Steven De Laet

Hello Steven, how did it all start? 

“It started during the preparatory phase of FISCH, the Flanders Innovation Centre for Sustainable Chemistry, now called Catalisti. I was representing the chemical company I was working for at the time. My friend Peter suggested that I develop the idea of a mobile plant on a truck - something that could be transported to companies. I visited Bayer Leverkusen, where these plants were made. At first I thought it would be impossible to compete with the Germans. But on the way home it clicked. What if I developed something that focused on non-core activities of chemical companies, like wastewater?”
 

What happens to wastewater?
“I learned that waste and wastewater are transported all over Europe and often end up in incinerators. I had the opportunity to observe Janssen Pharmaceuticals' waste streams, and we worked with research institutions to explore purification. In 2015, Inopsys was born".

Tell us about your solution.

"We develop mobile, flexible, modular solutions that purify waste at our customers' sites. We extract valuable raw materials from the water, such as palladium, zinc and even the hard-to-remove PFAS. Better still, the water can be reused, making it a truly circular solution. We work on an 'as a service' model, which means we take care of everything: investment, maintenance and operation. Customers pay a fixed fee and we take care of the rest. We're pioneers in both mobile technology and the as-a-service business model.”

It's been 10 years since you started. What has happened in that time?

"First of all, we raised capital. To be honest, a lot of people were sceptical at first and laughed at the idea. But with the first customer, things started to take off. 2024 was our best year, which led to us being acquired by Indaver. The great thing is that Inopsys remains independent, but we can now ride on Indaver's success.”

We're here at BlueChem, an incubator for sustainable chemistry. How important is this site for Inopsys?

"We needed extensive research and development, and renting or building laboratories was far too expensive. BlueChem was the perfect solution. We started by renting one lab and one office, and now we're in three labs and three offices. The talent in Antwerp is incredible, and being here helps us attract the best people. Also, the knowledge of chemistry in this city makes it easy to find the right partners. We also have great relationships with other start-ups and scale-ups, which makes us smarter and more innovative.”

Have you also received financial support from the City of Antwerp?

"Yes, and the support was invaluable. The BlueChem Kickstart Fund was crucial. It subsidised up to 80% of the total cost of setting up our laboratory. The systems we develop are expensive to build, so the financial support was essential. It allows us to continue to innovate; a third of our staff are dedicated to R&D. We want to be the leading innovation hub wastewater management.

Your solution can be valuable to businesses around the world. Which markets do you focus on?

"We have customers in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland and Switzerland, mainly in the chemical, pharmaceutical and automotive industries - especially with the rise of battery recycling. Indaver is very strong in Western Europe, so a partnership with them is an incredible opportunity."

How do you see the future? 

"Under the Indaver umbrella, we want to grow and become a global leader in our field. We plan to expand our activities to other continents, especially North America and Asia, where the need for sustainable wastewater management solutions is growing. It won't be easy, especially in these challenging times, but we are ready to take it step by step."

Bio

Name: Steven De Laet.

Job title: CEO, Inopsys

Age: 48

Passionate about: Doing business and mentoring younger entrepreneurs.

What clears my head: Being outdoors.

Inspirational entrepreneurs: Luc Sterckx - An intelligent and respectful entrepreneur who gives excellent advice. 

Recommended book: Good to Great, 

by Jim Collin taught me that success is about making the right choices and knowing what to leave out.