IH-MIE Open Call 2026 – Funding SME-led innovation to scale hydrogen mobility across Europe
Funding for up to 30 SME-led innovation projects that advance hydrogen mobility technologies from TRL 6 to TRL 9, tackling key bottlenecks in fuel cells, refuelling infrastructure, on-board storage, distribution, supply chain and integration with other mobility solutions.
About IH-MIE
The Interregional Hydrogen Mobility Initiative for Europe (IH-MIE) has the mission of accelerating hydrogen adoption, fostering innovation and strengthening Europe’s clean mobility ecosystem by connecting seven regions around a shared hydrogen agenda.
IH-MIE works through two complementary pillars: seven pioneer SMEs are already running real-world demonstration projects that generate validated, scalable use cases across the hydrogen value chain, while the Open Call will fund up to 30 additional SMEs whose solutions are meant to complement and feed into those pioneer use cases, reinforcing and expanding the ecosystem.
The consortium unites a Quadruple Helix partnership of 19 entities, bringing together industry clusters, research and technology organisations (RTOs) and pioneer SMEs from seven European regions.
About IH-MIE Open Call 2026
The Open Call 2026 follows a bottom-up, technology-neutral approach built around six strategic hydrogen mobility challenges, identified during the project’s preparation phase and validated through diagnosis activities. Any project directly addressing at least one challenge, while demonstrating a credible progression from TRL 6 to TRL 9, is eligible:
- Fuel cell cost and durability: more robust, efficient and economically viable fuel cell systems, through component innovation, system optimisation, digital monitoring or simplified manufacturing/maintenance approaches.
- Refuelling infrastructure: improvements to refuelling system design, safety, efficiency, interoperability and operational reliability, including solutions that reduce energy consumption, downtime or regulatory friction.
- Supply chain and logistics: resilient, optimised approaches to transport, handling, storage and coordination among hydrogen mobility actors, including digital tools and safety systems.
- Integration with other mobility solutions: technical, operational or digital integration with existing vehicle platforms, fleets, charging infrastructure and energy systems, including hybrid architectures and range extension.
- On-board hydrogen storage: safer, more compact and cost-effective storage through new materials, tank design, monitoring systems or end-of-life strategies.
- Hydrogen distribution: infrastructure, system interfaces or digital control solutions that improve efficiency, safety and compatibility with refuelling systems.
Each challenge is illustrated by a brief reference case from one of IH-MIE’s seven pioneer SMEs, spanning applications such as aeronautical fuel cell propulsion, onsite-production refuelling stations, modular transportable gensets, multipurpose electric platform integration and maritime hydrogen use cases.
Why apply to IH-MIE Open Call 2026
IH-MIE has €1.8 million available for this Open Call, of which at least €800,000 is reserved for SMEs established in Less Developed Regions (LDRs). Funding takes the form of lump-sum sub-grants at a 100% funding rate:
- Single-SME projects: up to €60,000.
- Team projects (maximum three SMEs): up to €60,000 per SME, for a maximum total budget of €180,000.
Payments follow a three-instalment schedule:
- 40% pre-financing, within 45 days of sub-grant signature.
- 25% after a successful interim review (June 2027).
- 35% balance after the final report, due by 15 November 2027.
Selected projects run for 12 months, from 1 January to 31 December 2027, and must show a credible pathway from a starting TRL of 6 up to pre-commercial maturity (TRL 9) by project end.
Who can apply?
The call is addressed exclusively to Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) under EU Recommendation 2003/361/EC, established in an EU Member State or EEA country. Applications may come from:
- A single SME, or
- A team of up to three SMEs, with the submitting SME acting as Project Leader.
Only one proposal per SME is eligible; if several are submitted, only the last one counts. Universities, RTOs, public administrations and large enterprises may join as associated partners, contributing expertise but not receiving funding, and their involvement doesn’t affect the proposal’s eligibility, which is assessed solely on the participating SMEs. Proposals involving SMEs from Less Developed Regions are prioritised throughout the evaluation to encourage territorial cohesion.
How to apply to IH-MIE Open Call 2026
Applications must be submitted online, in English, through IH-MIE’s dedicated submission platform. Late or incomplete submissions are inadmissible. Upon submission, applicants receive an automatic acknowledgement of receipt by email.
Applicants are also encouraged (though not required) to use the IH-MIE B2Match digital hub during proposal preparation, to identify potential partners and publish project ideas ahead of submission. Doing so carries a small evaluation bonus, explained below.
Important dates
- Open Call published: 3 July 2026
- Submission deadline: 25 September 2026, 17:00 CEST
- Notification of results (provisional ranking): 4 November 2026
Proposal requirements
Besides the online form applicants must also prepare a separate Summary PDF, used as supporting material for the Jury Day if invited. The form is structured into the following sections:
- Project identification.
- Team composition.
- Budget.
- Selected IH-MIE Challenge.
- Project summary.
- Digital hub status.
- Technical content.
- Work plan & milestone logic.
- Risk management.
- Expected economic, environmental and market impact.
- Support preferences.
- Summary PDF.
- Optional supporting information.
Evaluation and selection process
Evaluation follows a three-stage procedure:
1. Eligibility and Admissibility Check, verifying SME status, geographic eligibility, scope alignment, budget compliance, project duration and submission completeness.
2. External Evaluation by two independent experts, scoring proposals out of 100 points across three criteria:
- Excellence (40 points): innovation, state of the art and technical soundness (15); TRL and development pathway (10); programme alignment and relevance, including contribution to the six challenges (15).
- Quality/Implementation (30 points): work plan and milestone logic (10); risk management (5); team capacity and execution capability (5); gender balance, awarded automatically where the team exceeds 50% female workforce (5); female-led SME status, also awarded automatically (5).
- Impact (30 points): economic, environmental and market impact (10); Less Developed Regions impact, automatically awarded where the applicant or over 50% of a team’s SMEs are LDR-based (10); budget balance and coherence (10).
- A bonus of up to 2 points applies where an idea was published on the B2Match digital hub ahead of submission.
The minimum overall threshold is 60/100, with per-section minimums of 20/40 on Excellence, 15/30 on Quality and 15/30 on Impact.
3. Jury Day and Consensus Selection: the top 30 proposals above 60 points, plus additional proposals within 3 points of the cut-off, capped at 10% of total submissions are invited to the jury day. Up to 30 SMEs are ultimately selected, with unsuccessful-but-eligible proposals placed on a reserve list.
Additional support beyond funding
Selected SMEs join a structured, non-financial support programme running in parallel with project implementation, including:
- Investment assessment, evaluating funding needs, maturity and investment readiness.
- Business and technical coaching, covering market positioning, go-to-market strategy, investor pitch preparation, and technical support delivered through IH-MIE’s RTO partners, including engineering, testing and validation guidance.
- Training activities, structured around pre-industrialisation, validation and certification, business and market skills, and EU regulatory frameworks for hydrogen mobility.
- Investment planning and funding strategy support, including an Investor Day and expected participation in European Hydrogen Week.
- Regulatory alignment guidance to navigate hydrogen mobility standards and market-entry barriers.
Each project is also assigned a dedicated mentor overseeing progress, TRL advancement and compliance throughout the 12-month implementation period.
Final thoughts on IH-MIE Open Call 2026
IH-MIE’s Open Call 2026 offers a well-resourced route for SMEs already operating at TRL 6 to push hydrogen mobility solutions toward market readiness, backed not just by lump-sum funding but by a full year of technical coaching, training and investor engagement. Its emphasis on Less Developed Regions makes it particularly relevant for SMEs based outside Europe’s traditional innovation hubs. For applicants able to align clearly with one of the six challenges and demonstrate a credible TRL 6-to-9 pathway, this call is a meaningful opportunity to plug into a seven-region hydrogen ecosystem alongside established pioneer SMEs and RTOs.
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