Acceleration Programme
Second Call – Cohort Materials & Resource Industries
Applications for the second cohort are open from 22 May to 30 June 2026 (updated with extended deadline)
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:
- Materials & Resource Industries sector (covering Cement, Steel, Advanced Materials, Aluminium, Pulp & Paper, Glass, Metals)
We expect you to cover the following topics (but are not limited to):
- Regulatory intelligence and compliance tools; permitting process management platforms; standardised certification support; advocacy and policy navigation services for cross-border industrial projects.
- Cost-competitive low-carbon energy supply; demand response & flexible load management; energy efficiency solutions that preserve or improve production performance; tools to quantify and communicate abatement costs.
- Drop-in or retrofit-compatible heat solutions; high-temperature electric furnaces and plasma technologies; hydrogen-ready burner systems; CCUS integration for process emissions; digital monitoring of transition-related process changes.
- Vapor water capture technology recycle; new materials than can be processed at low temperatures.
- Scalable recycling and material recovery technologies; end-of-life product traceability; bio-based or recycled alternative feedstocks; digital tools for secondary material sourcing and supply chain transparency.
- Access to industrial-scale testbeds and pilot facilities; patient capital and blended finance instruments; joint development agreements with large industrial off-takers; standardised qualification pathways for new materials.
- Structured corporate engagement mechanisms; techno-economic business cases for procurement decision-makers; credible off-take and pilot agreements; clear regulatory signals (e.g. CBAM, EU ETS) reinforcing willingness to pay for low-carbon materials.
- Standardised emissions accounting and reporting tools; real-time process monitoring and digital twin solutions; interoperable platforms for material flow and carbon tracking; regulatory-grade MRV solutions aligned with CSRD and EU Taxonomy.
- Targeted reskilling and upskilling programmes linked to industrial transition needs; digital tools that reduce expertise thresholds for complex operations; training-as-a-service solutions embedded in technology deployment.
- Regulatory intelligence and compliance tools; permitting process management platforms; standardised certification support; advocacy and policy navigation services for cross-border industrial projects.
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 |
| Energy cost & competitiveness pressure | High and volatile energy prices structurally eroding margins in energy-intensive processes (steel, cement, ceramics, chemicals, aluminium); limited ability to pass costs through to customers; risk of carbon leakage to non-EU competitors with lower energy costs. | Industrial energy management platforms; AI-based process optimisation and load-shifting tools; waste heat recovery systems; energy efficiency-as-a-service providers for heavy industry. |
Raw material dependency & circularity gaps | Difficulty moving beyond lab or pilot stage to first industrial deployment; high upfront capital intensity; long validation cycles for new materials in regulated applications (construction, automotive, packaging); limited access to shared industrial demonstration sites. | Deep-tech material innovators with mid-TRL solutions (TRL 5–7); green steel and low-carbon cement technology providers; providers of modular or containerised demonstration units; cleantech ventures with established industrial partners. |
| Customer traction & commercial readiness | Limited early engagement with industrial customers slowing commercial traction; difficulty demonstrating economic value beyond environmental impact; mismatch between startup pitch cycles and industrial procurement timelines; risk aversion among large buyers. | Startups with proven pilots and early customer references in B2B industrial markets; solution providers with structured sales and business development capacity; companies offering results-based or subscription commercial models. |
| Data visibility & emissions measurement | Fragmented and inconsistent emissions data across industrial value chains; limited interoperability of material tracking systems; inadequate MRV frameworks for scope 3 and embedded carbon in materials; lack of real-time process monitoring in many facilities. | Industrial IoT and sensor-based monitoring platforms; embedded carbon accounting and life-cycle analysis tools; digital product passport providers; MRV and compliance software for materials industries. |
| Workforce skills & industrial knowledge gaps | Shortage of engineers and technicians with expertise in hydrogen systems, electrification, CCUS, and advanced manufacturing; aging workforce in traditional heavy industries; limited upskilling pathways for green and digital skills; brain drain in some regions. | Industrial training and simulation platforms; augmented reality and digital twin tools for operator upskilling; knowledge management systems for process industries; EdTech focused on deep industrial skills. |
| Regulatory complexity & permitting delays | Slow and fragmented permitting for new industrial processes, renewable energy installations, and waste classification; inconsistent application of EU regulations across member states; uncertainty around hydrogen certification standards and CCUS regulatory frameworks. | Regulatory compliance and permitting software providers; legal-tech startups specialising in industrial authorisation; digital reporting tools aligned with evolving EU industrial and environmental regulations. |
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. Important dates
- Applications open: 22 may 2026
- Deadline for applications: 30 June 2026 (updated)
- Evaluation period: 1-8 July 2026 (updated)
- Notification of results: 10-17 July 2026 (updated)
- Cohort start date: 20 July 2026 (updated)
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. Contact Information
For any inquiries and clarifications, please contact us:
Read the full Accelerator Guidelines – Second Cohort and explore the Programme Timeline.
