Is water ‘just water’? A workshop by Laurens Hanemaaijer and Aad van der Starre
Laurens Hanemaaijer, BASc, and Ir. Aad van der Starre are both members of the Community Vital Food, a vibrant network and living organism of passionate people working towards a vital, life-force-rich food system. They will team up to host a workshop about the real properties of water at Cities Leading Food Production!
Laurens Hanemaaijer
Laurens Hanemaaijer, BASc, is an entrepreneur, researcher, and water innovator dedicated to advancing a deeper understanding of water quality, vitality, and its role in human, agricultural, and environmental health. He connects scientists, innovators, and communities worldwide to explore regenerative and holistic approaches to water stewardship.
With a strong focus on water vitality and innovative analysis methods, Laurens is involved in initiatives such as the World Water Community, where advanced techniques including microscopy, crystallisation patterns, and droplet evaporation methods are used to study the structural and energetic qualities of water. His work aims to translate emerging scientific insights into practical applications for agriculture, food systems, health, and ecosystem restoration.
By combining technical expertise with a multidisciplinary perspective, Laurens contributes to ongoing conversations about how the principles of quantum physics may help explain—and eventually harness—the remarkable efficiency of living systems.
Ir. Aad van der Starre
Ir. Aad van der Starre is the founder and CEO of Freshlight Hortis, an innovative Dutch technology company specialising in advanced LED lighting and ionisation solutions for horticulture, agriculture, and healthy indoor environments.
A visionary inventor and entrepreneur, Aad has spent decades developing practical, science-driven technologies that improve plant growth, air quality, and operational efficiency.
Freshlight Hortis has pioneered the integration of full-spectrum LED lighting with negative ionization technology to reduce pathogens, dust, ammonia, odors, and disease pressure in greenhouses and agricultural facilities. These innovations help growers enhance crop quality, strengthen plant resilience, and reduce energy consumption while creating cleaner and more sustainable production systems.
Aad is widely recognised for his groundbreaking work in applying ionization across multiple sectors, including greenhouse horticulture, livestock farming, water purification, food processing, and indoor air treatment. His technologies are known for delivering measurable results in improving air and water quality without the use of harmful chemicals or ozone.
Driven by a passion for sustainability and continuous innovation, Aad combines technical expertise with entrepreneurial determination. Through Freshlight Hortis and related innovations such as FreshWater, he continues to help growers and businesses worldwide adopt smarter, healthier, and more efficient systems for the future of food production and environmental health.
Workshop: The Properties of Water
Water is just water, so why should you need to know anything about it?
Laurens Hanemaaijer will show what we can learn from nature and science: how water moves in nature, what properties it has, and how we can use this knowledge to do things differently. Aad van der Starre will dive into the application of this knowledge in Freshwater devices and practices.
Wednesday, June 3rd, 12:00-13:00 at Innovation Square 1 in VIV Hall 10
