There’s no one-size-fits-all way to build the future of industry in Europe.
But following the official announcement of EU Inc by President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, there is one startup Europe.
By choosing builders over bureaucracy, Europe is breaking down borders, simplifying rules, and creating a single, seamless market for startups to scale faster than ever.
So where are Europe’s investors focusing their attention in 2026?
This month, we caught up with 35 leading investors to unpack 100 opportunities in Climate HardTech that are ripe for investment.
Here are 5 hot takes (plus head this way for 100 more).
“Industrial systems were built on the assumption of cheap, always-available energy. That assumption no longer holds,” Iris ten Have at Visionaries Tomorrow
“The 2026 story is less about novelty and more about cracking scalability and cost,” Christian Gonzalez at Planet A Ventures
“The richest new mines aren’t underground — they’re above ground, in our waste streams,” Mark Windeknecht at World Fund
“We’re entering an era where sourcing is no longer a back-office function – it is core,” Louise Heiberg at Nordic FoodTech VC
“The most investable solutions won’t just be greener but will plug into existing construction workflows while improving cost, performance, and/or reducing waste,” Chiara Tonin at ABN AMRO Sustainable Impact Fund
P.S. Meet many of these investors and hundreds more founders and funders at the HackSummit to supercharge your growth on 22-23rd April in Lausanne, Switzerland.
🔮 Revealed. 100 Investment Priorities for 2026.
ClimateTech’s next phase is shifting from isolated emissions reduction to system-level transformation by defossilising energy and materials, decarbonising industry, and modernising manufacturing at scale.
Startups across sectors, from regenerative food and bio-based materials to grid-edge energy and fleet electrification, are demonstrating that impact can be quantified, measurable and commercially viable.
The biggest opportunities now sit with technologies that combine physical infrastructure, AI, and nature-based systems, that are translating complex climate challenges into repeatable, economy-wide returns.
Discover where 35 European Investors are looking to invest next across AgriFood, Circularity, Nature, Energy, Materials and Manufacturing.
🎤 Where HackSummit Founders would Invest Next
Meet our first 3 Speakers
From creating microclimates up to 15ºC cooler and tapping ultra-deep geothermal heat to manufacturing in space, together they represent the kind of innovation Europe needs to regain industrial relevance.
🌵 Paul Mahacek, Co-Founder and CEO of AtmoCooling. Paul is transforming coastal deserts into worldwide hubs of agriculture, clean energy, and climate resilience, using patented large-scale evaporative cooling, seawater, and solar energy.
Why it matters: Europe’s food security and resilience will depend on its ability to expand productive land, stabilise output under climate stress and reduce dependency on fragile imports.
⛏️ Max Werner, CEO and Founder of Hades Mining. By accessing ultra-deep and stable heat reservoirs beneath the Earth’s crust, Max and his team can unlock geothermal energy at a new scale to build a foundation for energy abundance and global resilience.
Why it matters: Designing for longevity, their technology aligns industrial durability with environmental responsibility.
🪐 Joshua Western, Co-Founder and CEO of SpaceForge. The in-space manufacturing company is building the world's first returnable and re-launchable satellite platform.
Why it matters: Access to advanced materials is critical for Europe’s industrial future. SpaceForge makes it possible to produce new materials in orbit using 60% less energy, and bring them back for use on Earth.
🚀 Get In Front of Hundreds of Investors
2025 HackSummit Startup Fair
Are you ready to position your startup as one of Europe’s most promising HardTechs?
Good news, we’ve just opened applications to join the HackSummit Startup Fair.
The Startup Fair is central to the HackSummit and it is where up-and-coming Founders demo their technology, attract investors and potential partners and get the word out about their solution.
Apply today if you’re building in climate, industrial, food, energy, materials, or deep tech, and showcase your solution to a highly targeted audience.
Disclaimer: Startup Stands are strictly limited per vertical to ensure diversity.
Whether you’re looking to find your next deal, discover fresh talents or get the inside track on what’s new and next, we’d love to see you at the 5th anniversary of the HackSummit this April.
Up next, we’re excited to reveal more on what’s planned, who’ll be on stage and who’ll be heading to the Summit.
If you’d like to join us as a Summit Partner then we’d love to make your ideas happen, schedule a call and let’s make plans together.
See you in Lausanne.
Laura at Hack
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