Accelerating Innovation for Hard-to-Abate Industries
Hard2Scale supports European innovators working to decarbonise Hard-to-Abate (HtA) and Energy Intensive Industries (EIIs). We connect startups, industry actors, and investors to scale breakthrough technologies that can drive Europe’s green transition.
Below, discover how you can become part of the ecosystem.
Join us
Become paRt of
the ecoSYSTeM
Whether you are a startup, investor, industrial actor, or simply interested in the future of HtA and EII, Hard2Scale offers opportunities to collaborate, innovate and grow. Explore how you can engage with us.

Are you a startup in
Hard-to-Abate or Energy Intensive Industries?
If you’re an EU-based startup developing solutions for HtA or EII sectors, you may be eligible for our acceleration programme. Access expert support, visibility, and connections that help you scale faster.
Coming Soon

Are you an investor,
incubator or accelerator?
Join our growing network of organisations supporting Europe’s industrial transformation. Collaborate with high-potential startups and contribute to scaling innovative technologies for HtA and EII sectors.

Not ready to join yet?
Stay connected with the Hard2Scale ecosystem. Receive updates on activities, calls, events and opportunities as they unfold.
Project Partners
KiNNO Innovation Intermediaries Ltd. is an Innovation Intermediary Company committed to accelerating the market deployment of innovative solutions. Acting as a strategic facilitator between key stakeholders of the 4-Helix, KiNNO bridges the gap between research and market to enhance innovations’ impact. With a focus on deep-tech solutions, KiNNO ensures innovations’ sustainable and scalable growth by guiding organisations to navigate the full innovation lifecycle towards commercialisation. By providing services that strengthen the Knowledge and Innovation Capacity of the innovation ecosystem stakeholders, KiNNO focuses on facilitating the market uptake of Deep Tech Innovation, towards supporting the goals of the European Twin Transition.
ASTER is a Climate Tech venture capital firm based in France, with a focus on transforming hard- to-abate industries. They have over two decades of experience and specialize in sectors that are traditionally resistant to decarbonization. ASTER invests in mission-driven founders who are creating transformative change in sectors like energy, logistics, mobility, manufacturing, building, chemicals, and agriculture. Unlike traditional VCs, ASTER operates as an ecosystem VC, bringing together startups, corporates, and industry experts for mutual benefit. Their investment scope includes Climate Tech focus areas across Europe, the US, and Israel, from Seed to Series B stages.
ACCENT in Austria is known as Accent Inkubator GmbH, which operates as a high-tech incubator in the province of Lower Austria. They offer: business development support, IP strategy, funding and financing, access to investors, and training for various topics for startups. They are a partner at i2b and the AAIA, the two large business angel networks in Austria, providing startups with access to equity, know-how, and venture capital. ACCENT’s approach is profound and creative, focused and passionate, locally networked, internationally oriented, and always tailored to the specific needs of their founders.
VENTURE BOOSTER is a support organization with the mission to help the most promising tech startups from the Romanian ecosystem and from Eastern European countries, to increase their chances to scale up and become competitive in the overall European landscape. Based on the experience of its founder in risk finance, VENTURE BOOSTER aims: to support startups get the adequate mix of dilutive and non-dilutive financing allowing them to achieve their ambitious goals; allowing investors and large companies to identify “raising stars” corresponding to their focus and strategic goals.
INNOVA is a private technology accelerator, founded in Rome in 1993, specialising in incubation and acceleration services for innovative companies operating in cutting-edge technologies. Through specialised services for technology validation and transfer, market acceleration, intellectual property rights (IPR) protection, and internationalisation, INNOVA drives innovation, bridging the gap between research and industry, and contributing to technological advancements. With a highly qualified, experienced, multilingual, and multicultural staff the company offers unique outsourcing support from idea development to market launch. INNOVA’s technology transfer & valorisation trademark is recognised at the European level.
Merinova is a significant player in the EnergyVaasa cluster based in Vaasa, Finland. They bring together energy technology companies and organizations in the Vaasa region. Together, they form the leading energy cluster in the Nordic region, contributing to building a cleaner world. Merinova leads cooperation projects that often result in something groundbreaking: (1) New Business: These projects foster new business ventures in the energy sector. (2) Technological Innovations: They drive technological innovations on a global scale. Additionally, they collaborate with companies to build systems compliant with environmental and quality standards.
G-Force in Slovakia is a pre/seed investment and acceleration program that is part of the global Founders Factory network. They concentrate on decarbonizing the grid, fixing food and agriculture, electrifying transportation, cleaning up industry & buildings, and protecting nature & removing carbon. G-Force provides €250k in capital to build out startups’ propositions, products, teams, and momentum. Founders Factory has backed 300 founders with capital, hands-on support, and access to their global network since 2015. G-Force unlocks significant value from their network, connecting portfolio partners with investors, advisors, and industry leaders.
EurA Innovation Ecosystems is part of the EurA AG group, an innovation consulting company with over 20 years’ experience in advising more than 1,000 startups and SMEs aiming for a successful market deployment of innovative products and services based on newly developed technologies. EurA IE specialises in innovation ecosystems, with extensive expertise acquired in the EIC Business Acceleration Services, EIC Scaling Club, and EIC Innovation Ecosystem Partnerships initiative, among other projects. The main focus of EurA IE is providing high-level business acceleration services to SMEs, including matchmaking, co-creation with corporates and partnership development.







