An exciting opportunity for energy storage innovators in North-West Europe to develop their technologies opens this month. The STEPS Business Support Programme works with small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and offers support to take their solutions from the test stage to market ready. Operating within North-West Europe (NWE), the free programme gives SMEs the opportunity to optimise their products and develop their technologies with real-life testing.
With the aim to drive energy storage innovation in the region and boost the competitiveness of its businesses, STEPS hopes to accelerate the sustainable energy transition on both a local and global scale.
SMEs developing energy storage solutions can apply for the call starting the 25 May 2021.
Energy storage (e-storage) innovators in NWE face significant challenges in getting their solutions to market, particularly when looking for opportunities to test their technology with real end-users. This can leave their development in a state of inertia. However, SMEs working to build a cleaner, more sustainable future should be given the tools they need to succeed and accelerate the green transition. That’s why the STEPS Business Support Programme is offering support to e-storage SMEs.
The programme combines business support and knowledge partners from Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and the United Kingdom to strengthen the competitiveness of innovative e-storage solution providers in the NWE region. A wide variety of roughly 20 testbed locations are available through STEPS, allowing SMEs to bring their products closer to market through tailored, real-life testing. With 10 partners specialised in a variety of e-storage areas - from technology to business expertise - the STEPS consortium provides a user-centric, demand-driven approach to developing e-storage solutions.
Knowledge and business partners will advise e-storage SMEs on entering new markets in NWE, engage with potential end-users, and increase the awareness of solution providers. Going further, STEPS will connect providers of new e-storage solutions with end-users via a business support programme to increase their technological readiness level through real-life testing.
Ian Ellerington, Head of Technology Transfer at the Faraday Institution commented: “We welcome the opportunity to assist growing businesses realise their commercial ambitions. Our links into the UK’s battery research and innovation network and base at Harwell Campus mean we are well placed to provide technical advice to businesses innovating in e-storage and help supercharge their route to market. We are looking forward to the second cohort of SMEs join the scheme, joining the 8 SMEs across 5 countries that we’re already working with on the programme.”
Through the STEPS programme, e-storage innovators in the region will solve local challenges and become formidable competitors in the global market.
Questions? Applicants in the UK should contact Ian Ellerington, Head of Technology Transfer, Faraday Institution or Camila Vila, European Projects Coordinator, Cambridge Cleantech. Help for applicants from other participating countries via the STEPS website.
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