November 16, 2023
Thorizon, an Amsterdam-based startup aiming to convert nuclear waste into energy, announced today that Laure Claquin will become Chief Operating Officer (COO) as of January 1, 2024. Laure will be the third member of the Management Team alongside CEO Kiki Lauwers and CTO Sander de Groot. Thorizon has been a portfolio company of the Sustainable Economy Participation Fund North Holland (PDENH) since September last year.
Thorizon recently opened an office in Lyon, where it is recruiting engineers to develop an innovative molten salt reactor in France, similar to the company’s activities in the Netherlands. Laure will lead Thorizon’s scaling efforts in France and the Netherlands and work closely with Thorizon’s partners in France. The Amsterdam office now employs 18 people.
Experienced professional
Laure Claquin is an experienced professional in the nuclear field with over 15 years of international management experience at Orano and most recently as CFO and Deputy CEO for ETC, the joint venture between Orano and Urenco. She holds an engineering degree from the leading French institute Ecole Polytechnique.
Laure: ‘I am thrilled to join Thorizon and be part of such an exciting adventure. I am convinced that by leveraging the competencies from both the Netherlands and France, we can accelerate our time-to-market and strengthen our design and business model.’
Kiki Lauwers, CEO of Thorizon, is delighted that Laure is joining the team: ‘Laure combines strong experience and a network in the nuclear industry with international work experience in France and the Netherlands. Above all, we have come to know her as a razor-sharp and well-connected leader who we believe can shape the future of Thorizon. Under her vision and leadership, we will also grow our presence in France.’
About Thorizon
Thorizon designs and creates groundbreaking technology for molten salt reactors (Molten Salt Reactors or MSRs). Thorizon aims to accelerate the availability of clean energy. The reactor Thorizon is developing generates emission-free energy on demand and reduces nuclear waste streams by using them as fuel, in combination with the abundant metal Thorium. The Thorizon One can provide 100MW of electricity or 550°C industrial heat for use in industrial processes, such as hydrogen production. Thorizon is a spin-off from NRG, the Dutch producer of medical isotopes and operator of the High Flux Reactor in Petten. The company raised €12.5 million in the summer of 2022 to develop its technology.
Read more in: Molten salt is the future of nuclear energy
About PDENH
PDENH was founded in 2014 by the Province of North Holland with the aim of stimulating the sustainable economy in North Holland. The fund provides venture capital to companies and projects focusing on the energy transition, sustainable mobility, and circular economy. PDENH has a size of 85 million and manages a dynamic and complex portfolio of 29 companies and projects. The companies are actively managed by the investment teams and fund management. More information about the fund can be found at: www.pdenh.nl
