EIC Corporate Day with Galp: European deeptech meets a Portuguese energy major
- ›The European Innovation Council and Galp held a two-day Corporate Day in Lisbon on 17–18 July 2024 to match 15 EIC-selected companies with Galp decision makers.
- ›Galp solicited solutions across hydrogen and sustainable fuels, batteries, smart mobility, renewables, carbon capture and energy optimisation and held pitches and one-on-one meetings.
- ›The event is part of the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme that has organised dozens of corporate-startup matchmaking initiatives since 2017.
- ›The EIC reports rapid follow-ups and deals after such events but early pilots and proofs of concept often face long validation and procurement cycles.
EIC Corporate Day with Galp: Innovation testing the energy transition
On 17 and 18 July 2024 the European Innovation Council and Galp, the Portuguese integrated energy company, hosted a physical Corporate Day at Galp’s headquarters in Lisbon. Fifteen European companies selected from the EIC portfolio presented market-facing innovations intended to address Galp’s strategic focus areas. The format combined short pitching sessions with scheduled one-on-one meetings between startup representatives and senior Galp decision makers.
What Galp was looking for
Galp framed the Corporate Day around concrete operational and strategic priorities. The stated focus topics were hydrogen and biofuels and sustainable fuels, the battery value chain, smart mobility, renewable energy, carbon capture and storage, and solutions for energy and cost optimisation. That mix reflects Galp’s dual role as an energy producer and a downstream operator that needs both upstream technology and scalable, commercial solutions for decarbonisation.
Format and participants
Fifteen EIC-selected beneficiaries from 11 countries took part. Each company pitched its market solution in front of Galp teams and then had dedicated one-on-one sessions with senior corporate interlocutors. EIC staff were present to facilitate matchmaking and follow-up. Manuel Mendigutía, programme coordinator for the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme, joined a roundtable on open innovation that included investors, university representatives and entrepreneurs.
The companies Galp invited
The 15 EIC-backed companies selected by Galp covered a range of decarbonisation and energy efficiency propositions. Below is a simple catalogue of participants with short notes where public information was available from company sources.
| Company | Country | Focus / public note |
| Alternative Energy Innovations | Spain | Market-facing energy solutions. Specific details not provided in the event notice. |
| BatteryCheck | Czech Republic | Predictive battery monitoring using telemetry and AI to forecast failures and support maintenance. |
| Brite Hellas S.A. | Greece | Listed as a participant. No additional public detail in the event summary. |
| DAC Sp.z.o.o. | Poland | Listed as a participant. No additional public detail in the event summary. |
| Deftpower | Netherlands | eMobility software and services for charging operators and eMSPs including integrations to major charging networks. |
| Drage&Mate International SL | Spain | Listed as a participant. No additional public detail in the event summary. |
| Dynelectro | Denmark | Manufacturer of solid oxide electrolysers. Promotes high electrical efficiency and dynamic operation for power-to-X applications. |
| Enerpoly | Sweden | Listed as a participant. No additional public detail in the event summary. |
| Fibersail | Portugal | Fibre-optic shape sensing for wind turbine blades to support predictive maintenance and improved availability. |
| Gaft | Netherlands | Green Air Fuel Technology. Converts CO2, water and renewable energy into lipid feedstock via engineered microorganisms for SAF and other fuels. |
| Sakowin | France | Deeptech plasmalysis for methane decomposition into hydrogen and solid carbon. Claims lower electricity use than electrolysis and on-site modular systems. |
| Solar Materials GmbH | Germany | Listed as a participant. Company name suggests materials for solar technologies. |
| SolarGaps | Ukraine | Smart solar blinds that generate PV onsite and provide adaptive shading and energy generation at façade level. |
| Spacewell Energy (DEXMA) | Spain | Energy management and analytics software. DEXMA brand now part of Spacewell Energy platform for building and portfolio energy insights. |
| SunOyster Systems GmbH | Germany | Develops lightweight PV modules and 2-axis solar trackers aimed at constrained roofs and parking/ground applications. |
EIC Corporate Partnership Programme in context
The Galp event is one of many corporate partnership activities run by the EIC Business Acceleration Services. According to the information circulated with the event, the Corporate Partnership Programme has run initiatives since 2017 to help EIC-funded startups and scaleups meet decision makers at large European firms. Between October 2017 and July 2024 the EIC reports 70 initiatives with more than 120 corporate partners. Over 1,200 EIC-funded startups and scaleups and more than 2,500 corporate representatives have taken part and the programme reports follow-ups, pilots and commercial deals within six months of some events.
Quote and organisational intent
Manuel Mendigutía, programme coordinator for the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme, took part in a roundtable discussion during the event. He said the EIC’s objective is to connect pioneering startups with industry leaders to accelerate business deals and leverage European innovation. That stated ambition sits alongside the EIC BAS remit to offer support services that range from matchmaking through coaching to investor outreach.
What this means for startups and corporates
For startups, a Corporate Day is an opportunity to present in front of people who can become customers, pilot partners, or investors. For corporates the main benefit is access to screened, emerging solutions and the chance to accelerate testing. To convert these meetings into value both sides need realistic expectations. Proofs of concept may still take many months to validate. Contracts and procurement require legal work. Where strategic alignment is clear and a corporate can act as an early customer, a pilot can lead to faster commercial traction.
Caveats and the wider EU innovation landscape
The Corporate Day model fits a wider EU policy push to connect deeptech innovators and industry. It aligns with corporate open innovation, public support for scaleups and procurement for innovation. Yet it is important not to over-interpret early-stage metrics. Many pilots are valuable learning exercises but do not always lead to rapid commercial roll-out. European corporates and agencies have improved their venturing and procurement practices in recent years. Still some systemic frictions remain such as long procurement cycles, integration complexity for legacy systems and the capital intensity of industrial energy projects.
How to follow up
EIC-funded companies can continue to access EIC Business Acceleration Services and should use the EIC Community platform to track opportunities and open calls. Corporates interested in joining the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme can apply to the programme which targets large firms with open innovation strategies. For observers, the sessions provide a practical snapshot of which technologies corporates are actively sourcing as they pursue net-zero and energy security goals.
The Galp Corporate Day underscores the practical work required to translate Europe’s deeptech pipeline into operating assets that lower emissions and improve energy system resilience. The event offers useful contact points but converting pilot interest into scaled impact will require persistent technical, contractual and financial work from both startups and corporate partners.