Infinite Foundry, a Portuguese deep-tech company building real-time Digital Twins for industrial operations, is part of the first HARD2SCALE cohort — the EU-funded cross-border accelerator supporting digital and deep-tech startups scaling their solutions across Europe’s Energy Intensive Industries (EII) and Hard-to-Abate (HtA) sectors. In this interview, Sales & Customer Success Manager Maria Ribeiro reflects on the challenges of bringing a broad, powerful platform to demanding industrial markets, and on what the programme has helped the company achieve so far.

COMPANY PROFILE

Company	Infinite Foundry
Headquarters	Portugal
Sector	Industrial technology / Digital Twins
Product	Real-time, physics-based Digital Twins for industrial operations — live 3D replicas of factories, logistics operations and industrial environments, combining real-time data, simulation, virtual sensors and AI
Interviewee	Maria Ribeiro, Sales & Customer Success Manager
Programme	HARD2SCALE — Cohort 1

1. Please introduce yourself, your company, and your product/service in 2–3 sentences.

My name is Maria Ribeiro, and I am Sales & Customer Success Manager at Infinite Foundry, a Portuguese technology company specialising in real-time, physics-based Digital Twins for industrial operations. Our platform creates live 3D replicas of factories, logistics operations and industrial environments, combining real-time data, simulation, virtual sensors and AI to help companies monitor, predict and optimise their processes before making physical changes.

2. Before joining HARD2SCALE, what were the main challenges your startup faced when approaching Energy Intensive Industries or Hard-to-Abate sectors?

Before joining HARD2SCALE, one of our main challenges was translating a very powerful and technically broad solution into a clear and focused message for Energy Intensive Industries and sectors. We knew that our technology could support energy optimisation, waste reduction, emissions tracking, quality improvement and operational efficiency, but it was not always easy to decide which use case should lead the conversation.

Another challenge was the complexity of these sectors. Energy Intensive Industries have long decision cycles, strong technical requirements and a high need for proof before adopting new technologies. As a young and small company, we are often very focused on immediate tasks, client delivery and daily operations, so it can be difficult to step back and structure the broader business approach.

3. What motivated you to apply for the HARD2SCALE programme, and what were your initial expectations?

We applied to HARD2SCALE because the programme was strongly aligned with our ambition to scale our Digital Twin solutions in industrial sectors where energy efficiency, decarbonisation and operational resilience are becoming increasingly important. We wanted support in refining our business strategy, validating the right use cases for Energy Intensive Industries and understanding how to better position Infinite Foundry in European industrial ecosystems.

Our initial expectation was to receive practical guidance, access to relevant networks and support in preparing a more structured go-to-market strategy for these sectors.

4. Which activities or components of the programme were most relevant to your startup, and why?

The most relevant components so far have been the mentoring sessions, the business plan review, the workshops and the strategic discussions around positioning and use-case focus.

The mentoring has been especially useful because it forced us to look at the company from a broader perspective, not only from the perspective of ongoing tasks. The feedback on our vision, mission, values, OKRs and positioning helped us clarify what makes Infinite Foundry different and how we should communicate it to industrial buyers.

The workshops have also been very valuable because they bring structure, external perspective and useful examples from other companies and ecosystems.

5. What concrete progress or results has your startup achieved during the programme so far?

So far, we have made concrete progress in refining our business development and strategy plan. We have clarified our strategic goals, reviewed our positioning, improved the way we describe our value proposition, and started to define more realistic and measurable OKRs.

We also started to narrow our commercial message around real-time operational optimisation as the lead use case, with ESG, energy efficiency, quality, productivity and asset performance presented as measurable outcomes. This is helping us avoid a message that is too broad and making our value proposition easier to understand for new industrial buyers.

6. How has HARD2SCALE influenced your technology, business model, or go-to-market strategy for EII and HtA sectors?

HARD2SCALE has helped us think more clearly about how to move from customised industrial projects towards more modular and repeatable deployment packages. This is very relevant for our growth, because our technology is strong, but scaling requires more than technical capability. It requires a clear commercial structure, a focused use case, and a repeatable way to explain, sell and deploy the solution.

The programme also helped us better connect our technology with the needs of Energy Intensive Industries and Hard-to-Abate sectors, especially around operational optimisation, energy efficiency, emissions reduction and measurable ESG impact.

7. Did the programme help you access new networks, potential partners, or investors? If so, can you describe the most valuable connection you gained?

Yes. HARD2SCALE has helped us access a more relevant European industrial and innovation network. At this stage, the most valuable connection has been the direct support from the programme team and mentors, because it is helping us prepare better for future conversations with industrial players, potential partners and funding opportunities.

The open innovation workshop and the discussions around possible industrial stakeholders are also important because they can help us reach companies that are already looking for solutions in digitalisation, sustainability and operational efficiency.

8. What has been the most significant impact of the project on your startup’s development so far?

The most significant impact so far has been strategic clarity. As a young and fast-moving company, most of us are often focused on daily execution, client work and immediate priorities. The world is changing very fast, especially in industry, energy and sustainability, and it is easy to lose sight of the bigger picture.

With your help, I have been able to learn, step back, and gain a broader overview of the whole business. The programme is helping us think, prepare and structure the basics that are sometimes forgotten when the team is focused on delivery and urgent work.

9. At this stage of the programme, which elements have been the most useful so far, and why?

At this stage, the most useful elements have been the mentoring, the business plan feedback and the workshops. The mentoring is helping us challenge and improve our strategy. The feedback on the business plan is helping us make the document clearer, more realistic and more aligned with our objectives. The workshops are helping me personally to learn, reflect and evolve both as a professional and as a person.

Both mentors have been helping me a great deal. Their support is not only helping with this specific programme, but also with the way I think about the company, our positioning and our growth. It is helping me become more structured, more strategic and more prepared to contribute to Infinite Foundry’s development.

For Infinite Foundry, HARD2SCALE has been less about changing the technology and more about sharpening the story around it — turning a broad, capable platform into a focused, repeatable proposition for Europe’s most demanding industrial sectors. With clearer positioning, measurable goals and access to a relevant European network, the company is now better prepared to scale its Digital Twin solutions where energy efficiency and decarbonisation matter most.