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©Mediaserver Hamburg / Fotograf: www.instagram.com/sascha_b_hamburg/ Bildbearbeitung:Doublevision
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June 10, 2022

H2 Startup Accelerator: The new initiative on hydrogen

©Mediaserver Hamburg / Hamburg Invest

Developing a global hydrogen sector is gaining importance worldwide. Green hydrogen energy is crucial to converting energy to renewable energies and to decarbonising industry. Thus, it comes as no surprise that more and more companies are investing in hydrogen technologies. Co-operation is the keyword for exploiting the potential of the hydrogen turnaround as building and scaling the value chain requires co-ordination between political decision-makers, companies and investors.

This is the backdrop to the latest H2 Startup Accelerator initiative launched by. Plug and Play. The global innovation platform brings together start-ups from around the world with partner companies and other stakeholders to explore and deploy new technologies through the H2 Startup Accelerator. This makes the project one of the world’s first hydrogen-centric start-up accelerators. The platform is backed by the Fraunhofer Institutes for Solar Energy Systems ISE and Open Communication Systems FOKUS in the field of hydrogen technologies and energy transition, digital transformation, and innovation management. Other partners are the U.S. Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), the City of Hamburg as well as Shell and  Phillips 66/JET. Their main task is to examine the submitted business ideas, and to identify and close technology gaps in the pilot projects.

"Join us and other actors striving for change to create an innovative hydrogen ecosystem in Europe and beyond. There will be up to two batches per year where we bring together the best start-ups in the world with the most innovative companies. The programme includes networking, events, start-up mentoring and possible investments."
Sallar Faridi, Director of Plug and Play
©Mediaserver Hamburg / Hamburg Invest

Plug and Play links up start-ups, companies, venture capital firms, universities and government agencies and supports its partners at every stage of innovation. The platform acts as an interface between research, industry and other institutions and is the homeport for the creation and further development of start-ups and their technologies. The scheme should create an open ecosystem for start-ups and innovation, connecting northern Germany and Europe with the global hydrogen sector.

Crucially, experienced industry partners will collaborate with these start-ups in different areas and according to their own hydrogen strategies. These companies will also provide access to the infrastructure needed for testing, piloting and scaling new technologies in transport, compression, H2-fuelled combustion and other fields. The City of Hamburg is particularly well suited for a green hydrogen sector, according to a recent OECD study. Thus the choice of location comes as no surprise. Hamburg has its own hydrogen import strategy and offers solutions along the green hydrogen value chain.

"We are very pleased that Plug and Play and internationally-known stakeholders such as Fraunhofer, EPRI or Shell, have chosen Hamburg as the location for the new H2 Startup Accelerator. Hamburg's goal of establishing the infrastructure for a green hydrogen sector by 2030 makes it a global pioneer of this forward-looking technology. The concentrated know-how along the entire value chain and proximity to the most efficient renewable energy regions means Hamburg is the perfect place to develop new business models for sustainably produced hydrogen."
Michael Westhagemann, Senator for Economics and Innovation

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Startup City Hamburg

At Startup City Hamburg you can find Hamburg’s inspiring startup ecosystem gathered into one space.


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