Laure Claquin becomes COO Thorizon

16 November 2023

Thorizon, an Amsterdam-based start-up that aims to convert nuclear waste into energy, announced today that Laure Claquin will become Chief Operating Officer (COO) from 1 January 2024. Laure will be the third management team member alongside CEO Kiki Lauwers and CTO Sander de Groot. Thorizon has been a portfolio company of Participatiefonds Duurzame Economie Noord-Holland (PDENH) since last September.

Thorizon recently opened an office in Lyon. There, they are recruiting engineers to develop an innovative molten salt reactor in France, similar to what the company is doing in the Netherlands. Laure will lead Thorizon's upscaling in France and the Netherlands and will work closely with Thorizon's partners in France. The Amsterdam office now has 18 employees.

Experienced professional

Laure Claquin is an experienced nuclear professional 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'm thrilled to be joining Thorizon and to be part of such an exciting adventure. I'm convinced that by leveraging the expertise 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 laser-focused and well-connected leader who, in our belief, can shape the future of Thorizon. Under her vision and leadership, we will also grow our presence in France.’

Above Thorizon

Thorizon designs and creates groundbreaking technology for molten salt reactorsMolten Salt Reactors 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 it as fuel, combined with the abundant metal Thorium. The Thorizon One can deliver 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 power

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 invests at its own risk in companies and projects focusing on the energy transition, sustainable mobility, and the circular economy. PDENH has a fund 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