Erik Pekkeriet is the Programme Manager for Vision + Robotics at Wageningen University and Research, specializing in the intersection of mechanical engineering and maintenance technology. With a BSc from NHL-Stenden University of Applied Sciences (1994), Erik began his career at Philips in maintenance management before moving into innovation consultancy in greenhouse horticulture. At Wageningen, he has led significant projects in advanced robotic systems for agriculture, including the coordination of of the € 150M NxtGen Hightech Agrifood program. Erik’s work now spans robotics applications in diverse agrifood domains, overseeing the Vision + Robotics program with a team of 50 researchers. His contributions have established him as a key figure in agricultural robotics in Europe, evidenced by his roles as the founding father of the agROBOfood Digital Innovation Hub, chair of the Greenhouse Horticulture Committee of the Dutch Society for Engineering in Agriculture, and an advisory board member for the European Machine Vision Association (EMVA).
