The North Adriatic connects hydrogen innovation, international cooperation, SME funding and investment in an expanding European ecosystem.
The Hydrogen Ecosystem North Adriatic is entering a new phase, moving from the creation of a pioneering cross-border Hydrogen Valley towards a broader platform for innovation, international cooperation, investment and market deployment.
The evolution has been closely linked to the Hydrogen Ecosystem North Adriatic Conference. What began in 2021 as a meeting point for industry and institutions helped catalyse cooperation between Croatia, Slovenia and the Italian Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. This was followed by formal political support, when representatives of the three territories signed a Joint Letter of Intent in March 2022, paving the way for the establishment of the North Adriatic Hydrogen Valley (NAHV).
Since then, the ecosystem has expanded through complementary initiatives including NACHIP, NASCHA and H2READY. In parallel, ECUBES initiated Oryx Green Adriatic Blue (OGAB), extending the North Adriatic cooperation beyond Europe towards international renewable hydrogen supply chains. The Conference has accompanied and catalysed this evolution, developing from a meeting point for cross-border cooperation into a platform for innovation, investment and market deployment.
This autumn brings that development into focus: the NACHIP Second Open Call is now open, the NASCHA First Open Call is approaching, and the wider ecosystem will meet on 11th-12th November 2026 at the Sixth Hydrogen Ecosystem North Adriatic Conference in Gorizia and Nova Gorica.
A cross-border ecosystem moving towards deployment
Today, the Hydrogen Ecosystem North Adriatic connects more than sixty organisations across industry, research, public authorities, municipalities and innovation networks.
NAHV provides the wider framework for hydrogen production, industrial use, transport and cross-border cooperation. NACHIP focuses on validating and demonstrating clean hydrogen technologies in manufacturing, urban areas and mobility. NASCHA extends this work through Smart Communities of Practice, locally anchored hydrogen applications and investor readiness. H2READY supports municipalities in creating the conditions for hydrogen deployment. The OGAB initiative adds an international dimension, supporting renewable hydrogen supply and large-scale storage and transmission.
The common objective is practical: to connect promising technologies with real environments, relevant partners, and the financing needed to move towards commercial deployment.
Sixth HE Conference: Where the ecosystem comes together
The annual Hydrogen Ecosystem North Adriatic Conference is where these initiatives, partners and the wider European hydrogen community come together. Its sixth edition will take place on 11th–12th November 2026 in Gorizia, Italy, and Nova Gorica, Slovenia.
Under the theme “At the intersection of EU sovereignty, industrial competitiveness and climate action”, the Conference will connect hydrogen deployment with Europe’s wider priorities around energy resilience, industrial competitiveness, innovation and investment.
The programme brings together industry leaders, policymakers, researchers, investors, public authorities and Hydrogen Valleys. Day one in Gorizia focuses on European energy resilience, the evolution of the hydrogen economy, innovation, infrastructure and industrial competitiveness. Day two in Nova Gorica turns towards implementation, with the Third HE Report, NAHV, NACHIP, NASCHA and H2READY, Smart Specialisation Strategies, access to finance and cooperation between European Hydrogen Valleys.
NACHIP Second Open Call: Funding hydrogen solutions
For SMEs ready to validate technologies in real environments, the NACHIP Second Open Call is now open.
Applications are accepted from the 7th September to 9th November 2026. The call has a total budget of €560,000, with individual SMEs able to receive up to €60,000 and consortia of up to three SMEs up to €180,000. Projects are funded at 100% through a lump-sum grant scheme.
The call targets innovative technologies, components, services and solutions that can complement NACHIP’s five pilot activities across Croatia, Slovenia and Italy. These include hydrogen production from wave energy in Pag, hydrogen use in the urban environment in Velenje, Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier technology in Torviscosa, hydrogen transportation cylinders in Udine and gasification of waste materials in Zagreb.
The focus is on practical challenges linked to hydrogen production, storage, transport, end use, safety, monitoring, digitalisation, certification and process optimisation. Selected SMEs will work alongside NACHIP partners and receive technical mentoring to support integration with the relevant pilot and value chain.
NASCHA First Open Call: The next opportunity for SMEs
The next funding opportunity will come through the North Adriatic Smart Communities Hydrogen Accelerator (NASCHA), which is preparing its First Open Call for SMEs developing high-TRL hydrogen solutions with potential for market scalability.
The call is expected to open at the end of 2026. SMEs will be able to receive up to €60,000 per project, with projects expected to run for between six and nine months. Across its two Open Calls, NASCHA will allocate a total of €1.2m in cascade funding to support up to 20 SMEs.
The Open Call will support the validation and demonstration of NASCHA solutions in new sectors. The project is centred on three Smart Communities of Practice in Ajdovščina, Celje and Cres, together with cross-cutting solutions linked to hydrogen storage and distribution. Selected SMEs will also receive mentoring from NASCHA partners to support technology maturation, market scaling and investor readiness.
From funding to investment readiness
NACHIP and NASCHA show how the Hydrogen Ecosystem North Adriatic is moving beyond isolated demonstration projects.
For SMEs, the value is not only access to grant funding. Participation can provide entry into real pilot environments, technical mentoring, industry contacts and connections with potential investors and future users.
The wider ecosystem reinforces this pathway through the HE Listing and HE Pitching. Through HE Listing, innovators can present their technologies, investment propositions and funding needs within a curated environment connecting them with financing partners. HE Pitching provides selected companies with the opportunity to present directly to investors, industry representatives and other ecosystem stakeholders.
Together, these mechanisms help create continuity between public funding and market development, supporting promising technologies as they move from demonstration towards investment readiness, partnerships and commercial scale-up.
How to get involved
The coming months provide several entry points into the Hydrogen Ecosystem North Adriatic.
SMEs can apply now to the NACHIP Second Open Call and follow the upcoming NASCHA First Open Call. Innovators, investors, industry representatives, policymakers, researchers and public authorities can also join the ecosystem at the sixth Hydrogen Ecosystem North Adriatic Conference on 11th-12th November 2026 in Gorizia and Nova Gorica.
Those looking to engage with the investment side of the ecosystem can also explore the HE Listing and HE Pitching.
Together, these activities reflect the wider objective of the North Adriatic: to turn hydrogen innovation into practical deployment, scalable business opportunities and stronger cross-border value chains.
Further information
Hydrogen Ecosystem North Adriatic
www.hydrogen-ecosystem.eu/
www.linkedin.com/company/hydrogen-ecosystem/
NAHV
www.nahv.eu
www.linkedin.com/company/nahv/
NACHIP
www.nachip.eu/
www.linkedin.com/company/nachip/
NASCHA
www.nascha.eu/
www.linkedin.com/company/nascha/
Disclaimer
NAHV is Co-funded by the European Union. The project is supported by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership and its members.
NACHIP and NASCHA are co-financed by the European Union through the Interregional Innovation Investments (I3) Instrument implemented by EISMEA. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the respective granting authorities. Neither the European Union nor the granting authorities can be held responsible for them.
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