NACHIP is committed to accelerating hydrogen innovation and industrial scaling through strategic funding mechanisms. One of the key financial instruments embedded in the NACHIP project is Cascade Funding, a model designed to distribute financial support to SMEs and other key stakeholders involved in hydrogen-related technological development.
What is Cascade Funding?
Cascade Funding, also known as Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP), is a mechanism that allows projects like NACHIP to allocate a portion of their budget to external entities, particularly SMEs, through open calls. This approach helps smaller organisations access funding more easily, fostering innovation and accelerating technology maturation.
NACHIP’s Cascade Funding: How It Works
The total co-financing provided by NACHIP amounts to EUR 7.6 million, with approximately 82% of the funds directly supporting technology maturation. A significant share of this amount will be distributed through Cascade Funding, aimed at filling technological gaps and supporting pilot projects within the hydrogen value chain.
Two Open Calls will be launched to provide SMEs with opportunities to secure funding for developing hydrogen-related innovations.
The selection committee will assess applications based on feasibility, market potential, credibility, and integration within the NACHIP ecosystem.
Priority will be given to projects from less developed regions, including Eastern Slovenia, Mediterranean Croatia, and Central Croatia, which will receive 60% of the total financing.
Cascade Funding will focus on supporting technologies at TRL>6, ensuring that selected solutions are close to market implementation.
Why is Cascade Funding Important?
By leveraging Cascade Funding, NACHIP aims to:
Bridge the gap between research and commercialisation.
Support SMEs in scaling up hydrogen technologies.
Encourage investments in regional hydrogen ecosystems.
Strengthen collaborations within the North Adriatic Hydrogen Valley.
When to Expect the Open Calls
The first open call is expected to launch between M10-M24 of the project timeline, with a second call following thereafter. SMEs interested in securing funding should prepare their proposals based on the outlined evaluation criteria.
For further insights into Cascade Funding and its role in accelerating innovation across Europe, explore META Group’s article: Cascade Funding – How Innovation Accelerated Across Europe.
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