12 and 13 November 2025 | Nova Gorica and Gorizia
The 5th Hydrogen Ecosystem North Adriatic Conference, held on 12 and 13 November 2025 in Nova Gorica and Gorizia, once again positioned the North Adriatic region as a key space for dialogue on hydrogen ecosystems, investment and industrial deployment.
For NACHIP, the North Adriatic Clean Hydrogen Investment Platform, the Conference was not only a partner event but also a strategic opportunity to present progress, align initiatives and connect pilots, SMEs and investors across Slovenia, Croatia and Italy.
NACHIP Presented within the Ecosystem Framework
On the second day of the Conference, during the session “Nord Adriatic Hydrogen Ecosystem: Results, lessons, and challenges shared,” NACHIP was presented by Matija Pavlovčič from the Jožef Stefan Institute, Coordinator of NACHIP, together with the coordinators of NAHV, H2READY and NASCHA.
This positioning clearly reflected the message highlighted during the Conference that the Hydrogen Ecosystem North Adriatic is evolving from a single project into a coherent ecosystem of complementary initiatives.
The presentation addressed the first year of NACHIP implementation, including:
- Completion of initial pilot partner activities.
- Analysis of pilot needs and formation of cooperation groups.
- Identification of SMEs to be involved in pilot value chains.
- Preparation of the first cascade funding open call connecting pilots and SMEs across Slovenia, Croatia and Italy.
The Conference therefore provided an important platform for presenting NACHIP’s progress within a wider European hydrogen context.
Active Contributions from NACHIP Partners
Several NACHIP related actors actively contributed to the programme:
- Matija Pavlovčič, NACHIP Coordinator, from the Jožef Stefan Institute presented NACHIP during the ecosystem results session.
- Aleksander Gerbec, Founder and Managing Director of ECUBES, delivered the intervention “Affordable Green Energy on Demand: Hydrogen for a Resilient Europe”.
- The Municipality of Velenje and ECUBES presented the Case of the Velenje Local Hydrogen Alliance, represented by Alenka Pogačar and Filip Margan.
- Fausto Ferrazzi, CEO of Serrichim, participated in the pitching session within “First movers of the North Adriatic HE”.
Through these contributions, NACHIP partners demonstrated how investment platforms, local hydrogen alliances and industrial actors are progressively advancing hydrogen deployment across the region.
NACHIP within a Growing Hydrogen Ecosystem
One of the central messages of the Conference was that the Hydrogen Ecosystem North Adriatic is no longer defined by a single project but by a network of intertwined initiatives.
Alongside NAHV as the backbone valley initiative, complementary platforms such as NACHIP, H2READY, NASCHA and OGAB are shaping a coordinated ecosystem that addresses production, infrastructure, financing, municipal readiness, SME acceleration and international value chains.
Within this structure, NACHIP plays a distinct role by connecting pilots and SMEs through cascade funding and strengthening the investment readiness of hydrogen projects across the region.
Looking Ahead
The Conference emphasised that hydrogen valleys and hubs are becoming central to Europe’s competitiveness and resilience strategy. As the North Adriatic ecosystem advances with a planned renewable hydrogen capacity of around 5,000 tonnes per year under NAHV, coordinated innovation and financing mechanisms are increasingly important.
The 5th Hydrogen Ecosystem North Adriatic Conference confirmed that the region is progressing through structured cooperation between valleys, investment platforms, accelerators and municipalities.
More information about the Conference is available at www.hydrogen-ecosystem.eu.