Connecting Innovation, Industry and Opportunity Across Europe
Welcome to the new Horizon Europe initiative designed to unlock the scaling potential of digital and deep-tech startups developing solutions for Energy-Intensive Industries (EIIs) and Hard-to-Abate (HtA) sectors.
These sectors — such as steel, cement, glass, and chemicals — are at the heart of Europe’s industrial strength, but also among the hardest to decarbonise. Across the continent, brilliant technology teams are already working on game-changing solutions. What many of them lack is not talent or innovation — but access: access to markets, access to investors, and access to interconnected ecosystems ready to support their growth.
HARD2SCALE is here to change that.
A project built to bridge gaps
Europe’s innovation landscape is rich, diverse and full of potential — yet often fragmented. Startups in emerging or moderate innovation regions face challenges in entering high-value markets or attracting the right investors. At the same time, industries seeking clean, efficient and competitive solutions struggle to connect with the right technologies.
HARD2SCALE brings together eight experienced partners from across Europe to help overcome this divide. From June 2025 to December 2027, the project will:
- Map the landscape of hard-to-abate industries and identify their priority challenges;
- Strengthen connections between 16 regional innovation ecosystems;
- Develop a cross-border Acceleration Programme designed specifically for digital and deep-tech startups;
- Support “Go to Market” and “Go to Funding” strategies that turn prototypes into industry-ready solutions;
- Build a dynamic online community of startups, corporates, investors, researchers and policymakers;
- Create a Europe-wide stakeholder map and knowledge base to foster long-term collaboration.
What to expect in the coming months
Our team is currently completing an in-depth analysis across the European Union to understand:
- where innovation is thriving,
- where support is most needed,
- and which technologies offer the strongest potential for decarbonising industrial sectors.
This work feeds into a series of macro-regional focus groups and regional workshops which are helping to refine the acceleration services and ensure they respond to real market needs.
Open Call for Startups — coming January 2026.
If you are a startup developing digital or deep-tech solutions with applications in energy-intensive or hard-to-abate industries, and if you want support to scale, raise investment, and enter new markets across Europe, then our cross-border acceleration programme may be exactly what you’ve been looking for.
The call will select the first cohort of 10 startups, who will benefit from:
- Tailored business and investment-readiness support;
- Connections to industrial end-users looking for clean and efficient solutions;
- Opportunities to collaborate with innovation ecosystems across Europe;
- Access to investors, corporate innovation ventures and funding opportunities aligned with each startup’s roadmap.
More details will be shared very soon — stay tuned!
Join us on this journey
HARD2SCALE is a collaborative effort to strengthen Europe’s capacity to scale breakthrough technologies, to empower startups, and to support industry in its green and digital transition.
Whether you are a founder, researcher, investor, policymaker, industrial player or ecosystem leader — we invite you to explore, connect and join our community.
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Article written by Sofia Baptista / EurA Innovation Ecosystems
