I started my professional career as a tech founder and built startups in the mobile marketing and SaaS space. This gave me valuable and early experience in building ventures, teams, strategy and leadership.

However, I was lacking a higher purpose, beyond technology and business. This was the main reason I joined Grundfos in 2013 as entrepreneur in residence.

Solving world’s water challenges became my purpose, and I have been in the water industry since. I experienced from inside how digital transformation in established companies and innovation from water tech startups are changing the industry dynamics, creating more opportunities for collaboration and advancing sustainability.

As more investments are coming to the water space, we will see an acceleration of innovation and impact, making the water industry a key vehicle to solve many of UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.   

There are many challenges in the water industry, from taken for granted and underfinanced, slower to adapt to new technologies due to traditional relationships, generational transition and regulation; to reducing leakages and modernizing infrastructure, acting on the growing effects of extreme weather events, securing water quality and additional water supply, and reusing wastewater to support a circular economy.

I see the biggest challenge in lack of transformative solutions and scaling of these for massive impact.

Many products and solutions in the water industry have been roughly the same for the last 50+ years, albeit with great incremental innovation and efficiency gains during the same period.

However, as we see many, simultaneous technological advancements in material science, robotics, manufacturing, digital technologies and green energy, we are also seeing more disruptive and sustainable solutions emerge. As an industry we need to come together to scale these for the benefit of people and planet.

I am originally from Bosnia and Hercegovina and moved to Denmark due to the war in the 1990’s. I live in Aarhus with my family and have been working globally for the last 15+ years, both in startups and multinationals. Always learning and doing is natural to me, while I find profound ways to wisdom through simply enjoying the moment. 

Due to moving and adapting to new ways as a young kid I have developed a great understanding for different cultures, relationships and leadership styles. I realised we are all very much alike - just look at the way we all come together to play soccer. 

I believe love is the greatest power in the universe, and both a smile and a ball is the shortest distance between people. A positive attitude, creativity and confidence can unleash massive potential we all have. I enjoy working with founders and teams to unleash our combined potential.