Open mind: Curiosity led Manas to Denmark

A simple online search was all it took. The search led Manas Dalvi from the bustling city of Mumbai, India, to Lyngby, Denmark. Manas Dalvi worked at a company with engineering projects centered around membranes, and a customer came with some questions that required further research. As Manas delved into the world of Forward Osmosis, it became apparent that the company Aquaporin was something he had to explore.

Manas ordered some modules for the client, but not long after that, he bid farewell to his family and flew to Denmark to study Industrial Engineering and Management with one thing in mind – to secure a job at Aquaporin.

"Moving to Denmark to study and work was challenging because most Indians typically go to the US, Germany, or Australia. Choosing Denmark surprised many, including my family, as the country is not well-known in India. However, Denmark turned out to be a very welcoming and warm country, more than I had expected," he explains and adds:

“Till this day my mother is still unsure where Denmark exactly is.”

Fast-track to developing new systems

For Manas Dalvi, coming to Denmark meant extensive studying, juggling work at Aquaporin, and maintaining a social life. After two years of studying at the Danish Technical University (DTU), a new life awaited Manas. He went from being part of the Aquaporin Academy and a student helper who had been in touch with many departments in the company to being a full-time employee with a lot of responsibility.

"Early on at Aquaporin, I felt it was the right place for me when I started to take on more responsibilities, and my managers made me more visible to the team. It made me feel welcome, and it gave me confidence in my work as I felt valued and part of the team," he explains and continues:

"I am being pushed now as I am developing systems. I like the environment where we mix ideas and thoughts around the project and develop solutions. This has resulted in the ESSENCE go system."

The ESSENCE go system is a mini lab unit that allows customers to test the power of Forward Osmosis. Having developed the system from the ground up has been a journey where Manas has used everything he learned as a student employee at Aquaporin and in his classes at DTU.

"I am both managing the project and dealing with different stakeholders, as well as developing the system with our partners. It has been an interesting process where I have gained a lot of valuable insights to further my career and expertise," Manas says.

One of the many responsibilities Manas has taken upon himself is looking into product development of the next generation of forward osmosis products. This entails a deep dive into the technical and regulatory aspects of the field, as well as gaining insights into the economics that drive innovation.

A journey in life

Having grown up in Mumbai, a vibrant and densely populated city, Manas initially found the transition to Denmark's quieter lifestyle challenging. However, he has come to appreciate the Danish way of life, especially the cooler and less humid weather. Despite missing the flavorful street food scene of India, he still gets to have a taste of life at its essence – Manas is currently working at preserving and concentrating flavors and aromas within the Food & Beverage segment, all because of the Forward Osmosis technology. During his stay in Denmark, he discovered that the country provides an ideal environment to foster his personal and professional growth.

"I feel like a sponge – I am collecting a lot of good habits from the many people I'm working with and applying them to my work. I get to learn about all aspects of life and people, but also sales and technical development," he explains.

Having gone from assisting with tasks to helping a bit everywhere as a student – Manas now applies all the knowledge he’s picked up to projects at Aquaporin, but adding new attributes to the toolbox is important – especially when you have only just turned 27.