EU Innovation Fund Workshop in Fornebu, Norway: Innovayt Supports Project Developers with Practical Application Guidance
Fornebu, Norway | 22 January 2026
Innovayt hosted an onsite EU Innovation Fund workshop on 22 January in Fornebu, Norway, together with Energy Valley and REspire, bringing together companies developing clean tech and decarbonisation projects for upcoming EU funding opportunities.
The workshop followed up on Innovayt’s December EU Innovation Fund webinar and focused on translating strategic insights into practical guidance on project positioning and Innovation Fund application preparation.
Turning Innovation Fund requirements into practice
The session was led by our colleague Daniel Gonçalves Gomes, EU Innovation Fund Programme Owner at Innovayt, who provided expert guidance on how to assess project maturity and align project concepts with the EU Innovation Fund evaluation criteria. Participants gained clarity on how projects are assessed in terms of innovation level, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction, maturity, replicability and cost efficiency.
A dedicated interactive session allowed participants to present their own project ideas and receive direct feedback from Innovayt’s experts, helping them identify strengths, gaps and realistic funding timelines.
Key insights from the workshop
Several important conclusions emerged from the discussions:
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Project maturity and timing are decisive: only a limited number of projects were ready for the Innovation Fund 2026 call, highlighting the importance of early and realistic planning.
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Strong potential for future funding: many project ideas showed promise for future Innovation Fund calls or alternative EU and national funding programmes.
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Holistic project positioning is essential: competitive Innovation Fund applications require strong performance across all evaluation criteria, which are often underestimated.
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Early advisory support improves success rates: early engagement through workshops and individual meetings helps companies align more effectively with Innovation Fund requirements.
Supporting Europe’s energy transition
The EU Innovation Fund remains a key instrument for financing large-scale energy transition and decarbonisation projects across Europe. Innovayt supports project developers throughout the process, from early-stage assessment to Innovation Fund application preparation.
Innovayt looks forward to continuing to support promising projects as they mature towards future EU funding opportunities.