An accelerator centred on smart communities of practice aims to develop three communities of practice and two innovative pilots based on breakthrough technologies.
Trieste, 26th – 27th November
Area Science Park hosted a two-day kick-off meeting of North Adriatic Smart Communities Hydrogen Accelerator (NASCHA), an initiative co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund through I3 Programme, which is managed by EISMEA (European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency).
NASCHA is created to accelerate the development and adoption of renewable hydrogen-based technologies in the North Adriatic ecosystem, officially gets underway. “We are well prepared to deliver on high expectations and contribute to the advancement of the transnational Hydrogen Ecosystem in the North Adriatic involving Croatia, Friuli-Venezia Giulia (Italy) and Slovenia,” says Alberto Soraci of Area Science Park, NASCHA coordinator.
The consortium involves 20 private and public organisations spanning Slovenia, Croatia, and the Friuli Venezia Giulia Autonomous Region (FVG), Italy, led by Area Science Park. Other partners of the consortium are:, CTS H2, OTRA, ECUBES, Inkubator Sežana, Jozef Stefan Institute, Energetika Celje, Incom, ETRA, Patria, Municipalities of Ajdovščina, Celje and Cres, PRA Porin, , Italian Business Angels Network Association (IBAN), University of Zagreb, Faculty of Engineering and Computing, META Group, META Circularity, Slovenian Institute of Standardisation (SIST) and STEMwise.
The project life is 36 months. The total budget is approximately €11 million, of which €7.9 million is funded through the I3 – Interregional Innovation Investments Instrument programme.
Important enhancement of the North Adriatic Hydrogen Ecosystem
NASCHA represents an evolution and an important extension of the North Adriatic Hydrogen Ecosystem. At the end of its cycle the initiative aims to converge with the NAHV AISBL, an international non-profit association in the course of establishment with the purpose to ensure the continuity of innovation actions of all EU-financed initiatives in the ecosystem.
The initiative aims to develop three Smart Communities of Practice and two cross-cutting pilot projects to bring solutions based on new technologies in the green hydrogen sector from a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 6 to TRL 9, thus making them ready for the market and for investment. In addition to developing three Smart Communities of Practice in the cities of Celje, Ajdovščina (Slovenia), and Cres (Croatia), aimed at demonstrating the effectiveness of different green hydrogen applications in urban areas, sustainable irrigation, and transport and mobility through the integration of innovators, businesses, public administrations, and research centres, NASCHA aims to strengthen the hydrogen production, storage, and distribution ecosystem in the North Adriatic territories. NASCHA integrates and shares knowledge between highly innovative regions and less developed regions in the EU’s hydrogen value chains, contributing to the European Green Deal, the Hydrogen Strategy, and decarbonization goals.
NASCHA foresees funding to SMEs to be granted up to 60,000 euro
“NASCHA helps accelerate the energy transition in the Northern Adriatic,” explains Alberto Soraci, the project coordinator. “It aims to strengthen the hydrogen ecosystem by contributing to the European Green Deal. It also strengthens cross-border cooperation and the integration of technologies in key value chains such as transport and urban areas, for a lasting impact that also includes the replicability of good practices by other regions.”
In its second year, the Consortium foresees a further involvement of at least 20 European SMEs through two Open Calls. The allocation of funds is dedicated to funds from target regions, mainly located in the North Adriatic, and other less developed regions of the EU.
“NASCHA will support selected SMEs through cascade funding of up to €60,000 each, an advanced business acceleration programme and investor readiness preparation,” emphasizes Soraci.
The project will also develop a series of tools designed to facilitate the adoption of the NASCHA acceleration approach in other European Hydrogen Valleys, thanks to standardised procedures, know-how for the selection of third parties, and matchmaking services for investors.
Photos: Giulia Coppetti and C.J.
