QuadriE is an independent research and development company focused on the valorisation of organic materials through electrochemistry. We develop technology at the intersection of organic chemistry, biotechnology, and electrochemical engineering — from sustainable energy storage to the recovery of valuable compounds from organic residual streams.
QuadriE is not a product company. We develop intellectual property, lead research consortia, and work with academic and industrial partners to bring novel electrochemical concepts from the laboratory to application. Our model is deliberately lean: deep expertise, strong partnerships, and a focus on innovation that matters.
Founder: Lex van Dijk
QuadriE was founded in 2022 by Lex van Dijk — an entrepreneur with a lifelong focus on separation technology, membranes, and sustainable process engineering. Alongside his work at QuadriE, Lex serves as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Colubris Cleantech, one of the leading companies in industrial wastewater treatment and bioresource recovery.
Lex has founded and successfully exited three companies in industrial separation and water technology: Triqua BV — one of the early front-runners in membrane bioreactor technology; Sustec BV — development of sludge processing technologies including continuous Thermal Hydrolysis; and BLUE-TEC BV — innovative membrane systems including membrane chemosorption, membrane distillation, and forward osmosis, acquired by Colubris Cleantech.
QuadriE represents the next chapter: a platform for innovation in organic electrochemistry, built on decades of practical experience in membranes, process design, and consortium leadership — and driven by a genuine curiosity about where the chemistry leads next.
“What I enjoy is finding problems worth solving, assembling the right people around them, and developing technology that genuinely moves things forward.”
— Lex van Dijk, founder QuadriE
Track Record
QuadriE builds on a track record of building companies at the frontier of separation and water technology:
| Year | Company / Milestone | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1996–2008 | Triqua BV | Front-runner in membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology and membrane filtration for water treatment — founded and successfully exited |
| 2008–2014 | Sustec BV | Development and realisation of sludge processing technologies, including continuous Thermal Hydrolysis (TH) for sewage sludge — founded and successfully exited |
| 2014–2021 | BLUE-TEC BV | Innovative membrane systems: membrane chemosorption, membrane distillation, forward osmosis — founded and acquired by Colubris Cleantech |
| 2022 | QuadriE BV founded | R&D platform for organic electrochemistry; initiated NewBat TKI consortium |
| 2023 | NewBat consortium launched | TKI Urban Energy funding awarded; consortium of 5 partners, led by QuadriE |
| 2026 | Patent trajectory initiated | Proprietary membrane modification strategy — patent application in preparation |
| 2027 | NewBat Phase 1 target | Bench-scale validation complete; roadmap to demo scale (TRL 5–7) |
Academic Collaboration
QuadriE maintains an active collaboration with the Membrane Materials and Processes group at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). This collaboration is the scientific backbone of the NewBat project — combining QuadriE’s entrepreneurial and engineering expertise with TU/e’s leading membrane research capabilities.
In addition, QuadriE works with Wageningen University & Research (WUR) on the valorisation of organic residual streams — exploring whether electrochemically active compounds naturally present in organic waste can be harnessed as functional materials for electrochemical applications.
These academic partnerships are not transactional. They reflect a shared interest in pushing the boundaries of what organic electrochemistry can do — and in making that work relevant beyond the laboratory.
How QuadriE Works
QuadriE operates as a focused innovation platform, not as a full-scale product or engineering company. This is a deliberate choice:
- We lead and participate in publicly funded research consortia (TKI, STOWA and European programmes)
- We develop intellectual property and retain ownership as consortium leader
- We work with specialist partners for laboratory execution, engineering, and system integration
- We do not manufacture products or operate production facilities
- We license technology or transfer IP to industrial partners ready to scale
Location
QuadriE BV is based in the Wageningen region, the Netherlands. Laboratory work, testing, and experimental development are conducted in close cooperation with our research partners at their facilities.
Interested in Working Together?
QuadriE welcomes conversations with researchers, companies, and funding organisations exploring the potential of organic electrochemistry — whether in energy storage, resource valorisation, or adjacent fields.