Circular Economy Solutions | Plastic Waste Conversion | Clean Fuel Technology
Davide Menguzzato & Soraya Bermudez
Founder and Head of Business Development and Strategy & Chief Marketing Officer
“We’d love to connect with municipalities and corporates seeking circular partnerships, NGOs working with vulnerable communities, universities interested in research collaboration, and potential sites.”
What problem are you solving?
Plastic waste is piling up, communities lack job opportunities, and industries still rely on fossil fuels—creating environmental damage and economic vulnerability.
Your solution in one sentence:
We convert plastic waste into fuel, cleaning the environment, supplying energy, and creating sustainable jobs.
Why now?
The plastic crisis is escalating while communities need work, and decarbonization goals demand solutions with both climate and social impact—our technology is ready to scale.
Impact you aim to create in industrial decarbonization:
Reducing reliance on fossil fuels by processing tons of waste daily, preventing pollution and producing lower-carbon fuel while generating local employment.
If you dream big, where do you see your company in 5 years?
Operating across countries, restoring environments, creating jobs, and processing millions of tons of waste as part of a full circular economy ecosystem.
Tell us something about your team:
We turn trash into money and somehow still get invited to dinner parties.
What are you looking to get out of the LeapSprong program?
Connections with municipalities and industry partners, guidance on EU funding, and support from a network of circular innovators and mentors.
Hydrogen CHP, Decentralised Energy, Energy Management Systems
Saul Oost
Founder & CEO
“We’d love to connect with companies that want to develop demonstration projects to decarbonise their heat demand. “
What problem are you solving?
Many sites cannot electrify or use heat pumps due to limited grid capacity.
Your solution in one sentence:
A hydrogen solution to provide clean heat and power, enabling industries to replace natural gas, even with grid congestion.
Why now?
Rising energy demand, strict decarbonisation targets, and severe grid congestion are colliding. Industry seeks electrification, hydrogen expands and policymakers push for clean heat. HyER Power operates at this intersection, enabling decarbonisation that would otherwise be impossible today.
Impact you aim to create in industrial decarbonization:
Enable industries to replace natural gas with zero-emission heat and power, accelerate the heat transition and significantly reduce CO₂ emissions.
If you dream big, where do you see your company in 5 years?
Providing 1 GW of flexible, zero-emission heat and power capacity in the Netherlands.
Tell us something about your team:
Significant part the team was born and raised in Spijkenisse!
What are you looking to get out of the LeapSprong program?
Connect with partners to decarbonise heat, and to develop demonstration projects that can become real, replicable showcases.
Offshore hydrogen production and maritime distribution infrastructure
Gerry Wilkinson
CEO
“We'd love to connect with port authorities, shipping companies, and industrial energy users who are ready to move beyond feasibility studies and commit to commercial-scale hydrogen infrastructure partnerships.”
What problem are you solving?
Maritime shipping and energy-intensive industries need sustainable fuel, but hydrogen infrastructure isn’t available at the scale or in the locations required.
Your solution in one sentence:
Offshore, wave-powered hydrogen platforms with integrated maritime distribution—creating an integrated supply chain from molecule to vessel.
Why now?
EU regulations require 2% renewable maritime fuel by 2034. Industries and data centres need reliable clean power. Partnerships with major manufacturers and financiers show the market is ready to scale.
Impact you aim to create in industrial decarbonization:
Replacing fossil fuels in maritime shipping and industries with cost-competitive green hydrogen produced offshore, eliminating the need for expensive land-based infrastructure.
If you dream big, where do you see your company in 5 years?
Operating multiple offshore hydrogen hubs for major European ports, powering container ships and data centres, and expanding globally to prove renewable hydrogen can scale profitably.
Tell us something about your team:
We are serial entrepreneurs who’ve pivoted from talking about hydrogen to building the infrastructure the world needs.
What are you looking to get out of the LeapSprong program?
Access to Port of Amsterdam stakeholders, industrial off-takers and strategic guidance on regulations and funding.
High temperature heat pumps
Timo Pulkki
CEO and co-founder
“We’d love to connect with food & beverage, paper and chemical companies.”
What problem are you solving?
Factories in food & beverage, pulp & paper and chemicals have challenges to find profitable decarbonization solutions. At the same time, they waste vast amounts of energy at the temperatures of 40 – 70 °C.
Your solution in one sentence:
Oil-free, high temperature heat pump with 1-3 years payback time, source temperature 40 – 70 °C, producing 100 – 185 °C steam.
Why now?
Industries want to save money and decarbonize i.e. reduce gas burning at the same time.
Impact you aim to create in industrial decarbonisation?
Upheat’s customers can reduce up to 75% of their gas burning. There are tens of thousands of suitable customers’ factories in Europe, Canada and few states in the USA, which are Upheat’s target markets. This means larger global impact in industrial decarbonization. If you dream big, where do you see your company in 5 years? World leading industrial decarbonization solution provider and the most valuable cleantech startup in the world.
If you dream big, where do you see your company in 5 years?
World leading industrial decarbonization solution provider and the most valuable cleantech startup in the world.
Tell us something about your team?
The Upheat team turns wasted heat into money-making steam
What are you looking to get out of the LeapSprong program?
Customer and integrator partner contacts, and advice in go-to-market.
Industrial process optimization using data-driven digital twins for cooling systems
Niels Bergsma & Pim van Ramshorst
CEO & Chief Business Officer
“We’d love to connect with industrial companies with large cooling demands, industrial service providers regarding cooling systems, and partners who want to co-develop scalable industrial software solutions.”
What problem are you solving?
We build technologies for affordable, scalable and sustainable e-fuel production, to enable net-zero aviation.Industrial cooling systems waste energy, cause emissions and create production bottlenecks—problems often overlooked but highly costly.
Your solution in one sentence:
Software that prevents cooling-related bottlenecks while optimizing energy use and emissions.
Why now?
Cooling systems are under strain from hotter summers and aging equipment, while industries face pressure to become more efficient.
Impact you aim to create in industrial decarbonization:
Improving cooling efficiency, reducing electricity use and flaring, preventing bottlenecks and lowering emissions across heavy industries.
If you dream big, where do you see your company in 5 years?
Becoming the global standard for real-time cooling insights across refineries, chemical plants and waste-to-energy sites.
Tell us something about your team:
Even our commercial people love diving into the technical details of the product.
What are you looking to get out of the LeapSprong program?
Access to networks, mentors and industrial partners to scale commercially and expand into new sectors.
AI-powered digital twin solutions for energy efficiency and decarbonization
Francesco Fogari
Head of Business Development
“We’d love to connect with energy service companies, utilities, industrial clients and any organization operating in the energy sector interested in driving decarbonization and optimizing energy management. Our vision is to build a collaborative network that harnesses diverse expertise to deliver concrete impact and create new opportunities.”
What problem are you solving?
Many industrial companies miss out on major cost and CO₂ savings because evaluating existing energy solutions is complex, slow, and expensive. This creates an “efficiency and sustainability gap” with lost opportunities.
Your solution in one sentence:
AI, digital twins, and real-time optimisation to help companies quickly select the best decarbonisation technologies, cutting CO₂ emissions and energy costs.
Why now?
Industries face pressure to cut CO₂, meet regulations, and reduce energy costs, yet evaluating decarbonisation options is more complex than ever. With our solution, advanced optimisation is now fast, affordable, and scalable, making this the ideal moment.
Impact you aim to create in industrial decarbonization:
Connections to Dutch stakeholders, project ideas in the Netherlands for Carbon Capture Utilisation.Fast, measurable emission reductions and improved competitiveness through smarter, data-driven energy decisions.
If you dream big, where do you see your company in 5 years?
As a global benchmark for industrial decarbonization, scaling our Co-Pilot across continents with strong R&D, partnerships and teams.
Tell us something about your team:
A multidisciplinary crew of energy nerds turning complex decarbonization into single-click solutions.
What are you looking to get out of the LeapSprong program?
Market access, strategic pilots, and partnerships to validate and scale our Energy Co-Pilot.
Carbon Dioxide Removal/ Carbon Capture
Jelmer Altena
Chief Commercial Officer
“We’d love to connect with customers interested in carbon credits and organisations that can support co-location and permitting, low-carbon energy supply, CO₂ storage or utilisation pathways as well as technical R&D or engineering scale-up.”
What problem are you solving?
Reaching Net Zero requires removing gigatons of CO₂ each year. Scalable carbon removal and utilization is essential to meet climate goals.
Your solution in one sentence:
We use cost-efficient electrochemical Direct Ocean Capture to remove CO₂ at scale while enabling pathways for safe storage and sustainable utilization.
Why now?
Carbon removal technologies take years to scale, delaying deployment risks missing climate targets.
Impact you aim to create in industrial decarbonization:
turning captured CO₂ into circular products, while permanently removing residual emissions from the atmosphere. Our goal: gigaton-scale carbon removal by 2045 to enable a truly net-zero industrial ecosystem.
If you dream big, where do you see your company in 5 years?
Operating at megaton-scale and being recognized as Europe’s leading marine carbon-removal company.
Tell us something about your team:
A wonderfully crazy crew on a mission to keep the planet cool through the power of the ocean.
What are you looking to get out of the LeapSprong program?
Grow our early customer pipeline for carbon-removal credits, forge strategic industrial partnerships, and strengthen R&D and scale-up readiness.
EMS software for power-intensive industry
Íris Baldursdóttir & Marius Moldestad
CEO, Co-founder & Customer Success Manager
“We’d love to connect with power-intensive industries to help them compete on a global scale.”
What problem are you solving?
Industries must optimise electricity use amid increasing electricity market complexity. Poor load forecasts and poorly managed Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) inflate costs, while unused flexibility means missed revenue.
Your solution in one sentence:
We optimize power use, PPAs, schedules and flexibility to maximize the value of power-intensive assets.
Why now?
Electricity markets are becoming more volatile and complex, demanding flexible operations for industries to stay competitive.
Impact you aim to create in industrial decarbonization:
By unlocking flexible energy use and integrating renewables efficiently, we help industries reduce emissions and strengthen competitiveness.
If you dream big, where do you see your company in 5 years?
Make every megawatt count for more than 100 industrial sites in Europe, increasing their competitiveness, and providing gigawatts of flexibility to the grid
Tell us something about your team:
We have marathon runners, chess players, golfers, movie enthusiasts and one person playing improv theatre - what more could we want in a team?
What are you looking to get out of the LeapSprong program?
Access to industry leaders, new customers, and opportunities to pilot our software in the region.
Circular Economy Solutions | Plastic Waste Conversion | Clean Fuel Technology
Davide Menguzzato & Soraya Bermudez
Founder and Head of Business Development and Strategy & Chief Marketing Officer
“We’d love to connect with municipalities and corporates seeking circular partnerships, NGOs working with vulnerable communities, universities interested in research collaboration, and potential sites.”
What problem are you solving?
Plastic waste is piling up, communities lack job opportunities, and industries still rely on fossil fuels—creating environmental damage and economic vulnerability.
Your solution in one sentence:
We convert plastic waste into fuel, cleaning the environment, supplying energy, and creating sustainable jobs.
Why now?
The plastic crisis is escalating while communities need work, and decarbonization goals demand solutions with both climate and social impact—our technology is ready to scale.
Impact you aim to create in industrial decarbonization:
Reducing reliance on fossil fuels by processing tons of waste daily, preventing pollution and producing lower-carbon fuel while generating local employment.
If you dream big, where do you see your company in 5 years?
Operating across countries, restoring environments, creating jobs, and processing millions of tons of waste as part of a full circular economy ecosystem.
Tell us something about your team:
We turn trash into money and somehow still get invited to dinner parties.
What are you looking to get out of the LeapSprong program?
Connections with municipalities and industry partners, guidance on EU funding, and support from a network of circular innovators and mentors.
Hydrogen CHP, Decentralised Energy, Energy Management Systems
Saul Oost
Founder & CEO
“We’d love to connect with companies that want to develop demonstration projects to decarbonise their heat demand. “
What problem are you solving?
Many sites cannot electrify or use heat pumps due to limited grid capacity.
Your solution in one sentence:
A hydrogen solution to provide clean heat and power, enabling industries to replace natural gas, even with grid congestion.
Why now?
Rising energy demand, strict decarbonisation targets, and severe grid congestion are colliding. Industry seeks electrification, hydrogen expands and policymakers push for clean heat. HyER Power operates at this intersection, enabling decarbonisation that would otherwise be impossible today.
Impact you aim to create in industrial decarbonization:
Enable industries to replace natural gas with zero-emission heat and power, accelerate the heat transition and significantly reduce CO₂ emissions.
If you dream big, where do you see your company in 5 years?
Providing 1 GW of flexible, zero-emission heat and power capacity in the Netherlands.
Tell us something about your team:
Significant part the team was born and raised in Spijkenisse!
What are you looking to get out of the LeapSprong program?
Connect with partners to decarbonise heat, and to develop demonstration projects that can become real, replicable showcases.
Decarbonization through circularity
Gerry Wilkinson
CEO
“We'd love to connect with port authorities, shipping companies, and industrial energy users who are ready to move beyond feasibility studies and commit to commercial-scale hydrogen infrastructure partnerships.”
What problem are you solving?
Maritime shipping and energy-intensive industries need sustainable fuel, but hydrogen infrastructure isn’t available at the scale or in the locations required.
Your solution in one sentence:
Offshore, wave-powered hydrogen platforms with integrated maritime distribution—creating an integrated supply chain from molecule to vessel.
Why now?
EU regulations require 2% renewable maritime fuel by 2034. Industries and data centres need reliable clean power. Partnerships with major manufacturers and financiers show the market is ready to scale.
Impact you aim to create in industrial decarbonization:
Replacing fossil fuels in maritime shipping and industries with cost-competitive green hydrogen produced offshore, eliminating the need for expensive land-based infrastructure.
If you dream big, where do you see your company in 5 years?
Operating multiple offshore hydrogen hubs for major European ports, powering container ships and data centres, and expanding globally to prove renewable hydrogen can scale profitably.
Tell us something about your team:
We are serial entrepreneurs who’ve pivoted from talking about hydrogen to building the infrastructure the world needs.
What are you looking to get out of the LeapSprong program?
Access to Port of Amsterdam stakeholders, industrial off-takers and strategic guidance on regulations and funding.
High temperature heat pumps
Timo Pulkki
CEO and co-founder
“We’d love to connect with food & beverage, paper and chemical companies.”
What problem are you solving?
Factories in food & beverage, pulp & paper and chemicals have challenges to find profitable decarbonization solutions. At the same time, they waste vast amounts of energy at the temperatures of 40 – 70 °C.
Your solution in one sentence:
Oil-free, high temperature heat pump with 1-3 years payback time, source temperature 40 – 70 °C, producing 100 – 185 °C steam.
Why now?
Industries want to save money and decarbonize i.e. reduce gas burning at the same time.
Impact you aim to create in industrial decarbonisation?
Upheat’s customers can reduce up to 75% of their gas burning. There are tens of thousands of suitable customers’ factories in Europe, Canada and few states in the USA, which are Upheat’s target markets. This means larger global impact in industrial decarbonization. If you dream big, where do you see your company in 5 years? World leading industrial decarbonization solution provider and the most valuable cleantech startup in the world.
If you dream big, where do you see your company in 5 years?
World leading industrial decarbonization solution provider and the most valuable cleantech startup in the world.
Tell us something about your team?
The Upheat team turns wasted heat into money-making steam
What are you looking to get out of the LeapSprong program?
Customer and integrator partner contacts, and advice in go-to-market.
Industrial process optimization using data-driven digital twins for cooling systems
Niels Bergsma & Pim van Ramshorst
CEO & Chief Business Officer
“We’d love to connect with industrial companies with large cooling demands, industrial service providers regarding cooling systems, and partners who want to co-develop scalable industrial software solutions.”
What problem are you solving?
We build technologies for affordable, scalable and sustainable e-fuel production, to enable net-zero aviation.Industrial cooling systems waste energy, cause emissions and create production bottlenecks—problems often overlooked but highly costly.
Your solution in one sentence:
Software that prevents cooling-related bottlenecks while optimizing energy use and emissions.
Why now?
Cooling systems are under strain from hotter summers and aging equipment, while industries face pressure to become more efficient.
Impact you aim to create in industrial decarbonization:
Improving cooling efficiency, reducing electricity use and flaring, preventing bottlenecks and lowering emissions across heavy industries.
If you dream big, where do you see Accu't in 5 years?
Becoming the global standard for real-time cooling insights across refineries, chemical plants and waste-to-energy sites.
Tell us something about your team:
Even our commercial people love diving into the technical details of the product.
What are you looking to get out of the LeapSprong program?
Access to networks, mentors and industrial partners to scale commercially and expand into new sectors.
UP Catalyst produces battery-grade graphite and carbon nanotubes directly from CO2 emissionsAI-powered digital twin solutions for energy efficiency and decarbonization
Francesco Fogari
Head of Business Development
"We upcycle CO2 emissions on molecular level!"
What problem are you solving?
Many industrial companies miss out on major cost and CO₂ savings because evaluating existing energy solutions is complex, slow, and expensive. This creates an “efficiency and sustainability gap” with lost opportunities.
Your solution in one sentence:
AI, digital twins, and real-time optimisation to help companies quickly select the best decarbonisation technologies, cutting CO₂ emissions and energy costs.
Why now?
Industries face pressure to cut CO₂, meet regulations, and reduce energy costs, yet evaluating decarbonisation options is more complex than ever. With our solution, advanced optimisation is now fast, affordable, and scalable, making this the ideal moment.
Impact you aim to create in industrial decarbonization:
Connections to Dutch stakeholders, project ideas in the Netherlands for Carbon Capture Utilisation.Fast, measurable emission reductions and improved competitiveness through smarter, data-driven energy decisions.
If you dream big, where do you see your company in 5 years?
As a global benchmark for industrial decarbonization, scaling our Co-Pilot across continents with strong R&D, partnerships and teams.
Tell us something about your team:
A multidisciplinary crew of energy nerds turning complex decarbonization into single-click solutions.
What are you looking to get out of the LeapSprong program?
Market access, strategic pilots, and partnerships to validate and scale our Energy Co-Pilot.
Carbon Dioxide Removal/ Carbon Capture
Jelmer Altena
Chief Technology Officer
"We upcycle CO2 emissions on molecular level!"
What problem are you solving?
Reaching Net Zero requires removing gigatons of CO₂ each year. Scalable carbon removal and utilization is essential to meet climate goals.
Your solution in one sentence:
We use cost-efficient electrochemical Direct Ocean Capture to remove CO₂ at scale while enabling pathways for safe storage and sustainable utilization.
Why now?
Carbon removal technologies take years to scale, delaying deployment risks missing climate targets.
Impact you aim to create in industrial decarbonization:
turning captured CO₂ into circular products, while permanently removing residual emissions from the atmosphere. Our goal: gigaton-scale carbon removal by 2045 to enable a truly net-zero industrial ecosystem.
If you dream big, where do you see your company in 5 years?
Operating at megaton-scale and being recognized as Europe’s leading marine carbon-removal company.
Tell us something about your team:
A wonderfully crazy crew on a mission to keep the planet cool through the power of the ocean.
What are you looking to get out of the LeapSprong program?
Grow our early customer pipeline for carbon-removal credits, forge strategic industrial partnerships, and strengthen R&D and scale-up readiness.
EMS software for power-intensive industry
Íris Baldursdóttir & Marius Moldestad
CEO, Co-founder & Customer Success Manager
“We’d love to connect with power-intensive industries to help them compete on a global scale.”
What problem are you solving?
Industries must optimise electricity use amid increasing electricity market complexity. Poor load forecasts and poorly managed Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) inflate costs, while unused flexibility means missed revenue.
Your solution in one sentence:
We optimize power use, PPAs, schedules and flexibility to maximize the value of power-intensive assets.
Why now?
Electricity markets are becoming more volatile and complex, demanding flexible operations for industries to stay competitive.
Impact you aim to create in industrial decarbonization:
By unlocking flexible energy use and integrating renewables efficiently, we help industries reduce emissions and strengthen competitiveness.
If you dream big, where do you see your company in 5 years?
Make every megawatt count for more than 100 industrial sites in Europe, increasing their competitiveness, and providing gigawatts of flexibility to the grid
Tell us something about your team:
We have marathon runners, chess players, golfers, movie enthusiasts and one person playing improv theatre - what more could we want in a team?
What are you looking to get out of the LeapSprong program?
Access to industry leaders, new customers, and opportunities to pilot our software in the region.