From student team to leading scale-up: the ten-year journey of Max Aerts and DENS

2015: The beginning

As a student of Industrial Design Engineering at TU/e, Max co-founded the student team FAST (Formic Acid Sustainable Technology) with his peers. Their mission: to develop a car powered by formic acid, offering a new way to store and use hydrogen. The team won the BrainsAward Sustainability Prize in June 2015, which brought their concept into the spotlight.

Learn more >

2016–2017: Scaling up and collaborating

FAST soon expanded its focus to larger applications. They built a range extender for electric buses using formic acid and developed a stationary generator for use on construction sites. One of their prototypes was tested on the N211 road construction project in Poeldijk, in partnership with BAM Infra. These early years laid the groundwork for what would become DENS.

Learn more >

2018: DENS is founded

In December 2018, Max and co-founder Tijn Swinkels decided to take FAST’s innovations to the market and founded DENS—short for Dutch Energy Solutions. The company’s first focus was on stationary generators powered by “hydrozine,” a fuel based on formic acid. Max took on the role of CEO.

Learn more >

2020: First commercial product

DENS launched its first pilot series of 25 kW hydrozine generators in December 2020. This marked the shift from prototype to market-ready product. These generators offered a clean alternative to diesel generators, ideal for use on construction sites and other off-grid locations.

2022: Launch of the Powerhubs

As hydrozine technology needed more time to mature, the team pivoted to a component that was already market-ready: the integrated battery system. This became a new product line—Powerhubs. Designed for the construction and infrastructure sectors, these mobile energy systems were built on hooklift containers. The launch got off to a flying start with the first four units ordered by Van der Zanden Moergestel and Weijtmans. The 2.3MWh Powerhub with a built-in fast charger became a global first—the largest mobile battery system in the world.

Learn more >

2023: Growth and expansion

2023 was a milestone year for DENS. The product range expanded with battery systems for electric construction machinery under the name DENS Powertrains, and development began on the Relly. In May, DENS moved into the former Lightyear building on the Automotive Campus in Helmond, increasing production capacity. Headcount grew from 50 to 94, and the company reported its first positive quarterly result.

Leaen more >

2024: Continued innovation

In 2024, DENS achieved its first full-year profit and expanded its Powertrain solutions with customers like Fundex, AMT, and Liebherr. The company also introduced a new stationary battery system—Gridhub—offering solutions for grid congestion, with clients including Porsche and Canpack. These developments further solidified DENS’ position as a leader in clean energy innovation.

Learn more >

2025: A decade of innovation

Now in 2025, Max Aerts reflects on ten years of innovation and entrepreneurship. What started as a student project has grown into a scale-up pioneering zero-emission energy systems. With a team of 131 employees and a growing international client base, DENS remains committed to powering a more sustainable future.