Benjamin van der Hilst

Biography

Benjamin van der Hilst is the Co-Founder and CEO of Avy, where he leads the development of long-range VTOL drone networks that support emergency response, remote monitoring, and security across Europe. Avy’s mission is to use unmanned aviation to protect people and critical infrastructure while building more sustainable and resilient societies, enabling faster emergency response, more effective environmental and asset monitoring, and new capabilities for public safety.

Benjamin has been with Avy for more than eight years, helping grow the company from an early-stage concept into an operator of deployed drone networks in the field. Having held the roles of CTO, Chief Commercial Officer, and Chief Product Officer before stepping into the CEO position in December 2024, he brings a rare end-to-end perspective spanning technology, product, and commercial strategy. A generalist by design, he thrives on turning ambitious ideas into tangible outcomes, building diverse teams, and connecting the dots between technology, business, and impact as Avy expands its networks and partnerships across Europe.

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