Rambøll and COWI. These years have given great insight into the construction industry, where he has worked with project management, sales, strategy and management. From 2010 untill 2023 Niels has worked as managing director for Herning Vand.
In addition Niels has board experience from interest groups/organizations such as DANVA, DI Midt Vest and DI Water, supplemented by board experience from two private owned companies.

Mads Thomsen

Data & GIS developer

Aarhus Vand

About

Mads has 20 years’ experience as software developer within the utility area, where he create information from data and visualize on digital maps. His field of interest as a mentor is focus on data exchange through interfaces and standards along with the GIS Geographic Information System. His competences include web development, backend, database, cloud solutions and map services

Morten Kristensen

Salesdirector

APX10

About

Morten has a broad experience within sales, marketing and business development from both large international companies as IBM and Schneider-Electric, as well as startups.

As a mentor his field of interest is commercializing companies and products under keywords like:
Sales strategy, building dealer channels, communication strategy and pricing.

Henrik Ørskov Pedersen

Group Vice President, Head of Technology Innovation

Grundfos Holding A/S 

About

I have more than 30 years industrial experience within technology driven innovation – technology scouting and foresight, technology roadmapping, industry/university research collaboration, early customer engagement in new innovation, technology readiness assessment and transition into product development and commercialization. I am passionate about impact technologies and innovation – technologies hold the potential to help solving some of the worlds largest challenges around energy efficiency (the green’est energy is the one you don’t use), water management & savings and circular thinking.

Ulla Sparre

CEO

Water Valley Denmark

About

Ulla is passionate about development – both of companies, new technology and of the people and the organization that has to translate strategic direction into real action. Ulla has 25+ years of experience with strategic management, innovation management and project management primarily in technical companies, e.g. mechanical engineering, IT and cleantech. Has worked with tech startups, digital business development and venture capital for the past 10 years.

Martin Impgaard

Account Manager

Aon

About

Martin has  +30 years of experience, of which 20 years from innovation in collaboration with customers.

  • Innovation: From start-up to global financial group
  • Sales: From market analysis to signed order
  • Upscaling of digital product: Sales, training, support
  • Business cases, pricing and profitability
  • Risk Management and quality management
  • Sustainability, ESG, certification

Peter Hjortdal

Head of department (facility projects)

Aarhus Vand 

About

Peter has worked within the water sector since 1998 and has experience with most parts of the planning and design/execution of sewer renewal. For the past 20 years, he has worked with long-term partnerships,focusing on streamlining workflows and processes through joint development and innovation among utilities, consultants and contractors.

Peter believe that new thinking and innovative solutions can contribute to solving the major challenges we face in the water sector, including climate change and associated water challenges.

Henrik Rasmus Andersen

Professor

DTU

About

Henrik has participated in the development of water treatment technologies and analytical devices in both groups and SMEs. Comparison of competing technologies for solutions. Comparison of treatment economy, robustness and by-products. BAT and environmental approvals of treated wastewater as a sales tool.

My field of interest as a mentor is sale of technologies as a solution to water problems. And also rapid tests to prove and optimize waste water treatment.

Laura Møller

Data- og digitaliseringschef

Silkeborg Forsyning

About

Laura´s experience and competences are centered around business development, strategy, digitalization, innovation and fundraising. Her field of interest as a mentor is within the above, and she will take a curious approach by asking a lot of “why” questions to understand the core value of the business and then visualize the possibilities.

Rasmus Borgstrøm

VP innovation Lab

DHI

About

Over the previous +10 years Rasmus has worked with leadership, strategic business development, scaling of organization and business, as well as development of innovative applications. Currently working as Head of DHI’s Innovation Lab, where the focus is on early-stage innovation and scaling of digital and impactful solutions within water.

Has personal experience leading a scale-up, and experience on startup mentorship from DTU SkyLab X-Tech Challenge, Rockstart Emerging Tech and FLOW Beyond Beta

Jörg Vogel

VP Open innovation

AQUAPORIN

About

Jôrg has been a part of Aquaporin almost from the start. He started by finishing his Master project and then his PhD for Aquaporin. He was promoted from Membrane Developer to responsible for the entire R&D department. This later changed to focus more on Technology Development and development from product to production scale.

Bastian Piltz

Sales Engineer

Unisense environment

About

Bastian is a biotechnologist with a passion for the application of sustainable water technologies. He worked in various european roles at the innovation consultancy Isle Utilities, connecting emerging technology companies with global utility customers – bridging the feared “valley of death”. Currently he strives to equip the treatment plants of the world with continuous N2O measurements, so operators can reduce their climate impact. He hopes to add value to the mentees’ with his understanding of utility customers and their way of thinking – particularly in an international context.

Jens Gert

Commercial director

Faze2

About

Jens has many years of expierence working with communication in different industrial companies and within consultancy. He has been co-founder of two startups within respectively functional food and care tech. He is now the owner of a marketing company with focus on especially green companies with sustainability marketing, strategy and sales support. 
He has mentored many entrepreneurs from different industries over the years. It has often been industrial companies with a digital, green footprint. He is fond of meeting  the entrepreneurs at eye level and examine what is holding them back in order to help them move forward.

Aske Korsgaard Hejlesen

Innovation Manager

Per Aarsleff A/S

About

Aske contributes with expertise in technology development and innovation, drawing from a solid background as an industrial designer and innovation leader at prominent organizations like Aarsleff, Biamp, and Velux.

His invaluable skills in innovation management and as a design thinker perfectly align with Water Valley Denmark’s commitment to championing ambitious water tech startups.

Michael Ramlau Hansen

Head of Public Affairs & Global Partnerships

AVK Holding A/S

About

Michael first joined AVK in 1993 as Product Manager. From 1996 to 2013 he was Marketing Manager at AVK international. And from 2013 to 2020 Global Brand Manager at AVK Holding.

Since 2020 – Head of Public Affairs & Global Partnerships.  Board member of Dansk Miljøteknologi, DI Vand, Danish Water Forum, and Innovation Council Water Valley Denmark. Initiator of Advanced Water Cycle Management Course at Aarhus University and initiator of Business & Water Technology at Business Academy Aarhus.

Michael also focus on helping Pilot Projects go from Start ups to Scale ups.

Codex for good mentoring

  • Mentor and mentee are honest and confidential business partners

  • Remember to listen openly to both questions and sparring

  • Show respect for each other and the agreements made

  • A mentor is a dialogue partner who can both support, guide and challenge a mentee

  • A mentor does not necessarily have all the ‘correct answers’ – but often a lot of relevant questions

  • A mentoring program is for development purposes, not sales

     

    Note that there is complete confidentiality regarding information shared between mentor and mentee

The process of estabilishing a mentor collaboration:

Step 1: Water Valley Denmark assess incoming mentee applications and their needs.

       Step 2:  Water Valley Denmark reach out to the potentiel mentor. The mentor then accepts or declines the collaboration.

Step 3: If accepted Water Valley Denmark establish the contact between the two parties. 

Mentor statements

Being a mentor gives me a unique opportunity to share knowledge with engaged people.

Sharing knowledge in at trustful atmosphere can make good things happen.

 

Niels Møller Jensen, Experienced Water Professional

As a Design Thinker, I am fueled by a passion for innovation, guiding individuals and companies through creative problem-solving. I focus on the transformative power of guidance and am committed to leveraging innovation for growth and sustainability.

My drive as a watertech startup mentor is to empower entrepreneurs to navigate challenges and contribute positively to our society

Aske Korsgaard Hejlesen , Innovation Manager