2025 Cleantech Conference: Powering Europe’s Clean Industrial Future
On April 8, nearly 400 participants gathered in person—and over 1,360 joined online—for the 2025 Cleantech Conference: Advancing Europe’s Clean Industrial Transformation, a flagship event that spotlighted Europe’s path toward a competitive, resilient, and decarbonised future. The event brought together top EU policymakers, industry pioneers, investors, and innovators behind groundbreaking projects funded by the EU Innovation Fund.
Setting the Stage for a Clean Industrial Renaissance
The day began with an inspiring video message from European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who underscored the vital role of the Clean Industrial Deal in securing Europe’s leadership in cleantech.
“All of you are proof that the clean industrial renaissance has begun. Cleantech is a European success story – but to stay ahead, we must act now,” President von der Leyen said.
Her message laid the foundation for the day’s discussions: that sustainability, profitability, and economic strength are not mutually exclusive—but deeply interconnected.
A Deep Dive into Innovation, Investment, and Impact
Throughout the day, four insightful panel and roundtable discussions explored key aspects of Europe’s clean transition:
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Innovation & Competitiveness: How the Clean Industrial Deal can supercharge Europe’s cleantech leadership.
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Breakthrough Technologies: Featuring projects funded by the Innovation Fund that are already shaping tomorrow’s solutions.
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Scaling Cleantech: Navigating the regulatory landscape and unlocking funding mechanisms.
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Securing Supply Chains: Reducing external dependencies and building resilience within Europe’s industrial ecosystem.
Spotlight on Keynote Speakers
The conference also featured three standout keynote addresses:
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Kurt Vandenberghe, Director General of DG CLIMA, unpacked how the Clean Industrial Deal supports innovation, investment, and a forward-looking economic model.
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Paloma Aba Garrote, Director of CINEA, illustrated how the agency transforms EU policy into real-world impact by supporting innovation in energy, transport, and heavy industries.
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Lara Obst, co-founder of ClimateChoice, highlighted how supply chain decarbonisation depends on three key drivers: collaboration, artificial intelligence and data infrastructure, and smart climate decision-making.
A fireside chat between Kurt Vandenberghe and Jigar Shah, former US Department of Energy Loans Program Officer, added a transatlantic perspective. Jigar emphasized the need for stronger public-private partnerships and financial de-risking tools to boost cleantech innovation in Europe.
“Europe’s strength lies in its country-level responsiveness to industry. The challenge now is turning local success into an EU-wide scale,” Shah noted.
Innovation on Display: Showcasing EU-Funded Projects
The event also included an exhibition of eight standout Innovation Fund projects, including:
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AggregaCO2
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CarBatteryReFactory
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GIGA-SCALES
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Helexio® Line
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InnoSolveGreen
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SHEEFT
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TopSOEC
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W4W
Each showcased how EU support is enabling cutting-edge solutions that contribute to Europe’s climate and industrial goals.
Fostering Collaboration & Connections
More than 100 B2B networking meetings took place onsite, offering a valuable opportunity for entrepreneurs, innovators, and policymakers to connect, collaborate, and spark new business ideas.
Looking Ahead
As the conference closed, one thing was clear: climate action is not just an environmental imperative—it is the foundation of Europe’s economic future. As Kurt Vandenberghe noted in his final remarks:
“The EU is not alone, and the world is watching closely to see what we do next.”
We’re already looking ahead to the next chapter in this journey. Join us in 2026 for another exciting edition of the Cleantech Conference!
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