The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and BMW Foundation have launched RESPOND Scaleup, a six-month program helping European clean-tech companies grow their operations globally, IFC said. The initiative tackles what organizers call a critical “scale-up gap”—Europe invents plenty of green technology but struggles to turn prototypes into commercial production at the scale needed to compete internationally.
RESPOND Scaleup builds on the earlier RESPOND Accelerator, which has backed over 65 impact-driven startups since 2020. But this time, the focus is narrower: asset-heavy, capital-hungry hardware like advanced batteries, clean fuels, and low-carbon industrial processes. These are the technologies Europe needs if it wants to lead global decarbonization and stay competitive in hard-to-clean sectors like steel, aviation, and heavy manufacturing.
Seven companies joined the first cohort. German startup Cylib recycles batteries using a water-based process that recovers over 90% of materials while cutting CO₂ emissions by 80% compared to mining. Israel’s H2Pro makes electrolyzers for affordable green hydrogen. Ineratec, also from Germany, turns renewable hydrogen and captured CO₂ into carbon-neutral fuels for planes and factories. Others include Kraftblock (thermal storage), Meva Energy (biomass-to-biogas), Prime Batteries (lithium-ion systems), and Traceless Materials (compostable plastic alternatives).
Heba Aguib from BMW Foundation says Europe’s problem isn’t coming up with ideas—it’s making them work at industrial scale. “The energy transition is within our technological reach…But only through implementation at scale can we build a truly future-proof society,” she said. Oksana Varodi from IFC adds that scaling breakthrough tech creates jobs and competitive growth while expanding clean energy access.
The program offers training, industry partnerships, policy talks, and investor connections. With IFC’s network in over 100 countries, European startups can also reach emerging markets faster.
