Marcel is a Horticultural Engineer. In the 1990s and 2000s, he worked in the Advisory Service of Horticulture in the Netherlands and abroad. He started in fruit cultivation but was also active in all types of glasshouse crops, including fruit, vegetables, pot plants, and cut flowers. In 2007, he founded Agrozone, a company active in the agriculture and food sectors, specializing in ozone and electrolyzed water applications.
Between 2007 and 2010, Marcel was one of the pioneers in indoor farming. At that time, it was widely believed by scientists that growing plants indoors under purple light was not possible. However, Marcel was convinced that the LED technology available at that time was good enough to replace sunlight. He also understood that light was not the only limiting factor in growing plants entirely indoors without using natural sunlight. Marcel’s motto is: “Science is never settled.” Convinced of the opportunities presented by his understanding of plant growth, he and his colleagues succeeded in proving the contrary. From the beginning, Marcel was fully convinced of the potential this innovation would bring to the world.
In 2010, he founded Plantlab and began his journey in developing indoor farming applications. For nearly a decade, he worked with breeding companies and those seeking flavors, fragrances, and other plant-derived compounds through various exclusive global collaborations. These efforts helped Plantlab grow into what it is today, expanding their knowledge and expertise in indoor farming opportunities. Their research has resulted in a wide portfolio of applications. The first broad indoor farming patent dates back to 2008, even before indoor farming became a practical reality.
From the start, Marcel’s larger goal has been to make a significant impact on food security and beyond with this new technology. Indoor farming brings entirely new opportunities to the world, which need to be explored and developed by many experts working together. This process, now being adopted on a large scale, will continue to be implemented in the coming years. After starting productions in the Bahamas, the U.S., and the Netherlands, Marcel is now focusing on different applications in the Middle East that align with the strategies and goals of the countries in the region. He is searching for the right applications, including hybrid solutions where indoor farming is part of a comprehensive, and even necessary, solution. This is what drives him. Marcel strives to work with the right people and entities to make the impact needed to achieve these goals.
Combining high-tech solutions with the challenge of regreening is his primary focus. In addition to his role on the Board of Directors at Plantlab, Marcel is always the innovative accelerator of new opportunities, striving to connect different important combinations and opportunities. For that, he believes, the right people and entities with the same drive are essential.
