Behind Emergi is a group of very experienced and enthusiastic individuals.
"I live by the words 'Luctor et emergo', meaning 'I struggle and emerge'. Implying persistence and belief in a better world, for me this reflects mankind's struggle with fossil fuels. Together we can create the sustainable world we want to leave behind."
"The creative use of data can have a powerful impact on people’s lives, but as Spiderman says '... with great power comes great responsibility!'"
"You cannot solve climate change without addressing the needs of people affected by it, climate transition needs to include social transitions!"
“Our work today shapes the world of tomorrow."
"If not now, when?’"
"At a time when our planet is deteriorating at a fast rate, with our choices of energy being one of the major causes, I believe that moving away from fossil fuels to clean renewable energy sources is a bold step in sustaining the Earth while mitigating the adverse effects humans have on the environment."
Richard van Hoolwerff is the founder and CEO of Emergi. Stemming from a strong passion for entrepreneurship, Richard’s focus is the development of sustainable solutions to solve social inequalities.
Richard has extensive experience in access to finance, innovation and entrepreneurship development, and believes these should go hand in hand with maximizing sustainability and social impact. His experience in a wide range of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa in the international development sector at both the NGO and government level has provided him with the opportunity to design, pilot and scale up a wide variety of business development initiatives.
Richard holds an MSc. in Cognitive Science, and MA in International Relations with a focus on Renewable Energy policies, from the University of Amsterdam. He also holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainable Business from Cambridge University.
“Being a father of two adorable children has made me acutely aware of the world future generations will inherit from us and our shared responsibility to leave behind a planet that is sustainable. But for me, accelerating the renewable energy revolution is about more than just taking care of our environment. The true testimony of renewable energy will be its ability to produce and provide energy there where it is needed most, in the hands of people who have lacked access to energy for generations. This is why I founded Emergi, so we can play a key role to address these challenges.”Back to the top
Shravan is a passionate map enthusiast and geo data expert with a keen eye for harnessing data to drive innovation. As a member of the team at Emergi, he plays a vital role in advising our app development and the optimization of data collected through our services, helping transform raw information into actionable insights.
With years of experience, Shravan is dedicated not only to technical development but also to fostering partnerships with stakeholders to create Sustainable Mobility Plans tailored to the unique needs of the communities Emergi serves. His expertise bridges technology and collaboration, ensuring that our data-driven solutions contribute meaningfully to sustainable and adaptable mobility strategies in diverse urban and regional contexts.
Shravan is also currently the Director at TM Systems BV, a leading provider of GIS and BIM solutions and services, CyberSecurity for various sectors and domains. His mission is to use my expertise and creativity to create positive impacts and value for society and the environment.
"The creative use of data can have a powerful impact on people’s lives, but as Spiderman says '... with great power comes great responsibility!'"Back to the top
Youp is a Systems Engineer at Emergi Liberia, responsible for the operations and expansion of the Emergi project. With a strong commitment to sustainability, Youp focuses on creating practical and innovative solutions that address real-world challenges. He uses his expertise in complex systems engineering to ensure that Emergi's initiatives are not only environmentally sound, but also effectively meet the needs of those they serve. By driving projects that prioritise both sustainability and functionality, Youp is committed to making a tangible difference to Liberia's sustainable transport landscape.
Youp holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Groningen and a Master’s degree in Complex Systems Engineering and Management from Delft University of Technology, where he specialized in current and future energy systems. He is passionate about contributing to a greener future and has combined this with a research project on sustainable agriculture in Ghana during his Master’s degree. During his research, Youp learned the impact new technologies can have on sustainability issues, but will also have a positive impact on the livelihoods of people. At Emergi, he has found the perfect opportunity to combine his interest in building a greener future in the energy sector with his passion for working within the context of West Africa.
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Elvis is the Head of Operations of Emergi Liberia. With a deep passion for empowering and educating, Elvis is constantly driven by the power of innovation and the potential to create positive impact. As a Young Expert of the Dutch Young Expert Programmes and a fellow of the 2023 cohort of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network - Youth Investment Readiness Program (IRP), Elvis’ goal is to create decent empowerment and educational opportunities for his people by building impact driven institutions and businesses.
With a background in Civil Engineering, Elvis has honed his skills in Project Management, training and capacity building, and Architecture. Elvis served as the Campus Architect of LEAD Monrovia Football Academy where he was responsible for the planning and design of the campus facility. As a student, Elvis had the privilege to serve as a Civil Engineering intern at a few companies including APM Terminals Liberia LTD.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Elvis is also a writer and a poet, and a member of the Liberian Poet Society where he served as Manager of Review and Membership. Whether it's hobbies, or volunteer work, Elvis believes in making a difference beyond the confines of his work. He is a firm believer in collaboration and fostering meaningful connections.
"Renewable energy is the path to a safer and more sustainable Earth. This is the future... Our future."Back to the top
Selina Abraham joined Emergi in 2020 to support Emergi's activities as a Creative Director. She uses her design background as an architect to develop creative solutions to design more effective means of collaboration and communication. She adds to the creative vision behind Emergi, which manifests in Emergi's tech development, UX Design, branding, digital presence and print material. Selina's work includes the fun artwork and graphics that featured in the 2020 crowdfunding campaign to launch e-kekehs in Liberia.
Selina started her career as an architect in India. She is passionate about all things cities, especially ideas around inclusive urbanism. Selina has her own company, Urban Empact, where her goal is to investigate how people navigate and interact with their city. It seeks to help identify values that motivate people's behaviour to help designers, engineers and developers (co)create better and more inclusive cities.
Selina has a Bachelor's degree in Architecture and a Masters degree in Urbanism. She is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Amsterdam. At the UvA, she is conducting research on the Transitions and Behaviour (TransB) project, studying sustainable transition in urban development within the Transnational Configurations, Conflict and Governance programme group.
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Peter is a co-founder of Emergi, and he advises on strategy and business development. He is passionate about the transformative potential of sustainable business for people and the planet.
Peter has a decade of experience in energy and emerging markets. He has spent the past ten years advising governments and companies in over twenty developing countries on projects spanning renewable energy, transport and infrastructure. He lived in Liberia between 2010 and 2012, was an advisor in the President’s office and founded the Liberia marathon with Richard. He returned to the country in 2014 to advise the government on its response to the Ebola crisis. He is a Fellow at the Harvard Center for International Development and a regular speaker and writer on energy, Africa and development.
Peter has a BA from the London School of Economics and a Masters from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government where he was a Fulbright Scholar.
Aart Verburg, our chief engineer, is experienced in process engineering. He worked in upstream oil and gas, chemistry and paper industry. He was responsible for the execution and startup of small and large projects in Asia, Europe and the USA. He has worked with equipment suppliers, construction contractors and engineers from all over the world to create functional and often innovative designs.
