BOLD Moves, Inside Aquablu’s New AI-Powered Hydration Platform: Marnix Stokvis
In a corporate environment where wellness programs undergo evaluation based on their measurable impact instead of simply being there, a Dutch scale-up is still trying to influence the corporate setting’s view about hydration. Aquablu was founded by Marnix Stokvis and Marc van Zuylen in 2018, and it has turned hydration from a day-to-day water station into an infrastructure that supports daily productivity and physical health.
The major breakthrough of the company until now at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026 in Las Vegas is Aquablu BOLD. It is the cutting-edge and connected hydration platform that intends to offer data-driven driven, gyms, hotels, and public spaces.
The water consumption pattern is mostly confined to either tap water or large dispensers and has not evolved as quickly as the coffee culture in the office. Marnix Stokvis and van Zuylen turned the tables by emphasizing that hydration is not just a need but an infrastructure that is vital, smart, and attractive.
Reframing Hydration as Performance Infrastructure
Aquablu philosophy is based on the idea that hydration should help improve the daily performance of human beings and their health results, besides satisfying thirst. Conventional hydration arrangements, according to Stokvis, do not really connect consumers significantly. Since about 80% of people do not drink enough water throughout the day, their productivity and concentration can be easily affected.
Aquablu, on the other hand, is directly addressing this problem, and it aims to change the water supply into a positive experience. Aquablu refers to a whole service platform, and not just a simple piece of hardware. The company positions its product as a complete utility that might be included in the daily operations of the companies, such as the case of coffee or internet services, not the sale of machines.
This point of view allows for the quantification, control, and justification of hydration in terms of employee health investment, making it easier to measure and justify the cost of such a scheme.
Presenting BOLD: Made for Today’s Modern Workspaces
This idea has become more prominent lately in the form of Aquablu BOLD. BOLD, which was exhibited at CES 2026, is a self-standing system that does not need any installation and can be plugged in to work even in places with a lot of traffic. It is a combination of the finest design, best connectivity, and great customization. AURA, the operating system of Aquablu, fuels the whole platform.
It uses ingenious insights to bring about the consumer’s unique hydration at scale. AURA’s double benefit makes the user-friendliness and enjoyment of the consumers at the front and the facility teams’ rear-end processes simplified. Consumers interact with BOLD through a user-friendly interface and optional app connectivity that can communicate with wearable health data. This means that recommendations can be adapted to fit the person’s activity level, goals, or even the most recent workouts.
AURA: The Driving Force Behind Tailored Hydrating
AURA forms the foundation of Aquablu’s vision through its intelligence layer. It operates through a network of interconnected nodes and monitors user preferences, consumption habits, and system status in real-time. The information not only transforms the hydration experiences but also plays a role in making decisions concerning operational activities like stock replenishment, predictive maintenance, and usage statistics.
This is a great advantage for facility managers and operators, as they will need to do less manual work and the process will be more automated. The teams can control the performance of many BOLD units from the dashboard, foresee supply needs, and ensure that the service will be the same in all places. For those companies that want to have both the wellness impact and facilities management ease, the operational simplicity blended with engagement metrics provides a strong value proposition.
