
Mentor Corps
We believe that solving the world’s water challenges requires radical innovation achieved by establishing collaborative communities
focused on solving the task.
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 DeveloperKalundborg 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.
Kristian Rokkjær
Head of New Business DevelopmentKamstrup
About
Kristian is Head of New Business development at Kamstrup
and has 15 years of experience from the water sector.
Capabilities within innovation, business development, Strategy and M&A
Working with digitalization of the water sector
Pia Jacobsen
Head of global innovationWater 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.
Janni Thusgaard Pedersen
Head of Business InnovationWater Valley Denmark
About
With over 14 years of experience, Janni specializes in intersectoral innovation and SDG-driven business development, focusing on facilitating change processes within organizations.
Her expertise lies in business portfolio management, business model innovation, utility venture, and startup acceleration in the water sector. Janni’s mentoring interests center on sustainability, business development, and water-related issues, with a specific focus on scaling solutions and simplifying complex challenges into manageable steps.
Niels Møller Jensen
Managing directorHerning Vand
About
Niels has 25 years of experience as consultant with amongst others Rambøll and COWI. These years have given me great insight into the construction industry, where I have worked with project management, sales, strategy and management. Since 2010 I´ve worked as managing director for Herning Vand.
In addition I have 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 developerAarhus 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
Jens Baadsgaard Pedersen
Project ChiefEnviDan
About
Jens have +35 years’ experience in the water sector and have solved projects in approx. 20 countries. He have project and management experience from some of the larger engineering companies. He has have established and managed his own company in Denmark and set up subsidiaries in four countries. For a period he was SME internationalization advisor at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Experience as chairman of the board/board member from 12 companies.
Henrik Ørskov Pedersen
Group Vice President, Head of Technology InnovationGrundfos 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
CEOWater 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 ManagerAon
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
ProfessorDTU
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 digitaliseringschefSilkeborg 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 LabDHI
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 innovationAQUAPORIN
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 EngineerUnisense 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.
Morten Kristensen
SalesdirectorAPX10
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.
Jens Gert
Commercial directorFaze2
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.
Jesper Brix
Chief Executive OfficerMUTAG
About
Jesper is well experienced in developing, managing and expanding businesses nationally / internationally.
Since 2020 CEO of Mutag working into Biological Wastewater Treatment.
Strong professional skills in team management, sales and organizational development, sales channels and distributor network.
Active and empathetic leader and a believer in good networking.
Jesper Hall
Business Director Clean WaterEnvidan
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.
Codex for good mentoring
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Mentor and mentee are honest and confidential business partners
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Remember to listen openly to both questions and sparring
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Show respect for each other and the agreements made
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A mentor is a dialogue partner who can both support, guide and challenge a mentee
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A mentor does not necessarily have all the ‘correct answers’ – but often a lot of relevant questions
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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.
As a mentor I get insights and new input for the startups I work with, which means I am always at the forefront of new technology and way of thinking business.