EIC-backed Valence Technologies hires EU-funded talent through InnoNext to boost polymer R&D
- ›EIC-supported deep tech start-up Valence Technologies joined the InnoNext programme to expand R&D capacity in polymer chemistry.
- ›Valence hosted Huzaifa Tahir through InnoNext, a fully funded innovation internship that aims to bridge academia and industry.
- ›Company scientists say the placement brought technical and soft skills to their research team at no direct cost.
- ›The story illustrates the intended cross-pollination between EIC and EIT programmes but raises questions about long term impact and capacity gaps for early-stage deep tech firms.
- ›An InnoNext info session is scheduled for 26 November 2025 at 16:00 CET for prospective participants.
EIC-backed Valence Technologies accelerates polymer research by joining InnoNext
Valence Technologies, an EIC-backed deep tech start-up focused on advanced polymer chemistry and listed under the EIC Transition strand, says it has strengthened its research capacity by joining InnoNext. The company hosted a funded innovation intern, Huzaifa Tahir, through the EIC Business Acceleration Services initiative. Valence describes the placement as enhancing laboratory work and bringing new perspectives to its R&D team while offering the early career researcher a bridge from academia to commercial innovation.
Why the placement matters for a small polymer start-up
Valence presented the InnoNext match as a practical response to constraints that are common for early-stage materials startups. Limited headcount and tight budgets often force founders and core scientists to split time between development work and administrative tasks. Companies in advanced materials need specialised experimental skills and repeated iteration to reach manufacturable formulations. Bringing in externally funded, motivated talent can temporarily increase throughput and diversify expertise without immediate salary commitments from the company.
The InnoNext placement: who joined and what happened
Valence welcomed Huzaifa Tahir as the InnoNext participant. Descriptions in the announcement identify him alternatively as a researcher from EIT InnoEnergy and as an EIT Manufacturing student. The placement combined daily lab work with direct exposure to start-up decision making and collaborative, small-team problem solving. Company representatives say Tahir contributed to materials characterisation tasks and brought fresh analytical approaches to polymer development.
Valence material scientist Hamed Abdolmaleki is quoted emphasising the practical benefit of the placement. He said that welcoming highly skilled talent at no cost strengthened the company's R&D work and gave the researcher a chance to experience the start-up mindset and technical skills rarely covered at university. Abdolmaleki added that the match exposed the company to alternative academic perspectives and that the arrangement "enriched both sides."
What InnoNext is and how it operates
InnoNext is part of the EIC Business Acceleration Services. It offers fully funded innovation internships with the explicit aim of bridging research organisations and innovators with companies to co-develop solutions in real world settings. The programme combines matchmaking, mentoring, and financial support and is open to beneficiaries of multiple EU research and innovation programmes.
| Feature | Description | Eligibility and notes |
| Core offer | Fully funded innovation internships to place talents into companies for hands-on work and exchange | Open to beneficiaries of EIC, EIT, MSCA, ERC and Research Infrastructure programmes |
| Support elements | Matchmaking, mentoring, financial support for mobility and placement costs | Designed to connect academic knowledge with practical application at SMEs and start-ups |
| Purpose | Help companies accelerate research while giving researchers industry exposure | Intended as a bridge from lab to market rather than long term employment guarantee |
| Upcoming info session | Online information session for prospective participants | 26 November 2025 at 16:00 CET |
Broader context for EU innovation ecosystems
The Valence case illustrates a recurring policy goal in the European research and innovation landscape. Programmes under Horizon Europe and connected initiatives seek to improve flows of talent between academia and industry. InnoNext aims to be one mechanism to do that by leveraging EU funding to cover short term costs and to encourage mobility. Such placements are attractive to start-ups because they provide near-term capacity without increasing payroll. For researchers, the placements offer exposure to industrial constraints and a different set of performance metrics than academic research.
What to watch for and remaining limits
Short term placements bring benefits but also leave open questions about scale and sustainability. A funded internship does not provide a company with durable headcount or cover the costs of scale-up infrastructure. Intellectual property, employment expectations, and the ability to convert short term contributions into long term roles require careful management. Programmes like InnoNext can be an effective part of an ecosystem strategy but they are not a substitute for follow-on investment, pilot facilities, or market access.
Practical takeaway for companies and researchers
For start-ups considering InnoNext, the programme can lower near-term barriers to experimentation and provide a trial period to integrate a researcher into the team. For researchers, it offers exposure to the commercial realities of innovation and hands-on laboratory experience. Both sides should use placements to clarify expectations around deliverables, IP, and potential next steps beyond the internship.
Prospective applicants and companies can learn more and join an online InnoNext information session on 26 November 2025 at 16:00 CET. The programme is managed under the EIC Business Acceleration Services and targets beneficiaries across EU research and innovation schemes. The announcement includes a standard disclaimer that the information is provided for knowledge sharing and does not represent the official view of the European Commission.