Bar.on 1A

Dirk Standaert

Founder

Dirk, founder and CEO of Bar.on, is a seasoned entrepreneur aiming to change the world with innovative ideas. Specializing in identifying and nurturing technological breakthroughs, Dirk provides the essential resources and support to turn visions into successful enterprises. As the driving force behind Bar.on, he leads the company's innovation, strategic vision and business development. Dirk's leadership has steered product design and engineering to successful results, continually propelling Bar.on to new heights. His unwavering commitment and expertise fuel the company's growth and inspire the team to achieve excellence.

Valentijn Destoop

Co-founder

Valentijn, co-founder and Product Lead at Bar.on, plays a pivotal role in driving both strategic and operational aspects of the company. With a background in digital software development, innovation management and business strategy, he leads the development and market introduction of Bar.on’s cutting-edge beverage solutions. Valentijn focuses on product innovation and marketing strategies. His responsibilities include overseeing product development, crafting strategic roadmaps and leading go-to-market initiatives to ensure the products resonate with target markets. Additionally, he supports venture development, aligns business strategy with emerging trends and consumer needs and is pursuing a PhD in AI innovation economy to enhance Bar.on’s technological edge.

Evan Yap

Staff

Evan, an ex-brewer turned beverage scientist, excels at transforming bold ideas into delicious, masterfully crafted drinks. As Bar.on’s Senior R&D Scientist, he designs both alcoholic and non-alcoholic molecular beers without traditional brewing or fermentation. Evan's work involves product and process development experiments, flavor and aroma-chemical research, sensory and shelf life testing, regulatory compliance and technical project management. He also leads R&D innovation strategy and growth, overseeing laboratory operations and expansion.

Julius Ssemakula

Staff

Julius is responsible for new product development at Bar.on, transforming market concepts into viable products through meticulous recipe formulation. He ensures optimal flavor, physical and microbial stability while maintaining cost efficiency by selecting the highest quality ingredients within budget constraints. Julius supports the entire development process, from initial formulation and product piloting to launch, ensuring rigorous quality control and regulatory compliance. He continuously seeks improvements and innovations, maintaining detailed documentation and reporting on product performance and stability.

John Préat

Staff

As the Lead Upscaling at Bar.on, John ensures seamless transitions from lab-scale formulations to large-scale production. He oversees the supply chain and production processes, ensuring that partners meet the high standards of our lab work. John designs and optimizes production processes for simplicity and efficiency, manages the preparation and maintenance of prototype machines, and coordinates with suppliers and third parties. His role is essential in maintaining an organized supply chain and smooth operations for Bar.on's diverse product range.

Kevin Verstrepen

Advisor

Kevin Verstrepen brings a wealth of experience and expertise to Bar.on. He is a professor in Genetics and Genomics at Leuven University, a Group Leader in Systems Biology at VIB, co-director of the Leuven Institute for Beer Research and guest professor at Tianjin Institute for Industrial Biotechnology.

In collaboration with Dr. Miguel Roncoroni, Kevin tested and tasted 250 Belgian beers in their lab at the University of Leuven's Institute for Beer Research and VIB Centre for Microbiology. This extensive dataset led to the creation of the first fact-based atlas of Belgian beers, a comprehensive roadmap that allows readers to understand and explore the diverse world of Belgian beer, encouraging them to discover new favorites based on similarities to their personal tastes.

Jeroen Laenen

Advisor

Jeroen Laenen is a seasoned fast-moving consumer goods professional with a strong focus on sustainable product development, particularly in alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. With 20 years at AB InBev, Jeroen held key roles such as Global Product Innovation Director and Global NA Beverage Manager. He led and coordinated global product development for major brands like Stella Artois, Budweiser and Corona, and spearheaded product innovation in non-alcoholic beverages. Jeroen's expertise includes flavor usage strategy, launching ABI Non-Alcohol Beers globally, and creating innovation and technology strategies for non-alcohol beverages, including soft drinks and malt beverages.

Jeroen excels in fact-based decision-making, team leadership and driving KPIs. He brings invaluable expertise in product innovation and strategic development to Bar.on, enhancing the company’s capability to deliver unique and sustainable beverage solutions.

Koen Van Hulle

Advisor

Koen Van Hulle brings extensive senior leadership experience in general management, country management, sales, marketing, advertising and business development across the Benelux region. His career spans various industries, including consumer electronics, kitchen appliances, IT, media, telecommunications and foodservice. Koen has a proven track record in both B2B and B2C sectors, covering technical hardware and devices.

His expertise includes strategy development, indirect and direct sales, online marketplace strategies, organizational design, people development, digital transformation and advanced technologies like artificial intelligence, IoT, marketing and sales automation, blockchain, and NFTs. Koen is known for his positive and inspiring leadership style, managing cross-country and cross-functional teams with an ambitious, energetic, and entrepreneurial approach. He has a strong interest in technology, luxury goods, renewable energy and sustainability.

Koen previously served as the General Manager and CEO of Smeg Belgium, leading the BeLux entity for Small and Major Domestic Appliances and La Pavoni espresso coffee machines. Before this, he spent 21 years as the General Manager and Sales Director of Sony Consumer Electronics & Smartphones in Belgium-Luxembourg. His wealth of experience in business development and strategic planning makes him a valuable asset to Bar.on's growth and innovation efforts.