Acceleration Programme

First Call – Cohort Transportation, Logistics, Operations, Construction

Applications for the first cohort closed on 15 March 2026.

1. Introduction

The Hard2Scale Macro-Regional Accelerator is a specialized program designed to support startups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are developing first-of-a-kind solutions for hard-to-abate and energy-intensive industries.

These industries, as: cement, steel, chemicals, glass, non-ferrous metals, pulp and paper, heavy transport, etc., face significant challenges in reducing emissions. Hard2Scale helps innovative companies overcome barriers to scale-up by providing:

Open Innovation Workshops focused on business development and industrial deployment.
Matchmaking opportunities with investors, corporates, and industrial adopters.
Access to inter-regional, collaborative, public funded innovation projects.

The accelerator aims to bridge the gap between breakthrough cleantech solutions and industrial adoption, accelerating both decarbonization and industrial competitiveness.

2. Objectives of the accelerator

The program’s main objectives are:

Support commercialization of innovative solutions addressing hard-to-abate sectors;
Facilitate partnerships between innovators, industry players, and investors;
Enhance investment readiness and support fundraising strategies.
Promote decarbonization and energy efficiency across Europe’s most challenging sectors.

3. Eligible Domains

The accelerator focuses on technologies and business models with direct potential to reduce emissions, improve efficiency, and/or enable industrial transformation. The eligible domains for this call include:

Transportations and Logistics Operations: shipping, maritime; trucking, road freight; aviation operations; rail operations; logistics hub and supply chain.
Transport Manufacturing & Infrastructure Construction: automotive manufacturing, space manufacturing, shipbuilding; rail infrastructure and rolling stock; transport infrastructure construction.

We expect you to cover the following topics (but are not limited to):

Solutions adaptable across regions and regulatory contexts.
Solutions enabling the integration of new energy sources, fuel switching, the integration of new energy sources without full asset replacement – support for fuel logistics, storage, monitoring, and safety;
Retrofit-compatible, modular solutions that improve emissions performance of existing fleets and infrastructures;
Tools and solutions that support infrastructure planning, coordination, and phased deployment;
Solutions improving efficiency and reducing emissions in mission-critical operations;
Scalable, interoperable solutions that integrate with existing operational and IT environments;
Accurate, automated energy consumption/emissions measurement and compliance-by-design solutions;

4. Targeted challenges

As a direct outcome of the national and macro-regional focus group workshops organized during the preliminary part of HARD2SCALE that presented the results of the SWOT analysis in each country represented in the project and its broader EU macro-regional level, the discussions converged on a shared set of priority challenges perceived by stakeholders as critical for accelerating innovation and scale-up in energy-intensive and hard-to-abate sectors. These challenges, summarized hereafter, emerged as common macro-regional priorities, providing a robust basis for defining thematic focus areas and guiding subsequent HARD2SCALE activities and cross-border collaboration efforts.

Challenge Area	What Industry Needs	Relevant Startup Profiles to Attract
Low-carbon fuels & energy transition	Solutions enabling fuel switching without full asset replacement; support for fuel logistics, storage, monitoring, and safety	Alternative fuel technologies (SAF, e-fuels, hydrogen derivatives); fuel-agnostic systems; energy management and fuel optimisation startups
Asset lock-in & long asset lifetimes	Retrofit-compatible, modular solutions that improve emissions performance of existing fleets and infrastructure	Retrofit technologies; modular hardware; efficiency-enhancing components; digital solutions extending asset lifetime
Infrastructure dependency & coordination	Tools and solutions that support infrastructure planning, coordination, and phased deployment	Infrastructure planning tools; digital twins; simulation and scenario modelling startups; coordination platforms
Operational efficiency in live systems	Non-disruptive solutions improving efficiency and reducing emissions in mission-critical operations	AI-based optimisation; routing and scheduling tools; operational analytics; digital performance monitoring
Legacy systems & interoperability	Scalable, interoperable solutions that integrate with existing operational and IT environments	Middleware platforms; data integration tools; secure industrial software; interoperability solutions
Measurement, reporting & compliance	Accurate, automated emissions measurement and compliance-by-design solutions	MRV platforms; emissions accounting tools; compliance software; regulatory intelligence startups
Risk allocation & business case uncertainty	Retrofit-compatible, modular solutions that improve emissions performance of existing fleets and infrastructure	Retrofit-compatible, modular solutions that improve emissions performance of existing fleets and infrastructure
Asset lock-in & long asset lifetimes	Tools that de-risk investment decisions and quantify operational and financial impact	Startups with modular, scalable architectures; cross-border-ready digital solutions

5. Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet the following conditions:

Legal status: The applicant is a legally established small company registered in the EU or Horizon Europe Programme associated countries.
Stage of development: Deep-tech solutions positioned between TRL 5 – 8. The solution clearly addresses hard-to-abate or energy-intensive industries.The technology or business model demonstrates potential for industrial scale-up and market deployment.
Geographic scope: We target (but not limited to) startups from moderate and emerging EU countries.
Commitment: Willingness to actively participate in all programme activities (workshops, mentoring sessions, pitch events, etc.). The applicant agrees to sign the participation agreement and comply with program obligations.

The main definitions of the terms above are provided in the Guidelines document to be downloaded.

6. Application Process

Application form:

Complete the official application form on the F6S platform: https://www.f6s.com/hard2scale/apply.

Supporting documentation:

Applicants must provide a pitch deck (max 10 slides – please see the EIC Accelerator model) including:

The presentation of the challenges addressed and solution proposed
The presentation of the technology and its competitive advantages
Any supporting evidence of technology validation, pilots, or partnerships
Business plan and strategy
The public and private funding attracted up to now, the new funding needs and planned use of money
Profiles of the founding team and key experts

Submission:

Applications must be submitted electronically via the F6S platform: https://www.f6s.com/hard2scale/apply.
Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered.

7. Deadlines

Applications open: 18/02/2026
Deadline for applications: 15/03/2026
Evaluation period: 31/03/2026
Notification of results: 31/03/2026
Cohort start date: 01/04/2026

8. Evaluation Criteria

Each eligible application will be assessed against the following criteria:

Innovation and uniqueness (FOAK, novelty of the solution – incremental vs disruptive innovation, differentiation from existing approaches).
Potential impact (contribution to decarbonization, energy efficiency, or circularity).
Team capacity (expertise, execution capability, previous achievements).
Market relevance (fit with industry needs, demand potential, scalability).
Business viability (clarity of business model, revenue streams, financial sustainability).Readiness for scale-up (TRL level, risks map, pilot/demo results, potential industrial partnerships).

9. Evaluation Process

The evaluation will consist of:

Eligibility screening: verification of compliance with eligibility requirements.
Expert review: a group of internal and external evaluators will assess each application according to the evaluation criteria.
Final selection: a jury panel will have a consensus meeting to confirm the final selection for each cohort of startups and SMEs.Selected startups will be announced on the project website at: www.hard2scale.eu. All applicants will receive e-mails with the results of the evaluation process.

10. Financial and Administrative Aspects

The participation in the HARD2SCALE accelerator is free of charge for selected startups and SMEs.

The programme will not take equity in participating companies.

Selected participants must sign a participation agreement covering:

Confidentiality obligations
Intellectual property rights (applicants will fully keep the ownership of their IPR developed before or during the program)
Commitments to attend programme activities

Participation in the travel and accommodation fees for the immersive discovery of the advanced ecosystems represented in the project – Finland and France – is foreseen (up to Eur 600 / startup).

11. First Cohort Timeline