Smart water, smart money: Dutch-based Aquablu raises €7M after podcast pitch goes viral

Amsterdam-based Aquablu, a company focused on workplace hydration through tech-enabled dispensers, has raised €7M in a Seed funding round.

A key moment in the round took place on the Dutch Dragons podcast, where entrepreneurs Bas Witvoet, Pieter Schoen, and Michel Perridon committed €750,000 during the recording. The commitment later increased to €1.1M after the episode aired.

The podcast, known for featuring entrepreneurs sharing their business journeys, took an unusual turn as the hosts decided to invest in Aquablu during the show itself.

Pieter Schoen says, “The reason I decided to invest in Aquablu is that I was genuinely impressed by the two young entrepreneurs, Marc and Marnix, who started the company while still in university.”

“I myself co-founded several companies during my student days together with my close friend and business partner Harald, so I know firsthand what an exciting and opportunity-rich time lies ahead for them.”

Schoen further adds, “I’m really looking forward to building something great with the guys at Aquablu and supporting them wherever I can. As I often say, it’s the entrepreneur who makes the difference — a great entrepreneur can even sell water! Which, of course, fits perfectly with the Aquablu story.”

The rest of the round was backed by strategic private investors, with a group that mirrors the speaker list at the World Economic Forum rather than a standard startup funding round. The investment was led by Frans van Houten, former CEO of Philips.

Van Houten says, “What impressed me most is how much Aquablu has already figured out. They’ve built a strong foundation, smart distribution, a great product, and a clear go-to-market strategy. It’s rare to see a team that combines purpose with execution so well. They’re not just talking about making healthy hydration easy at work, they’re doing it, at scale.”

Smart water dispensers with functional flavours

Founded in 2018 by Marnix Stokvis and Marc van Zuylen, Aquablu is a company operating in the health and wellness sector. It offers a water dispensing system called REFILL+, which delivers still, sparkling, and flavoured water from filtered tap sources. 

The system is used in offices, hotels, and public spaces. Flavour options contain vitamins and electrolytes. Aquablu provides maintenance, remote monitoring, and service agreements. The company continues to grow, increase hiring, and work toward reducing single-use plastic.

Currently, Aquablu is hiring with over 10 open roles across departments to support the ongoing growth.

Capital utilisation

Aquablu will use the funding to expand operations beyond current markets, advance research and development, and increase automation on its hydration platform. The company plans to reach €100M in revenue by 2028 with a team of under 100 employees.

Aquablu’s flagship product, REFILL+, serves chilled, sparkling, or still water enhanced with natural flavours, electrolytes, and B vitamins. Built for use in offices, hotels, and public areas, it offers an alternative to bottled beverages and removes the need for single-use plastic.

Marnix Stokvis, co-founder of Aquablu, says, “What Nespresso did for coffee, we’re doing for water. But sustainably and exclusively for businesses.”

Aquablu raised its latest funding through a Friends of Aquablu round instead of traditional venture capital. The round included a selected group of operators and investors aligned with the company’s focus on speed and execution.

“We weren’t looking for monthly board meetings or heavy reporting duties. We need partners who believe in speed and execution,” adds Stokvis.

Aquablu has recorded 300 per cent year-over-year growth for the past three years, supported by increasing demand in the corporate and hospitality sectors.

Co-founder Marc van Zuylen mentions, “Demand isn’t slowing down. Growth is being driven by companies rethinking how they hydrate their teams and guests.”