Aquablu’s founding story

Marnix was on a surf trip in South Africa, chasing waves and enjoying the ocean’s beauty. As he floated on his board, the tide shifted, and he was surrounded by a sea of plastic bottles.

It made him wonder: “How is it possible that we can put people on the moon, yet our beverages are still confined to plastic and aluminium containers?”

This realisation sparked the idea for a company that would challenge the status quo in the beverage industry. Marnix shared his vision with Marc on returning to Amsterdam, and together they founded Aquablu in 2018. Their mission: to develop smart refill solutions that not only reduce plastic waste but also enhance everyday well-being.

What major obstacles has Aquablu faced since its inception?

Founding a tech company as non-tech founders: We both have a business background, so the initial challenge was to find the right personnel who could translate this business vision into a physical product. Since we had the right people from the start, this split between business and tech became a competitive advantage.

Bootstrapping your business while building hardware: We wanted to stay independent of outside funds for as long as possible, mainly to keep full control over our technical roadmap and go-to-market strategy. We kept a small team as a result but got massive output.

Building a new category: When you launch an innovation like the Aquablu Refill, and there is nothing like it, you have to build the market.

What are Aquablu’s key strengths and innovations in the beverage industry?

We provide experiences of consistent quality and hygiene, no matter where you are. Our systems provide end-to-end control of water quality, ensuring you can always trust Aquablu drinks.

Our beverages are designed to enhance your well-being by adding vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, and more to flavoured waters, boosting your performance and health.

Our strong technical and R&D capabilities (multiple patents/patents pending) have resulted in a product that is unmatched from a quality, price, and hygiene standpoint.

We’ve developed remote monitoring and IoT capabilities that allow for automatic restocking and remote servicing.

We’ve established a strong international distribution network and first-mover advantage in multiple markets.

What targets have you set for the coming few years?

We want to save 1 billion bottles before 2030, as well as achieve some ambitious revenue targets along the way.

What motivated you to join Techleap for Scaleups’ Rise programme?

Former alumni of the Rise programme provided us with insights into how the programme had given them some new insights. For us, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to step outside our bubble and get a fresh perspective on our strategic challenges, fuelled by honest conversations with other founders and industry experts.

Can you briefly share a key takeaway you’ve gained from Rise?

People are the motor of every organisation. While scaling the team, it is important never to lower the bar in hiring. It’s crucial to set measures in place to retain the performance culture that has been present since the founding of Aquablu.