The North Adriatic Clean Hydrogen Investment Platform (NACHIP) is launching its Open Calls to provide targeted financial support to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) developing advanced hydrogen technologies. Implemented under the Interregional Innovation Investments (I3) Instrument and co-financed by the European Union, the Open Calls aim to strengthen Europe’s hydrogen innovation ecosystem by enabling SMEs to validate, demonstrate and deploy their solutions in real-life pilot environments across multiple regions.

The Open Calls are part of NACHIP’s cascade funding (Financial Support to Third Parties – FSTP) mechanism, designed to accelerate the uptake of hydrogen technologies with high market readiness. Through simplified lump-sum funding and reduced administrative burden, NACHIP supports SMEs proposing solutions at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) above 7, connected directly to the project’s pilot activities.

The Open Calls are open to SMEs with high innovation potential operating in the hydrogen value chain. Applications are welcomed from technology developers, component suppliers, hydrogen production and storage providers, digital solution providers, engineering companies and industrial service providers. SMEs may apply individually or in consortia of up to three SMEs.