Consortium Members

The Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya · BarcelonaTech (UPC) specializes in engineering, architecture, and science, with significant experience in leading the Innoenergy Master's program of the European Institute of Technology and Innovation (EIT).

The University Politehnica of Bucharest (UPB) is the oldest technical university in the country and one of the most prestigious educational institutes in Romania. The UPB is involved with the Faculty of Energy Engineering, the Department of Electrical Power Systems, and the Departments of Energy Generation and Use.

The Institute for Sustainable Transition and Development (ISTD) of Trakia University in Bulgaria was established with the support of the Ministries of Education and Science, and of Energy, the Confederations of Trade Unions, the Bulgarian Industrial Associations, and Stara Zagora Municipality, one of three pilot regions in the Just Transition Fund. The Institute is in close proximity to Maritsa East, the largest coal power generation complex in Southeast Europe. The ISTD is key in the transformation of the region to low-carbon energy and industry.

The Institute for Problems in Materials Sciences (IPMS) in Kyiv, Ukraine, was the centre for zirconia research in the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. The Institute has remained a renowned centre for ceramics research, building a profile in solid oxide cells (fuel cells and electrolysis), and has worked with many international partners in EU projects.

The Politecnico di Torino (POLITO), founded in 1906 from the roots of the Technical School for Engineers created in 1859, is one of the most important universities in Europe for engineering and architectural studies, strongly committed to collaboration with industry. The Energy Department (DENERG) and the Department of Management and Production Engineering (DIGEP) contribute to KICStartH2.

The University of Birmingham (UoB) hosts the Centre for Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Research (CFCHR), the largest research group in this area in the United Kingdom. It leads the UK Centre of Doctoral Training in “Fuel Cells and their Fuels” and the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking Master of Science degree programme in Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Technology (TeacHy) that started at UoB in 2009 and is part of the technician training in Improving the Knowledge in Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology for Technicians (KnowHy).

The Bundesamt fuer Materialforschung (BAM, Berlin) is a federal research institute belonging to the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. The activities of the Competence Centre H2Safety@BAM focus on ensuring the safety of infrastructures, plants, and processes along the entire hydrogen value chain.

UCLouvain actively participates in the R&I programmes of the European Union, notably involved in 176 projects within FP7 and 158 Horizon 2020 projects. Among Horizon 2020 projects, UCLouvain hosts 52 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and 31 European Research Council grants. UCLouvain is home to three science parks (Louvain-la-Neuve, Brussels, Seneffe), three university hospitals (Saint-Luc Brussels, Mont-Godinne, Sainte-Elisabeth Namur), two museums, and eight main libraries. Research is organised via distinct yet complementary research entities: 22 research institutes, research centres, and technology platforms.

The University of Udine (UniUD) was founded in 1978 to offer a variety of studies in the sciences and humanities and has since developed a robust scientific network spanning academia and industry. UniUD is the founder of the Lab Village, a regional research infrastructure that hosts laboratories and an experimental farm in the fields of mechatronics and robotics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, energy and environmental engineering, cybersecurity, and Agriculture 4.0.

KICStartH2 will work in tandem with Future.Solutions GmbH, an SME consulting company that supports businesses with expertise in fuel cells, hydrogen, and innovation management.