With support from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) 2021–2027, the cross-border project H2Start was launched in October 2025. It is a joint initiative of the Trinational Hydrogen Initiative 3H2 and the Saarland Hydrogen Agency H2Saar.

The shared goal is to prepare companies in the border region of Germany-France-Switzerland for the hydrogen future – through practical transfer formats, targeted knowledge exchange, and cooperation with experienced stakeholders. This will enable companies to identify and develop new value creation opportunities within the hydrogen economy, or to integrate hydrogen as an energy vector into their own energy supply or production processes.

The foundation for success lies in the cross-cluster cooperation between the Trinational Hydrogen Initiative 3H2 and H2Saar – reaching across state borders.

Planned activities include:

• Development and testing of cross-border transfer formats
• Best practice exchange with pioneering companies
• Workshops and training formats to build know-how in hydrogen production, storage, logistics, and use
• Network expansion through targeted outreach to new stakeholders along the hydrogen value chain

The project is co-financed by the European Union and the State of Baden-Württemberg.