EU cleantech delegation prepares for Gastech 2023: who the EIC selected and what they aim to achieve
- ›The European Innovation Council organised a preparatory workshop on 16 June 2023 for EIC-backed companies selected to exhibit at Gastech 2023 in Singapore.
- ›Seventeen EIC-funded start-ups and SMEs from across Europe and associated countries were chosen after a competitive selection to join the European Pavilion.
- ›The workshop combined market briefings, IP advice, and peer mentoring to help firms convert trade show exposure into business leads and partnerships.
- ›Speakers included Gastech commercial staff, EU trade officials in Singapore, Singapore Business Federation representatives, IP specialists, and experienced trade-fair alumni.
- ›The delegation spans hydrogen, low-carbon and climate technologies, water-from-air, air purification, catalysts, smart sensors, and forestry machinery.
EU cleantech delegation prepares for Gastech 2023
On 16 June 2023 the European Innovation Council ran a virtual preparatory workshop for the group of EIC-supported companies chosen to represent the European Pavilion at Gastech 2023. Gastech is one of the world’s largest exhibitions and conferences focused on natural gas, LNG, hydrogen and related energy technologies. The 2023 edition took place from 5 to 8 September in Singapore. The workshop aimed to ready the selected SMEs and start-ups to maximise the commercial value of attending a major international trade show.
Who will be at the European Pavilion
After a competitive evaluation process, the EIC selected 17 companies to exhibit under the EIC Overseas Trade Fairs Programme 2.0. The cohort was chosen for innovations spanning hydrogen and power-to-X, environmental and low-carbon technologies, process sensors and digital industrial solutions, water technologies, and bio-based materials.
| Company | Country | Short description |
| Advanced Microturbines | Italy | Developer of small, flameless combustion microturbines for decentralised power and heat applications. |
| AEInnova | Spain | Industrial IIoT solutions for high-temperature monitoring and battery-free sensors powered by heat harvesting. |
| APIX Analytics | France | Compact gas analysis systems and micro gas chromatography for biomethane, hydrogen and gas quality monitoring. |
| C2CAT | Netherlands | Custom catalysts for hydrogen storage, green fuel synthesis and green methanol using guided, multi-scale catalysis. |
| CASCATACHUVA | Portugal | Developer of humidity-to-electricity converters that claim to harvest ambient moisture for power generation. |
| CO2BIOCLEAN | Germany | Fermentation-based process that converts industrial CO2 emissions into biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoates biopolymers. |
| Electrochaea | Germany | Biological methanation technology using archaea to convert hydrogen and CO2 into renewable methane for storage and grid use. |
| GENAQ | Spain | Atmospheric water generators that extract potable water from ambient air using refrigeration and purification systems. |
| GrowPonics | Israel | Designs and builds automated greenhouses and hydroponic systems for year-round crop production. |
| Is CLEAN AIR | Italy | APA air pollution abatement systems that use water and mechanical processes to remove pollutants from ambient air. |
| MITIS | Belgium | Developer of energy converters focused on biogas and decentralised fuel-to-power technologies. |
| OTECHOS | Norway | CR-technology developer producing energy efficient pumps and compressors for industrial applications. |
| RISUTEC | Finland | Forestry machinery and mechanised reforestation systems designed for large scale planting and soil preparation. |
| SAKOWIN | France | Company working on decarbonised hydrogen production and solid carbon products. |
| Sensia Solutions | Spain | Industrial infrared and optical gas imaging and monitoring solutions for emissions and safety. |
| SOLARGAPS | Ukraine | External smart blinds with integrated solar panels for building-integrated PV and shading. |
| TWTG | Netherlands | Industrial IoT specialist providing ATEX/IECEx LoRaWAN sensors and sensor platforms for the energy and chemicals sectors. |
What the preparatory workshop covered
The one-day virtual workshop combined practical briefings about the tradeshow and the regional market with sessions focused on commercialization readiness. Speakers provided guidance on networking, business partnering, market specifics in Singapore and South East Asia, and intellectual property protection in the region. The aim was to help participants translate exhibition visibility into credible business opportunities.
Speakers at the workshop included Harry Kweku Harrison-Sumter, Senior Commercial Manager at Gastech, who set expectations on networking and partnering opportunities during the event. Jean Pierre De Meerleer Sánchez, Trade Policy Officer at the Delegation of the European Union to Singapore, and Ian Lee, Country Head at the Singapore Business Federation, advised companies on EU–Singapore relations and practical approaches to business engagement in the market.
The session also featured practical inputs on legal and commercial risks. Dr Karl Rackette from the SEA IP SME Helpdesk provided consultations focused on intellectual property in Singapore. The workshop closed with peer advice from Paulo Guedes, Chief Growth Officer at Omniflow, who had previously participated in overseas trade fairs under the EIC programme and shared tips on preparation and follow up.
Why the EIC runs trade-fair support and what it offers
The EIC’s International Trade Fairs and Overseas Trade Fairs Programmes are part of a broader Business Acceleration Services portfolio designed to help EIC beneficiaries commercialise and internationalise. These programmes offer curated access to strategically selected trade fairs, preparatory workshops, coaching on pitching and market entry, matchmaking services, and follow-up support. The goal is to reduce the transactional friction that deep tech and climate tech firms typically face when entering non-EU markets.
A realistic view on opportunities and challenges
Trade fairs are high-profile opportunities but they are not a guarantee of commercial success. For deeptech and cleantech firms, converting interest into pilots or procurement contracts requires follow-up resources, local partnerships and often regulatory approvals. Start-ups should treat exhibitions as one part of a larger market-entry strategy rather than an endpoint. Organisers and public programmes can lower barriers by offering matchmaking and post-show support, but private follow-through is essential.
Implications for the EU innovation ecosystem
Programmes like the EIC’s trade-fair initiatives aim to strengthen the pathway from EU-funded innovation to commercial scale. For climate and energy technologies the ability to access markets in Asia and beyond is strategically important. Singapore functions as a regional hub for Southeast Asia. Successful commercialisation of EU deeptech firms abroad can attract investment, create export revenues and accelerate technology diffusion. That said, systemic support must go beyond episodic trade fair exposure and include follow-on finance, local partnerships and regulatory support to materially scale impact.
Further information and contacts
More information about the EIC Overseas Trade Fairs Programme 2.0 and the International Trade Fairs Programme can be found via the EIC Community platform. Companies and stakeholders with questions about the programme were invited to contact the EIC Community Helpdesk and to select the category “EIC OTF Programme” when submitting inquiries.
Disclaimer: This restructured article is intended for information and context. It does not represent the official position of the European Commission or the EIC. Readers should consult the EIC Community pages and official materials for application deadlines and definitive programme rules.