Dirk Vandenhirtz is a visionary leader in the agricultural industry who has been shaping innovation in agribusiness for many years. He is a biologist and ecotoxicologist by training, and has already demonstrated his high performance orientation and entrepreneurial and technical talent in a variety of roles as a high-performance swimmer, company founder and CEO.

Passionate about using new technologies to solve real-world problems, Dirk co-founded crop.zone, an innovative technology startup that is revolutionizing the way farmers control weeds, even in large fields.

He is very familiar with the challenges farmers face and the impact herbicides have on the environment. With the goal of creating a more sustainable future for agriculture, Dirk has used his expertise in the field to develop innovative solutions that are fundamentally changing the efficiency and effectiveness of non-chemical crop control.

Under Dirk’s leadership, crop.zone is making a significant impact on the agriculture industry by helping growers reduce their dependence on increasingly unavailable chemical herbicides and further increasing their efficiency and environmental sustainability. Focusing on electric crop control with cutting-edge technology, crop.zone helps farmers minimize their environmental footprint and improve soil and environmental health.

This gives farmers and their downstream partners the opportunity to use forward-thinking technology to make food security profitable and affordable while improving climate and environmental protection.

Matthias Eberius, CSO of crop.zone, is a key figure in the scientific link between agriculture and technology in the company’s leadership team. s a chemist and ecotoxicologist (KIT and RWTH Aachen University) with long experience in plant phenotyping and special machinery engineering, he brings models and knowledge in environmental protection, agroecology and advanced agronomy, always in the link between chemistry, ecosystem, technology and society. This perspective helps replace omitted herbicides with forward-thinking practices while improving biodiversity, soil health and climate resilience.

In addition to the scientific aspects of the process, he is also involved in patenting and technical-scientific communication with professionals and non-specialists in the field of innovative agriculture.

Matthias is also a strong proponent of a science-based and society-embedded Green Deal and its goal of creating a more sustainable and circular economy. In this context, crop.zone provides crucial building blocks to get closer to the goal of more biodiversity in the agricultural landscape, more sustainable cultivation but also climate-positive agriculture.

Cyrille Cabaret is a prominent figure in the world of impact investing, particularly in the field of agricultural technology. As a partner at the Demeter Venture Fund and an advisory board member of crop.zone, he has demonstrated his commitment to promoting sustainable business practices and creating positive social and environmental impact.

Cyrille’s expertise in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) is widely recognized, and he has been instrumental in integrating sustainability principles into the investment process. He has a deep understanding of the importance of ESG and the role it plays in creating long-term value for both investors and society.

In seiner Rolle als Beiratsmitglied von crop.zone hat Cyrille dem Unternehmen geholfen, zu wachsen und zu reifen und innovative Lösungen zu entwickeln, um den Herausforderungen der Agrarindustrie zu begegnen.

Cyrille’s passion for impact investing and commitment to sustainability have made him a respected voice in the industry. He is constantly working to promote the integration of ESG principles into the investment process and encourage companies to adopt sustainable business practices.

Dr. Josef Krapf is an agricultural expert and a leading voice in the industry. He was a member of the Board of Management of BayWa AG and Associate Partner of ARTEMIS Group, where he was instrumental in the development and implementation of Farming 4.0.

As an agriculture expert, Dr. Krapf has a deep understanding of the challenges facing the industry and the potential of modern technologies to transform agriculture. He is a strong advocate for the adoption of Farming 4.0, which aims to use digital technologies and data to improve efficiency, reduce waste and increase productivity in agriculture.

He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience and has helped the company develop innovative solutions that address industry challenges. 

In his role as an Associate Partner of ARTEMIS Group, Dr. Krapf has been committed to developing sustainable and efficient agricultural practices. 

Uli Berners is an expert in innovative production in the automotive sector. He is CEO and owner of LBBZ, a company specialized in the production of innovative solutions for the automotive industry based on laser technologies.

With more than a decade of experience in the automotive industry, Uli Berners has developed a deep understanding of the production processes and challenges of vehicle manufacturing. He is widely recognized as an expert in this field and is highly regarded for his knowledge and expertise. At LBBZ, Uli Berners was instrumental in developing and implementing innovative solutions that improved the production process and increased efficiency. He is a strong advocate of integrating new technologies and data-driven solutions into the production process and has helped position the company as a leader in electromobility.

As an advisory board member of crop.zone, Uli Berners brings his expertise in manufacturing and experience in the automotive industry. He has been instrumental in helping the company develop innovative solutions to the challenges facing agriculture.

Marcus Lehnen is an intellectual property expert and CFO of LBBZ. He brings a unique combination of expertise in intellectual property and patent law, licensing agreements and financial management, and holds a master’s degree in biology and ecotoxicology.

As an intellectual property and patent expert, Marcus Lehnen has a deep understanding of the complexities of intellectual property law and has extensive experience in negotiating licensing agreements. He has been instrumental in helping companies protect their intellectual property and secure the rights to use patented technologies and products.

In addition to his expertise in intellectual property and patent law, Marcus Lehnen has extensive experience as a CFO. He has a deep understanding of financial management and has been instrumental in helping companies manage their finances and optimize their financial performance.

As an advisory board member of crop.zone, Marcus Lehnen brings his expertise in intellectual property, licensing agreements and financial management. He has been instrumental in helping the company protect its intellectual property and secure the rights to use innovative technologies and products.

Tobias Menne is a leader in the field of agriculture and agricultural solutions. He has an extensive background in the industry and has held several leadership positions in large companies.

Menne’s experience in the industry began when he was a member of the supervisory board of Bosch BASF Smart Farming. In this role, he was responsible for overseeing the company’s operations and ensuring they ran smoothly.

Following his tenure at Bosch BASF Smart Farming, Menne became general manager of Xarvio Digital Farming Solutions. In this role, he was responsible for managing the company and leading it to success. Under his leadership, Xarvio Digital Farming Solutions became a leading provider of digital solutions for farmers, helping them optimize their operations and maximize their yields.

Menne’s expertise and leadership skills led him to join the Executive Leadership Team of BASF’s Agricultural Solutions Division.