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In 2025, Ignite Group secured over €500 million in public funding for its customers, at a 95% success rate. A pattern sits underneath that number. The strongest applications rarely start with the strongest technology. They start with the strongest structure.
Companies embedded in a mature innovation ecosystem hold a real advantage when they position for public funding. The partners, the facilities and the value-chain links are already close by. But belonging to a prestigious campus or a robust network is not the same as holding a fundable project. This distinction is critical, and it is where CFOs and R&D leaders must align before the first application goes in.
Many innovators never bridge the Opacity Gap. Partners are brought in too late. Intellectual property (IP) agreements stay undefined. Private equity and public capital run on parallel, disconnected tracks, and technically strong projects miss the rigid eligibility windows of national and European programmes.
This is where capital is lost. The failure is rarely in the technology. It is in the project architecture.

An ecosystem is not a consortium

The distinction matters, especially under an evaluator’s rubric.
A consortium is built around a single structured project: a defined objective, a clear allocation of partner responsibilities, a fixed lifecycle. An ecosystem operates on a broader scale. Organisations in the same sector cluster geographically. They each execute their own roadmap, but they draw on a shared pool of specialised knowledge, infrastructure, customers and capital. Looser in structure, far more durable.
Brainport Eindhoven and Chemelot in Geleen are the most mature examples in the Netherlands. At a smaller scale, with different themes, the same dynamic plays out on campuses across the country, in chemistry, agri-food, life sciences and advanced materials.
In these clusters, the distance between fundamental research and commercial implementation is short. Research institutions pioneer the science. Start-ups and spin-offs, often from those same institutions or from large companies, translate it into applications. Scale-ups and SMEs handle industrialisation. Public bodies establish the infrastructure and the fiscal conditions.
As Bert Hegger, Consultant at Ignite Group, puts it: knowledge shared is knowledge multiplied. In a mature ecosystem, that becomes an operational reality.
For public funding, this proximity is an asset. It simplifies partner matching and value-chain integration. The challenge is to structure those relationships in time, and in the right form, to meet rigid application guidelines.

Funding providers back structured projects, not loose alliances

A campus location gives you access to shared labs, potential offtake partners and regional networks. It can also align your technology with the strategic priorities of regional, national and European authorities.
But a strong network is not a fundable project.
Evaluators demand precise eligibility evidence and clear project logic: a detailed breakdown of work packages, an explicit rationale for the collaboration, a defined technology readiness level (TRL) progression, and verifiable socio-economic or environmental impact. They also assess whether the co-financing is secured and whether the timeline aligns with the budget cycle of the chosen programme. Our Eligibility Radar surfaces which programmes fit a project before teams know to look, but the structure still has to be built underneath it.
This is where well-networked companies fail. They hold the ingredients but neglect the documentation discipline that turns them into an audit-ready structure.
The primary failure patterns are administrative, not technical: research partners brought in after the scope is frozen, IP ownership left ambiguous, grant acquisition treated as an afterthought to the venture round, or a project submitted to the wrong instrument at the wrong stage. Across the 15,000+ applications we have analysed, these patterns recur far more often than any technical shortfall.
These are preventable risks. But mitigating them means integrating the funding strategy into the R&D roadmap from day one.

Coordinated capital: how private equity and public funding reinforce each other

Without capital, innovation stays theoretical. For early-stage companies, the strain is acute. A technically sound project can stall if the company cannot fund a pilot line, recruit specialised talent, or establish a commercial demonstration.
In mature ecosystems, private capital and public funding act as complementary mechanisms. A venture partner invests €100,000 and expects the company to secure a comparable amount in non-dilutive grant funding. That structures a dual-track runway. The start-up extends its development cycle without compounding equity dilution. The investor de-risks their position. The founders retain control.
Venture investors prioritise commercial return. Public funding bodies evaluate innovation, strategic relevance and regulatory impact. Strong projects satisfy both.
This is why a forecastable funding strategy belongs in the capital structure from the start, not as an administrative task handled after the equity round closes. Public funding is a capital instrument, earned through innovation risk. It should be forecast like one.

The regulatory tailwind: why sustainability projects hold a structural advantage

Public funding is actively deployed to meet the regulatory mandates of the European Green Deal. Because those climate targets cannot be reached through private markets alone, projects in decarbonisation, circular economy and resource efficiency are structurally prioritised.
That prioritisation translates into higher approval rates, more flexible stacking options and stronger support for cross-border initiatives. A company developing a decarbonisation technology inside an established ecosystem starts ahead of most: supply-chain partners already nearby, and a topic backed by heavy public capital.

The architecture of mature ecosystems

Ecosystems do not mature quickly. Brainport Eindhoven and Chemelot have optimised their structures over decades. Emerging campuses are still building these capabilities.
Mature ecosystems rest on four pillars: a leading academic or research institution, one or more anchor corporates, access to coordinated private and public capital, and a sharp thematic focus. An ecosystem that tries to cover everything attracts no one in particular.
Anchor corporates matter most. They validate emerging technologies, serve as first-of-a-kind offtakers, and bridge the gap between pilot scale and market entry. Knowledge institutions strengthen the technical case. Public partners support infrastructure and regional development.
When those roles align, the funding case strengthens. The project is no longer evaluated in isolation.

The three operational failure points

In ecosystem collaborations, three issues repeatedly cause delays, partner disputes and funding rejections. They do not only strain the collaboration. They weaken the strength, timing and credibility of the application.
IP arrangements. Shared development requires precise definitions of background and foreground IP. Academic institutions have standardised frameworks; negotiations between a corporate and an SME, or between two established companies, are frequently left open. Settle it upfront. Negotiating ownership after the technology gains value is a high-risk strategy.
Mismatched time horizons. A capitalised enterprise plans on a different cycle from a start-up that depends on its next runway extension. Both positions are legitimate, but they lead to different priorities in a shared project. If you do not understand that gap going in, you will hit it later.
Relational trust. It sounds soft. It is an operational safeguard. Misaligned expectations over commercial exploitation destroy partnerships. Clarity on what each partner wants to achieve is the foundation everything else stands on.

Expanding the horizon: cross-border European capital

European innovation policy rewards cross-border collaboration, especially for projects that support strategic autonomy.
The North American market benefits from one large, harmonised capital market. European innovators must navigate 27 distinct national funding and regulatory frameworks. This is the Opacity Gap in its clearest form: capital that exists, structured so that the teams who have earned it cannot see the route to it. For a Dutch company trying to raise German money or add a Belgian value-chain partner, the barriers are real.
Integrating a technology partner or an offtaker from another member state strengthens the technical case, the market case and the funding route at the same time. Companies that design for continental scale build market share faster than those confined to regional borders.

Stacking European public funding instruments

The funding lifecycle combines several layers of capital under strict compliance guidelines:
  • Union level: The EU Innovation Fund, Horizon Europe, and Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) for critical raw materials and circular advanced materials
  • National level: Decarbonisation grants, industrial investment subsidies, and R&D tax incentives. These differ by market, so a Dutch project and a German one draw on different schemes, for example the Netherlands’ SDE++, VEKI and WBSO or Germany’s Klimaschutzverträge, KfW facilities and the Forschungszulage (FZul), the German counterpart to WBSO
  • Regional level: Local infrastructure support and regional development funds, often run through regional development agencies, that frequently combine with national funding
Not every instrument can be combined. Stacking is governed by strict state aid rules. Maximising funding leverage depends on project timing and structural design, and both can be modelled in advance.
The full funding architecture, including a worked example of a €65 million project in the Netherlands-Germany corridor, is set out in our whitepaper for CFOs, R&D leaders and innovation managers in industrial manufacturing. [Download the whitepaper]

Where Ignite Group comes in

We operate directly within Europe’s primary innovation hubs, because that is where R&D roadmaps take shape. Someone asks about a specific scheme. Someone else wants to know whether a particular combination of European and national instruments would work for their project. Sometimes it is ten minutes of advice. Sometimes it becomes an 18-month engagement.
Whether you are structuring a consortium pilot, protecting an engineering roadmap, or planning a first-of-a-kind industrial facility, the earlier the conversation starts, the stronger the funding route becomes. We know how regional, national and European instruments fit together, and we structure them around what your company actually needs, backed by the documentation discipline that produced a 99% compliance rate across government audits last year. For a CFO, that discipline is the line between non-dilutive capital and a balance-sheet liability that arrives by post after a failed compliance check.

Key takeaways

An innovation ecosystem provides the ingredients for a fundable project. It does not make the project fundable by itself. Evaluators back structured projects, not loose networks. Companies that get this right early, with robust IP frameworks, aligned partner timelines, and a public capital strategy built into financial planning from day one, secure capital that others miss entirely.
A network gives you the ingredients. Structure is what makes them fundable.
Let us map your project’s eligibility and show how the regional, national and European instruments stack. Get in touch.

For years, circularity was driven by environmental goals. Companies explored recycled aluminium, collected textiles and reduced plastic waste to meet CO₂ reduction targets. Important work, but often treated as a cost rather than a strategic investment.

That has changed. Supply chains across Europe are under pressure, access to critical resources is becoming less certain, and geopolitical shifts are redrawing the rules of global trade. Geopolitical disruptions have made clear how dependent European industries are on imported raw materials. Critical materials in batteries and electronics, essential inputs for advanced manufacturing, fossil-based resources for plastics and polyesters: many of these come from regions where supply is no longer guaranteed.

If you rely entirely on virgin materials from volatile markets, you are building on an unstable foundation. Circular strategies offer a way forward. By reusing materials, recovering resources from waste streams and designing for repair and recycling, you secure long-term production capacity. Not because regulations demand it, but because your business continuity depends on it.

The companies building circular value chains today are positioning themselves to compete on supply security for the next decade. The ones that wait will find the same options open to them, but more expensive and against peers who started earlier.

From green ambition to industrial resilience

Several sectors are leading this shift, each driven by regulatory pressure, material scarcity and growing market opportunity.

  • Batteries and electronics depend on critical raw materials that are difficult to source within Europe. Recovering these materials from end-of-life products is both an environmental and an economic imperative. The same pressure shapes the transition facing mid-sized metal and machinery manufacturers, where aluminium, copper, nickel and rare earth elements are strategic inputs under the Critical Raw Materials Act.
  • Packaging and food are transforming rapidly. From reusable cups replacing single-use alternatives at events to fully recyclable food packaging, circular design is becoming the standard.
  • Textiles, both bio-based and synthetic, represent one of the most dynamic areas of circular innovation. New recycling techniques, repair models and product passport systems are reshaping how clothing and fabrics move through the value chain.

Circular innovation also goes well beyond recycling technology. AI-driven platforms are making it easier for consumers to find repair services for products ranging from furniture to clothing, extending product lifetimes and reducing resource consumption. On innovation campuses, start-ups are turning coffee residue into food products such as chocolate bars with a coffee flavour. The circular economy is creating entirely new business models and new revenue streams.

Who is making the move

The companies pursuing circular strategies are not a single type. On one side, you see start-ups and young companies building new products from recovered materials, primarily driven by CO₂ reduction goals. On the other, you see heavier industrial processors and compounders integrating waste streams directly into their production lines. Their motivation is different: reduce import dependency, lower raw material costs, and in some cases meet legal obligations to take back their own materials.

Both groups face the same core question: how do you keep producing, at scale, regardless of what happens in global supply markets?

Why collaboration is the hardest part

Implementing circular solutions is not straightforward. In a traditional production model, the chain is simple: a supplier delivers materials, you manufacture a product, a customer buys it. In a circular model, that chain becomes a loop, and every party in that loop needs to deliver.

Imagine you want to use recycled materials in your production process. That requires a reliable supply of waste streams from other companies, at a consistent quality level. It takes extensive testing, standardisation and quality assurance. It demands logistics for collecting end-of-life products and returning them to the right facilities. And it needs methods like Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) and material passports to track materials and prove the actual environmental impact.

Consortium formation is consistently one of the biggest challenges. Getting the right group of companies aligned and keeping them aligned takes dedication. It is also one of the most underestimated steps in circular projects, and one of the five elements that determine whether a grant application succeeds or fails.

What makes these projects work is having dedicated process facilitators: people whose sole focus is connecting every link in the chain and keeping the consortium moving. In the projects where this role is properly filled, the difference in outcomes is clear.
The companies that overcome these challenges build a concrete advantage. They access cheaper raw materials through waste streams, reduce their exposure to import volatility and position themselves ahead of tightening regulations.

Waste streams as a revenue model

One of the most underestimated opportunities in circular production is the waste stream itself. What leaves your facility as a by-product can, if properly sorted and standardised, become a tradeable resource. For large-scale processors where significant volumes of the same material pass through the production line, a uniform waste stream is not just a cost reduction. It is a secondary revenue model.

This does not happen automatically. It requires investment in sorting, quality assurance and logistics. The companies that get this right reduce their input costs and open new income at the same time.

Cross-border partnerships: a European opportunity

Raw material challenges do not stop at national borders. In the border regions between the Netherlands and Germany, companies are already in active dialogue about collaboration. A manufacturer in Limburg will naturally look to German partners before looking to Amsterdam. Germany’s strong manufacturing base means that semi-finished products and raw materials cross that border constantly, and regulations around recycling and material passports increasingly impact companies on both sides.

This reflects a broader European reality. Every member state faces the same raw material pressures. The companies that look beyond their own region and actively seek international partners build more resilient circular supply chains.

Innovation ecosystems play a crucial role in this process. Campuses, incubators and regional hubs across Europe bring together start-ups, researchers and established companies to test circular concepts in a collaborative setting. Nearly every city now has an incubator where an estimated 20 to 25% of companies are pursuing circular or sustainable ambitions. These are the environments where the next generation of circular solutions takes shape.

What the funding landscape is telling you

The direction of European and national funding is a signal worth paying attention to. Grants are shifting away from consortium-forming and market exploration towards heavier industrial innovation: bio-based alternatives to fossil materials, advanced recycling processes for polyesters and plastics, large-scale production of circular material inputs. The ambition is moving up the industrial ladder

That shift has a practical implication. The window for lower-threshold consortium grants is not closing, but it is narrowing. Companies that have not yet built a pilot project or formed a working consortium will find it harder to access the deployment-phase instruments opening through 2026 to 2030. Getting in late is not just slower. It is more expensive, and the funding for early-stage exploration will increasingly have moved on.

What you should do now

  1. Assess your raw material dependency. Which inputs are critical to your production? Where do they come from? What happens if that supply is disrupted next year? The answers reveal both risks and opportunities.
  2. Get serious about your waste streams. What you currently treat as a by-product could be a valuable resource. Properly sorted and standardised waste streams reduce costs and can open new revenue.
  3. Build partnerships now. Circular challenges are not solved alone. The companies investing in strong consortia and cross-border networks today will have resilient supply chains tomorrow.
  4. Move on innovation. Whether it involves bio-based alternatives to fossil materials, new recycling processes or better ways to track materials through the value chain, the pace of development is accelerating. Starting now keeps you in step with the funding calendar and the customers asking for proof.

The move from linear to circular production takes more than technology. It takes a shift in how you think about materials, production and the companies around you. Circular ambitions have been on the agenda for years. What is changing now is the urgency. Supply security, not sustainability reporting, is what is driving companies to act. The companies building circular supply chains today are doing so because they intend to still be producing in ten years, whatever the world looks like.

Circular projects draw on a specific set of European and national funding instruments, from Critical Raw Materials Act Strategic Projects to the Circular Advanced Materials IPCEI currently in design.

Map your circular strategy against the 2026 to 2030 funding calendar with us.

Europe has committed to a fully circular economy by 2050, with ambitious member states like the Netherlands among the drivers of the agenda. In this vision, products and raw materials are reused as much as possible and almost no waste is produced. Although the earlier halving targets for 2030 gave useful direction and motivation, new goals have been formulated for 2035. Nevertheless, the urgency remains high. A circular economy does not only serve the climate. It is also essential for the strategic autonomy of Europe. By becoming less dependent on other geopolitical power blocs for our raw materials, we strengthen our own position.

Yet this is precisely where the tension lies. In the current debate on sustainability, a crucial element is often overlooked: the inextricable link between the materials transition, the energy transition, and industrial reality. Dr. Roderigh Rohling argues that the circular economy cannot be viewed as a separate matter. It is the product of the energy and materials transitions together, a synergy between long-term climate policy and sorely needed industrial policy. Without a strong industrial base and affordable energy, a circular transition is exceptionally difficult to deliver.

The symbiosis between energy and materials

A circular process is inherently unsustainable if it runs exclusively on fossil fuels. That is why making production processes more sustainable is an essential part of the circular ambition. Here, however, an interesting discrepancy emerges between government objectives and practical reality.

Companies that want to become more sustainable are currently running up against hard limits. The call for electrification and the use of hydrogen is loud, but the electricity grid is not ready for this mass transition. Moreover, the business case for hydrogen is currently still extremely difficult to close. The result is a painful paradox: companies that want to become more sustainable cannot do so, while at the same time being confronted with sky-high prices for the fossil fuels they remain tied to by necessity.

The forgotten role of the chemical industry

In public opinion, the chemical industry is often dismissed as “dirty.” This is a misconception that stands in the way of the circular transition. Chemistry is everywhere and needed for everything. In fact, the (chemical) manufacturing industry is the only sector that can develop and adapt materials and molecular building blocks at a fundamental level. This makes chemistry not merely part of the problem, but the very instrument for the solution.

Without a healthy chemical sector in Europe, the capacity to recycle materials at a high quality and close new circular chains disappears. If the manufacturing industry leaves Europe due to high energy costs and strict regulation, we once again make ourselves dependent on power blocs where this industry does flourish, often with a larger ecological footprint.

Reality versus climate ambition

European industry is under enormous external pressure, particularly from cheap competition from other parts of the world. While the costs of producing, for example, recycle-grade plastics in Europe are high, a great deal of cheap virgin-grade plastic flows into Europe from other regions. The result? Numerous European recyclers have gone bankrupt in recent years. For the EU’s circular ambitions this is disastrous; we are losing the very capacity we need to process our own waste streams.

A concrete example of the complexity is the upcoming Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). From August 2026, strict rules will apply to the design and reusability of packaging. Producers of packaging materials must use an increasing share of recycle-grade plastics in the run-up to 2040. However, some packaging, such as food packaging, must meet strict hygiene and purity requirements. Recycled plastics currently do not meet these, leading to a conflict between sustainability goals and food safety. As a result, packaging for baby food, for instance, is for now exempt from the requirement. The example illustrates how a sustainable ambition runs into limits as a consequence of regulatory demands and practical feasibility.

The gap between innovation and scale-up

Although there is plenty of innovation taking place across Europe, the transition often stalls in the phase between start-up and full industrial application. There is a significant funding gap. Where funding is often still available for fundamental research and early lab phases, raising capital for pilot plants and demonstration installations is difficult, precisely the companies that in popular opinion are seen as polluting and that many would sooner see disappear. And although scale-ups and corporates do find their way to each other, there is a field of tension there too: start-ups seek investors but like to preserve their autonomy, while large corporates want to support the sustainability push but remain cautious given uncertain legislation and volatile market conditions.

There is also a mismatch in cooperation. Emerging companies in the biobased economy, such as the Dutch firm Avantium, have outstanding technologies, but struggle with the enormous capital requirements involved in scaling up and subsequent large-scale roll-out. This is where the large, capital-rich corporates can play an important role.

Did you know? European and national grant programmes are already in place for many of these transition projects, from Horizon Europe to national innovation schemes. Professional grant consulting can make the decisive difference.

A plea for integrated industrial policy

The current focus is strongly on climate policy, with industrial policy at times appearing to be forgotten. A change of mindset is needed. We must stop reacting to crises ad hoc and move to a multi-year plan that recognises the interdependence of energy, materials, and geopolitics. The low-hanging fruit, such as solar panels on roofs and windturbines, has by now been picked. The truly  major sustainability challenges for heavy industry are only arriving now, and this is where the system is currently getting stuck. Price-raising tax measures alone are not enough; strategic support is needed to preserve a viable business climate for the manufacturing industry. It is essential that we stop treating industry as a sector to be “regulated away” and start treating it as the engine of the circular transition. If we lose production capacity, we also lose control over our own sustainable future.

The way forward

To truly close the circle, a targeted approach is needed:

  • Integrate policy domains: Climate, industrial, and security policy must be viewed in conjunction in order to prevent contradictory rules.
  • Invest in infrastructure: The energy transition must keep pace with industrial ambitions.
  • Stimulate cooperation: The gap between innovative start-ups and capital-rich corporates must be bridged through strategic partnerships that can build on long-term industrial policy.
  • Safeguard strategic autonomy: Protect the European market from unfair competition from non-sustainable products originating outside the EU.

The circular economy is not a utopia we arrive at simply by consuming less; it is a technological and industrial tour de force that calls for realism, capital, and above all a strong chemical sector.

Contact us to find the grants that fund your circular transition project.

Amsterdam, 7 April 2026 – Ignite Group has acquired HGM Consultants, a specialised advisory firm that has been supporting innovative companies with grants and fiscal schemes since 1989. With offices in Breda, Amsterdam, Nijmegen and Eelde, HGM has more than 35 years of experience, a substantial customer base and deep expertise in grants such as WBSO and the Innovation Box.

The acquisition aligns with Ignite Group’s focused growth strategy of combining expertise, scale and digital innovation capabilities. HGM expands Ignite Group’s national reach in the Netherlands and adds cross-sector experience in areas including mechanical engineering, high-tech, ICT, agrifood, energy and life sciences.

In addition, HGM strengthens expertise in sustainability and circularity, themes that are becoming increasingly central in the grant landscape. HGM’s experience with grants such as MIT, VEKI and DEI+ further enhances Ignite Group’s existing offering and provides customers with new opportunities when navigating complex applications and tax optimisation.

For existing HGM customers, day-to-day collaboration will largely remain unchanged; trusted contacts will remain in place. At the same time, customers gain direct access to Ignite Group’s broader service portfolio, digital tools and international network, enabling them to better leverage both national and European opportunities.

“HGM is a grant consultancy that strengthens our group: deep fiscal and grant knowledge, an impressive portfolio of leading corporate customers, and a team that has known for years what innovative companies need support with. With their expertise in the Innovation Box and other advanced grants, we are elevating our service offering to a higher level,” said Manuel Ebner, Group CEO of Ignite Group.

“What draws us to HGM is the quality and scale of their customer base, a solid mix of enterprises across diverse sectors, with multiple offices in the Netherlands. That is the strategic addition that further strengthens our nationwide position,” said Henk Heerink, Chief Business Officer of Ignite Group.

“Since founding HGM in 1989, we have been committed to helping innovative companies structurally get more from grants and fiscal schemes. Joining Ignite Group enables us to increase our scale and better serve our customers, with access to European opportunities that were previously out of reach“, said Marc Jacobs, founder and director of HGM Consultants.

— — — — — —

About Ignite Group
Ignite Group is an international grant consultancy that supports companies, governments and knowledge institutions in identifying, applying for and managing funding for innovation and R&D. The company combines deep domain expertise with digital and AI-supported solutions to realise effective and practical funding strategies.

With more than 25 years of experience and over 190 specialised grant consultants, Ignite Group provides full-service support: from funding strategy and application guidance to project management and compliance. This reduces administrative burden, maximises the chance of success and limits audit risks.

In 2025, Ignite Group’s more than 300 employees across Europe secured over €500 million in funding for customers, achieving a success rate of 95%.

Together we Ignite progress.

About HGM Consultants
HGM Consultants is a specialised grant and fiscal advisory firm, founded in 1989 and operating from offices in Breda, Amsterdam, Nijmegen, and Eelde. HGM helps innovative companies structurally benefit more from grants and fiscal schemes, including WBSO, the Innovation Box, MIT, VEKI, and DEI+. The firm works with a strategic approach, intelligently combining grants and fiscal benefits from ideas and development through market introduction and long-term return.

For more information, please contact Anja Krusche via +3188-2020400 & marketing@ignite-group.nl

The pragmatic reality behind the energy transition

The ambition to become more sustainable is alive and well among Dutch industry, but practice proves stubborn. Where the energy transition was, a few years ago, primarily a boardroom discussion about distant future goals, companies today are running up against physical and economic limits. The transition is not stalling due to a lack of willpower, but due to a combination of grid congestion, an imbalance between supply and demand, and the hard reality of returns on investment.

Over the next two to five years, the challenges will only increase. We are moving from a phase of voluntary incentivization to a phase of regulation. The “carrot” is making way for the “stick” in the form of stricter laws and regulations, such as mandatory quotas for the consumption of green hydrogen in industry. Companies want to move forward, but are hitting limits.

The barriers in practice

In the day-to-day reality of sustainability projects, we see that companies are running into three structural walls: cost, availability, and infrastructure.

The foundation of our current energy system is being destabilized by the shift toward supply-driven energy generation. Where we used to simply turn a gas plant up a notch when demand increased, we are now dependent on when the sun shines or the wind blows. This creates a structural imbalance that plays out not only on a daily level, but also across seasons.

The shift to supply-driven generation increases variation and peak loads on the electricity grid. Combined with limited grid capacity, this leads to the current problem of grid congestion. Companies that want to electrify in order to move away from natural gas simply cannot get a heavier connection anymore. The power grid is full.

In addition, the investment costs for technologies such as large battery systems or electrolyzers are currently very high. Although the will is there, an investment must remain economically justifiable. The availability of green hydrogen in the Netherlands is also still negligibly small at this point. Delivery by trailer is inefficient, and the much-needed national infrastructure (the “backbone”) is still under development.

The search for workable solutions

When electrification stalls and the grid has no capacity, the question naturally arises: what can still be done? Within this complex field of forces, various solution directions are being explored, such as energy storage, local energy hubs, and other alternative energy carriers. Decentralized solutions, such as local energy hubs, help companies balance generation, storage, and consumption on a smaller scale. This allows clusters of companies to collectively bypass grid congestion and become more independent from the national grid.

Alongside these system-oriented solutions, specific energy carriers are also being examined. Hydrogen is one of the options receiving a great deal of attention, not as a miracle cure, but as a possible building block within a broader energy system.

When does hydrogen offer added value?

  • Seasonal storage: to preserve surpluses of sustainable energy from the summer for the energy demand in winter.
  • Hard-to-electrify processes: for industrial production processes where electricity does not (yet) offer a technical alternative for the required heat.
  • Heavy transport: for applications where batteries are too heavy or have too limited a range.

Why hydrogen is not a universal solution

Although hydrogen will undoubtedly play an important role in the future energy system, its application requires a realistic perspective. Producing green hydrogen is an energy-intensive and relatively inefficient process. When you look at the entire chain, from generating electricity with a wind turbine to its final use in a truck or production process, only about 20% of the original energy typically remains. By comparison, direct electrification is far more efficient because there are virtually no conversion losses.

In the coming years, innovation will therefore need to focus less on hydrogen as the “holy grail” and more on increasing efficiency and lowering costs. Think of batteries that are less dependent on scarce metals, such as sodium-ion batteries, or electrolyzers with higher efficiency. Ultimately, it is not the party with the greatest ambitions that wins, but the party that can translate innovation into a profitable and feasible business case, one that is not only technically and financially viable, but also solid enough to convince subsidy providers and investors.

The importance of thorough preliminary research

Companies often start too late in understanding their specific business case. Subsidy applications are sometimes rushed the moment a scheme opens, without the technical and financial feasibility having been fully investigated.

A successful transition starts with thorough preliminary research. This maps out exactly how much capacity you need and which sustainability pathways (electric, hydrogen, or a hybrid form) are truly profitable. Such a study not only helps in making the right internal decisions, but is also crucial for convincing subsidy providers and financiers of the quality of the project.

Starting the permitting process early is also essential; for hydrogen projects, this is often an underestimated source of delay.

Subsidies are a catalyst, not a cure-all. A broad range of subsidy schemes is available for innovation and investment in the energy transition, such as TSE-industrie, WBSO, MIT, and specific schemes for hydrogen production and applications. Subsidies can offset a significant portion of the additional costs, but do not automatically make a project financially viable. A realistic business case and clear financing of the company’s own contribution remain prerequisite conditions.

Conclusion

For industry, the energy transition is not a linear process, but a search for the right balance between innovation and realism. Hydrogen is an indispensable piece of the puzzle, but not a universal solution to every energy problem.

The companies taking the lead now are those that are not waiting for the perfect infrastructure, but are already investing today in knowledge and thorough preliminary studies. By modeling scenarios and keeping the business case central, you avoid investing in a technology that tomorrow proves to be outdated or simply too expensive.

Ignite Group understands these dilemmas. We are not just the party that writes the subsidy application; we think alongside you as a substantive sparring partner. We know the schemes, but above all we know the practical problems you face as an entrepreneur. Together we look at what truly works for your specific situation, so that sustainability does not remain a theoretical goal, but becomes an achievable reality.

Would you like to know more or do you have questions about this topic? Contact us.

Deventer, 12 January 2026 – Ignite Group has acquired the grant consultancy firm Leap. The Innovation Agency, becoming the largest grant consultancy in the Netherlands. The deal, concluded at the end of 2025, marks an important milestone in Ignite Group’s European growth strategy. With the recent addition of Finestri and now the Leap Group, Ignite Group becomes the market leader in the Netherlands and accelerates its path to European market leadership. The acquisition fits within the active buy-and-build strategy through which Ignite Group combines scale, expertise, and digital innovation power.

Leap adds substantial value to Ignite Group. The firm is number four in the Dutch market and is known for high-quality services and a strong customer base in the technological sector. In terms of scale, quality of services and locations, the customer portfolios, consultants and offices align closely. With offices in Nijmegen, Enschede and Delft, Leap ensures strong national presence; together with Ignite Group this creates a fine‑meshed coverage for customers across the Netherlands. With approximately 40 employees at Leap and 260 at Ignite Group, the combined scale and capacity are significantly expanded; in total, the Group now counts around 300 employees. Both Ignite Group and Leap bring valuable digital experience that will be brought together in our processes and procedures, enabling customers to benefit from a consistent, data‑driven and efficient grants process.

There will continue to be a strong focus in the Netherlands on organic growth as well as targeted M&A activities. Ignite Group’s consistent organic growth is reflected in winning the Gazelle Award eight times. In 2026, the Group will further advance its European expansion and strengthen the corporate structure. In the near future, M&A priorities will center on deepening the market position in Germany and expanding into other European markets.

The acquisition significantly strengthens Ignite Group’s nationwide position and increases the clout for customers through a combination of scale, quality, and digital solutions. For Leap’s customers, their trusted advisors will remain, while they gain access to a broader and deeper service offering.

“With Leap, we bring in the number four in the Dutch market — a perfect fit with how we work. This combination makes us even stronger. Leap is known for high-quality services and an excellent business customer base: exactly the quality and focus that accelerate our European ambitions,” said Manuel Ebner, Group CEO of Ignite Group.

“Being the largest in the Netherlands is great, but we’re far from finished. With Leap, we strengthen our nationwide position on scale, quality and locations. Their digital experience adds immediate value to our proposition for business customers,” noted Henk Heerink, Chief Business Officer of Ignite Group.

From Leap, the same ambition resonates. Sjoerd van den Boezem, Managing Partner: “The acquisition of Leap by Ignite Group gives our customers direct access to greater scale, higher quality and broader European reach. With our offices in Nijmegen, Enschede and Delft, we bring sector and grant expertise, and together we raise the bar for high-quality grant advisory.”

And Nils Bakker, Managing Partner at Leap, emphasizes the concrete elaboration for technology companies: “Our digital experience and practical expertise will be embedded in the Group’s processes and procedures. Customers notice the strategic approach at every step of their journey: from roadmapping and identifying opportunities to submitting applications, execution, and compliance.”

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About Ignite Group
Ignite Group is an international funding consultancy group that offers a unique combination of digital solutions and funding consultancy with 10 locations across Germany and the Netherlands. With a team of 260 highly qualified and specialized employees, Ignite Group supports companies, municipalities and educational institutions in identifying, applying for and managing funding projects at regional, national and EU level.

About Leap. The Innovation Agency
Leap. The Innovation Agency specializes in grants, financing, and innovation for technology companies across numerous sectors. Leap offers the ideal formula for successful innovation: by mapping opportunities within the organization and identifying market needs, Leap develops successful innovation trajectories, consistently embedded in a strategic approach suited to the organization.

For more information, please contact Ferry van der Bloemen via +31630839011 & marketing@ignite-group.nl

Deventer, 9 January 2026 – Ignite Group has taken another significant step in its ambitious European growth journey with the acquisition of Breda-based Finestri Subsidie Management. The acquisition forms part of Ignite Group’s active buy & build strategy and strengthens its presence across the Netherlands. At the same time, it reinforces the Group’s continued focus on expanding its market position and progressing towards becoming a leading European grant and funding advisory firm. The addition of Finestri’s team of approximately 12 specialized professionals aligns seamlessly with Ignite Group’s long-term vision.

Within the complex grant landscape, Finestri has proven itself as an expert player that values thorough advice and careful grant accountability. Through this acquisition, Ignite Group strengthens its footprint specific in the Brabant region and South-Holland enhances its expertise in the healthcare sector, where Finestri has particularly distinguished itself. In addition, Finestri brings strong knowledge in the fields of Education and ICT.

The integration into Ignite Group gives Finestri’s customers access to a broader range of high-quality services. Finestri’s personal, sector-focused approach is now complemented by Ignite Group’s scale, international network and digital capabilities. As a result, Finestri’s customers can benefit from a more comprehensive and in-depth service offering that supports them in realising their ambitions at both national and international level.

Finestri’s management will remain on board to oversee the integration and further develop the joint full-service proposition. For existing Finestri customers, day-to-day collaboration will largely remain the same: they will continue to work with their trusted advisors and experience the personal approach that has long characterized Finestri.

“Finestri is a true full-service agency in the grant market and a valuable addition to our existing service offering,” says Henk Heerink, Chief Business Officer of Ignite Group. “We are particularly pleased with the expertise that Finestri brings in serving customers in the healthcare sector.”

Manuel Ebner, Group CEO of Ignite Group, adds: “With this acquisition, we significantly strengthen our position in the Netherlands and continue building our leading market position. The combination of Finestri’s sector-specific expertise and our scale enables us to serve customers in the Netherlands even better while simultaneously growing towards our European ambitions.”

Marcel Grosfeld, partner of Finestri Subsidie Management: “We are delighted to become part of Ignite Group. This step enables us to serve all our customers and especially those in the healthcare, education and ICT sectors even better with the thorough advice and careful accountability we are known for. At the same time, we gain access to an international network and digital innovations that offer new opportunities for our customers.”

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About Ignite Group
Ignite Group is an international funding consultancy group that offers a unique combination of digital solutions and funding consultancy with 10 locations across Germany and the Netherlands. With a team of 240 highly qualified and specialized employees, Ignite Group supports companies, municipalities and educational institutions in identifying, applying for and managing funding projects at regional, national and EU level.

About Finestri Subsidie Management
Finestri is an experienced and reliable player in the field of grant management. The firm oversees the entire grant acquisition process for its customers. This includes identifying opportunities, making well-considered choices about which grant trajectories to pursue, and maintaining a strong focus on administrative compliance to ensure that awarded grant funds are utilised to the fullest. Finestri’s grant specialists are highly skilled and committed, with specific expertise in various market sectors and grant themes.

For more information, please contact Ferry van der Bloemen at +31630839011 & marketing@ignite-group.nl

Ignite Group, the leading full-service funding and innovation consultancy combining expert services with digital solutions, announces the appointment of Manuel Ebner as Group CEO to further scale delivery of end-to-end funding solutions across the European mid-market. Built on actionable funding insights, proposal engineering, and streamlined project execution, Ignite Group enables customers to identify, apply, and secure grants from idea to disbursement.

“We’re entering a new growth phase that demands sharp focus and scalability,” said Henk Heerink – who after 13 years of leadership at Ignite Group will continue as Chief Business Officer. “With Manuel at the helm, we’ll accelerate our market vision and full-service‑ proposition— to enable faster progress for organizations from idea to award and disbursement.”

“Ignite Group uniquely combines digital solutions with deep funding expertise,” said Manuel Ebner, Group CEO. “I’m excited to lead the team into the next growth phase to become a leading pan-European consultancy and data provider for innovation funding via accelerated organic growth and M&A to expand to further strategic markets”.

Ignite Group has scaled significantly in the Netherlands and Germany during the past years and added new capabilities across consulting, data, and software. We are excited about bringing Manuel in to further accelerate our investments in these areas and to drive our international expansion,” said Nicholas Theuerkauf, Founder and Managing Partner of SilverTree.

Backed by a strong foundation – 10 locations across the Netherlands and Germany; approximately 190 funding experts within the group; and a combined team that has grown from 50 to 240 colleagues in the last five years—Ignite Group’s mission to transform the funding landscape with advanced, cost-effective, and scalable full-service solutions continues. Over recent years, the group has completed nine acquisitions and achieved over 10% organic growth in each of the last two years.

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About Ignite Group

Ignite Group is an international funding consultancy group that offers a unique combination of digital solutions and funding consultancy with 10 locations across Germany and the Netherlands. With a team of 240 highly qualified and specialized employees, Ignite Group supports companies, municipalities and educational institutions in identifying, applying for and managing funding projects at regional, national and EU level.

Media contacts:

Netherlands
Name: Ferry van der Bloemen, Marketing
Email: ferry.vanderbloemen@ignite-group.nl
Phone: +31882020400

Germany
Name: Joshua Barbie, Teamleiter Marketing Deutschland
Email: joshua.barbie@ignite-group.de
Phone: +49 6984 99956 0

Pressekontakt Joshua Barbie bei der Ignite Group

St. Ingbert / Rastede – Ignite Group expands its portfolio with the acquisition of embeteco GmbH & Co. KG

Ignite Group, a leading full-service funding consultancy company backed by the Private Equity Investor SilverTree, is proud to announce the acquisition of embeteco GmbH & Co. KG, a renowned company specializing in ZIM networks and digital transformation. This strategic acquisition underlines Ignite Group’s growth ambitions in the funding sector and expands the range of services offered to its clients.

Synergies and benefits

The acquisition of embeteco offers significant synergies that will benefit Ignite Group’s clients while giving embeteco’s clients access to new services. By combining Ignite Group’s in-depth expertise in Forschungszulage and national and international funding programs with embeteco’s strengths in ZIM networks and digitalization, both companies offer their customers a comprehensive full service.

Dr. Benjamin Hötzer, Managing Director of Ignite Group Germany, explains: “With the integration of embeteco into the Ignite Group, we are creating the opportunity to offer our customers even more comprehensive solutions in the field of innovation promotion. ZIM networks offer SMEs a strategic implementation of development projects as well as added value through cooperation with renowned research institutions. This acquisition is a significant step in the Group’s strategy to become the leading provider of funding consultancy in Europe.”

“We are delighted to become part of the Ignite Group,” emphasize Matthias Brucke and Michael Kalt, founders of embeteco. “By joining forces with the Ignite Group, we can offer our customers an even broader range of services and benefit from the Group’s expertise and resources. This enables us to grow and provide our customers with optimal support in the realization of their innovation projects.” Matthias Brucke and Michael Kalt will continue to play an active role in the Ignite Group and contribute their expertise for the benefit of customers.

Nicholas Theuerkauf, Founder and Managing Partner of SilverTree Equity: “embeteco further expands Ignite Group in the German market following the company’s acquisition of DORUCON, a fast-growing innovation consultancy specialising in Forschungszulage. embeteco adds market leading capability in ZIM networks, an attractive adjacency which bolster’s Ignite full-service offering to customers and represents a significant growth opportunity”

Future plans

Ignite Group plans to integrate embeteco’s strengths into its existing structures in order to further increase the quality of its services and develop new innovative solutions. embeteco’s customers will benefit from the Ignite Group’s expanded resources, broad-based team and international network.

Henk Heerink, Managing Director Ignite Group: “The acquisition of embeteco is another milestone in our growth strategy and the second acquisition in Germany. We look forward to integrating embeteco’s expertise into our portfolio and providing our customers with even more comprehensive support.”

About Ignite Group

Ignite Group is an international funding consultancy group that offers a unique combination of digital solutions and funding consultancy with 10 locations across Germany and the Netherlands. With a team of 230 highly qualified and specialized employees, Ignite Group supports companies and municipalities in identifying, applying for and managing funding projects at regional, national and EU level.

About embeteco

Embeteco is a leading company in the field of digital transformation, innovation management and funding acquisition and supports companies and municipalities in topics related to digitalization and innovation management. With a strong focus on sustainable, digital innovations, embeteco plays an important role in the acquisition of funding for medium-sized and large companies as well as public institutions.

About SilverTree Equity

SilverTree Equity is a sector specialist private equity firm. SilverTree invests exclusively in software, technology, and technology-enabled businesses. The firm is differentiated by its focus on value creation, sector specialism, and deep network of operational resources and industry relationships. The SilverTree team has successfully completed or been involved in over 75 transactions.

For further information, please contact at marketing@ignite-group.de

Ignite Group, a full-service solutions provider for grant acquisition and management, proudly announces the acquisition of AC Adviseurs, a respected name in the grants landscape. With this acquisition, Ignite Group further shapes its buy & build strategy. Following the recent acquisition of Ruber Acia, Ignite Group is strengthening its presence in the Northern Netherlands by establishing a nationwide office network. This expansion allows Ignite Group to combine expertise and resources more effectively, enabling it to better meet the needs of customers in the Northern Netherlands.

The acquisition of AC Adviseurs enhances Ignite Group’s capacity to innovate, ensure service quality, and develop new offerings. Supported by Ignite Group, AC Adviseurs’ customers will benefit from even higher quality services in an ever-changing environment. This includes access to an extensive international network of grant specialists and diverse digital solutions that Ignite Group offers and develops for its customers.

In the coming months, AC Adviseurs will undergo a careful integration into Ignite Group. For now, AC Adviseurs will continue to operate under its own name, supported by Ignite Group.

“With this acquisition, we take another significant step towards our goal of becoming the market leader in the field of grants in the Netherlands. Following the recent acquisition of Ruber Acia and now AC Adviseurs, we have physical offices in Groningen, Drenthe, and Friesland. This has created a fully nationwide office network. This allows us to offer all our employees workplaces within a short travel distance and to serve our customers locally,” said Henk Heerink, CEO of Ignite Group.

Wietse van Koeveringe, partner at AC Adviseurs, stated: “In our industry, expertise is becoming increasingly specific and talent scarcer. By collaborating with Ignite Group, we strengthen our combined knowledge and can ensure the quality of our services while offering new services to our customers. This collaboration provides our employees with more opportunities to further develop their talents.”

About Ignite Group:
Ignite Group is the only agency in the Netherlands that uniquely combines digital solutions with grant consultancy. The company is dedicated to help its customers achieve their goals and to make progress possible every day. Ignite Group employs highly educated and specialized consultants who excel in initiating and managing grant projects at regional, national, and European levels. 

About AC Adviseurs:
AC Adviseurs empowers organizations to innovate and advance by transforming ambitions and ideas into actionable projects. From inception through to implementation, AC Adviseurs provides expert support and guidance on grants and organizational capacity within project environments. The company focuses on projects that tackle critical societal issues such as energy transition, digitalization, and sustainable workforce development, thereby enhancing both the future resilience of its customers and broader societal well-being.

The name AC Adviseurs refers to the European quality label “Appellation Contrôlée,” highlighting its commitment to high-quality service. The strength of AC Adviseurs lies in their personal involvement and in-depth knowledge of the customer, combined with experience, creativity, enthusiasm, and drive. They connect the right people, ideas, knowledge, and experience to seize opportunities and realize customers’ ambitions.

For more information, please contact our Commercial Director Ron Coenen at 06-17672484 & ron.coenen@ignite-group.nl.