Winning Innovation Fund funding is only the beginning: Lessons from three real projects

Securing Innovation Fund support is a major milestone. But what happens after the grant is awarded? From securing additional financing to overcoming technical challenges and reaching implementation, the journey is far from over. In our latest webinar, three successful Innovation Fund beneficiaries share their experiences, challenges and lessons learned — offering insights that go beyond the application guidelines.

Three projects. Three sectors. Real experiences.

What do industrial heat decarbonisation, sustainable aviation and renewable energy have in common?

Meet three companies that successfully secured Innovation Fund support and discover what they learned along the way:

• RIFT – Alpha One: Developing circular iron-fuel technology to decarbonise high-temperature industrial heat.
• AURA AERO – HERMES: Advancing low-carbon regional aviation through innovative aircraft technologies.
• Green Genius – INNO-SOLVE-GREEN: Combining solar PV and energy storage to deliver competitive renewable energy solutions for industrial customers.

Despite their different technologies and business models, all three companies were SMEs when they applied for Innovation Fund funding.

What can future applicants learn from them?

In this exclusive discussion, moderated by PNO Innovation, the speakers explore some of the most important questions facing innovative companies:

• What are the biggest challenges between securing a grant and reaching financial close?
• How important are project scoping and financing decisions during the application process?
• What happens when an ambitious proposal becomes a real operational project?
• What would successful applicants do differently if they were applying today?

Learn from those who have been through it

Whether you’re preparing an Innovation Fund application or developing an innovative decarbonisation project, hearing directly from successful beneficiaries can offer a valuable perspective.

Watch “Real lessons from three successful Innovation Fund projects” on demand and discover what it really takes to move from application to implementation.