Nitrogen (Stikstof) is a pressing concern in the Netherlands, drawing significant attention in the media. The extensive industrial activities of Dutch companies contribute to high nitrogen emissions, damaging biodiversity and ecosystems. Therefore, measuring nitrogen to assess its impact accurately and implementing effective mitigation strategies for sustainable environmental management is crucial. Together with their partner TiQiT, Anything Connected has found a way to lower the barrier for measuring nitrogen emissions with its innovative sensor.

Easy data-gathering in the construction industry

Co-founders Frederik Westerouen van Meeteren, Jochem Janssen, and Pieter Ernst developed a sensor that can stick to the outside of machines to gather asset data of construction equipment for maintenance. However, many companies don’t have the time to inspect each machine physically. That is why Anything Connected originally only provided datasets about the performance status of machinery collected by the sensors. Next, in-house data analysts use that data for better overall equipment efficiency. Together with TiQiT, they  have now identified another application for their sensor: the efficient measurement of nitrogen.

In the construction industry in the Netherlands, it will soon become mandatory to keep track of nitrogen emissions. In a few cases, a nitrogen measurement can be done by a consultant However, this is expensive and costs a lot of time. Instead, the Anything Connected sensor is simply glued on the outside of the machines without the need to replace or modify existing equipment. Data can be viewed on platforms such as provided by TiQiT.

“We are now delivering the first sets of sensors to customers wanting to measure their nitrogen emissions. The current stock is already completely sold out, which is very cool. I’m looking forward to the first results.” – Frederik Westerouen van Meeteren, co-founder and Managing Director of Anything Connected.

The mindset of an entrepreneur

When Frederik and Pieter started six years ago, they followed the YES!Delft validation lab and Accelerator program. The programs helped to develop their product, business cases, and propositions. It is also where they learned the much-needed startup mindset when things don’t go as planned, and a business encounters hardships.

“I’m a huge fan of the YES!Delft incubator, and I knew I wanted to follow their programs when I started Anything Connected. For me, it was like an MBA. I learned everything I now know about business. Also, I’m very grateful for the network of other entrepreneurs, customers, partners, and companies they linked us to.” – Frederik Westerouen van Meeteren, co-founder and Managing Director of anyThing Connected.

Like many companies, Anything Connected has had many ups and downs. For instance, back in 2020, they needed to physically be present to install the sensor to collect data. Because of that, Covid-19 had a profound impact on the business. When it became clear that a lockdown was imminent, they decided to close up until further notice, reducing the burn rate to just a couple of hundred euros per month. It was a good example of a setback that turned out to enable the startup to survive.

Then, when they finally started again, they put their money and energy into a vast potential deal. Unfortunately, it fell through at the last minute because of an unexpected failed merger on the client company’s side. Another massive setback. At the same time, this made them take a step back and realize the opportunity, in measuring nitrogen emissions in the construction industry. 

A new path

At the end of February 2023, Anything Connected and TiQiT presented their nitrogen solution at the Mobile World Conference in Barcelona, Spain. They sold their current stock and are currently working on reliably running their customer support. Also, they are looking into gathering more insights about the needs of the construction industry and ordering their next batch of nitrogen sensors soon. Their innovative way of measuring nitrogen could be an excellent opportunity for many companies looking to gain insight into their emissions, so if you are interested, contact them!

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Your dream can become a reality too. As long as you want to make a change, don’t miss the opportunity to boost your start-up by joining the YES!Delft Validation Lab or Accelerator Program. However, if working for a start-up resonates more with your ambition, we got you! Check out the vacancies on our YES!Talents page!

BE PART OF THE CHANGE, AS CHANGE STARTS WITH YOU…

Every year, tons of plastic waste find their way into waterways, posing a grave threat to aquatic life and ecosystems. Rivers are crucial conduits, transporting plastic from inland areas to the open sea. In this light, Noria Sustainable Innovators is a startup that develops methods and techniques to deal with plastic waste close to the source of pollution. They believe that by catching the plastic as early as possible, they stop plastic from ending up in the sea, thereby having less chance of harming animals, the environment, and our health.

A steady start

Co-founders Rinze de Vries and Arnoud van der Vaart met at their full-time job. They connected and had many conversations during the weekly Friday afternoon drinks. After a year, they asked their employer to work part-time, so they could attribute the other half of the week, their evenings and weekends, to validating their idea, with the help of the YES!Delft Validation program. During that period, they immediately found some customers, which soon enabled them to work full-time in their startup. 

“During my studies, I wanted to find an impactful job to improve the world. So when I met Rinze and his idea to clean domestic waterways, I deeply felt that this was a cause I fully wanted to commit to.” – Arnoud van der Vaart, co-founder of Noria Sustainable Innovators.

Monitoring and cleaning waterways

Noria Sustainable Innovators is an environmental service that helps clean water and nature from plastic. They work for the governmental institutions: Rijkswaterstaat, water authorities, municipalities, and provinces. Noria’s unique approach is to clean up the water as close to the source of the pollution as possible. They believe it is the most cost-effective and scalable way to remove plastic from the water. At the same time, they provide insight into where plastic enters the water and how it transports. Noria installs cameras, then uses AI to analyze that data, which gives great insight into the origin of the pollution. That is important because the problem can be dealt with quickly.

“We don’t think of other companies as competitors. Rather, the plastic in the water is our competitor. It’s quite an idealistic aspiration, and we all have the same goal. However, Noria has a unique approach we believe is most effective.”  – Arnoud van der Vaart, co-founder of Noria Sustainable Innovators.

Business operations and future steps

During the validation lab, co-founders Rinze and Arnoud learned to focus on the problem first to determine how to optimize their solution. They did so by speaking to many potential customers so that they could come up with the needed techniques. After the validation lab, co-founders Rinze and Arnoud continued with the Accelerator program, where they learned how to lead a business. They also had an office in the YES!Delft building for 1,5 years, which was valuable for their network and business.

Because Noria Sustainable Innovators found customers quite early in their journey, thanks to the outcome of the YES!Delft Validation lab, they started without any financing. However, though their complete solution is affordable, they use hardware to monitor the waterways. That means an initial investment is needed to get started. So, to provide the hardware, they got funded by the Water Innovation Fund. So, to provide the hardware, they got funded by the Water Innovation Fund, which is a fund that Hoogheemraadschap Hollands Noorderkwartier finances.

Noria Sustainable Innovators is ready to scale up. They have six proven techniques in both monitoring and removal of plastic litter. In the Netherlands, they aim to monitor the entire Wadden coast and then want to expand to the Danish and German Wadden shores. They are also working on two big European projects as one of the partners, where they can use their monitoring techniques. Meanwhile, they are exploring opportunities to expand to more countries. In conclusion, Noria Sustainable Innovators takes steps daily to clean up our waterways and improve the world for humans and animals.

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Your dream can become a reality too. As long as you want to make a change, don’t miss the opportunity to boost your start-up by joining the YES!Delft Validation Lab or Accelerator Program. However, if working for a start-up resonates more with your ambition, we got you! Check out the vacancies on our YES!Talents page!

BE PART OF THE CHANGE, AS CHANGE STARTS WITH YOU…