How fieldlab FLIE and FlowVolta are boosting the hydrogen ecosystem in South Holland
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FlowVolta’s modular electrolyser system could prove a game-changer for green hydrogen production. Fieldlab Industrial Electrification is supporting the startup through the critical steps from prototype to production. Saeid Khalafvand, CEO of FlowVolta, and Maarten Visser, Senior Business Developer at TNO, discuss the importance of the hydrogen ecosystem as a driver of innovation.
Electrolysis reinvented
The people behind the Rotterdam-based startup are no strangers to the hydrogen industry. ”We realised there was a mismatch between what customers needed and what the market was offering”, says Saeid. Companies want to decarbonise, but green hydrogen is still too expensive to be a viable option. That is because most innovation focuses on the stack, or electrolysis itself, even though it represents only a small share of the overall costs. The other components make up the remaining 80 to 85 per cent. Saeid explains, “You can have the best stack in the world, but it still only accounts for 15 to 20 per cent of the system.”
FlowVolta takes a system-level approach to electrolysis, an architecture that has been overlooked even in the most advanced designs. The startup therefore set out to redesign the entire system, including the stack. And Saeid says it has paid off: “We can cut non-stack system costs by 50 per cent. One of our key innovations is that our system can run independently on solar power, unlike existing alternatives. That makes hydrogen production much cheaper and more flexible.” This opens up opportunities for hard-to-abate industries such as ammonia, refining and chemicals. FlowVolta is currently patenting the breakthrough innovations behind the system.
“You can have the best stack in the world, but it still only accounts for 15 to 20 per cent of the system”
– Saeid Khalafvand, CEO FlowVolta
Build first, showcase later
Saeid says the team had a clear roadmap: “We knew the steps we had to take to scale our product for industrial application.” But a roadmap only goes so far. Every step has to be tried, tested and validated in order to build investor confidence. And that requires money, partners and facilities. FlowVolta sought a suitable location to build its showcase model; connections at TNO led the company to Fieldlab Industrial Electrification (FLIE) in Rotterdam.
“FLIE gives us the opportunity to build something that does not yet exist, enabling us to prove that we are serious about real innovation rather than just presenting ideas. You need to show investors that they were right to invest in your startup, and, thanks to FLIE, we’ll be able to invite them to see for themselves.”
“FLIE is exactly what FlowVolta needs”
– Saeid Khalafvand, CEO FlowVolta
Complementary perspectives
FLIE aims to accelerate the shift towards sustainable, electrified processes. The fieldlab is a joint initiative of Deltalinqs, FME, the Port of Rotterdam, InnovationQuarter and TNO and offers the perfect location as well as all required permits for testing. “They are not easy to obtain in the Netherlands”, adds Saeid.
FLIE helps startups like FlowVolta bridge the gap between a promising concept and a tried-and-tested product. TNO’s Maarten Visser notes, “If you want to scale up an innovation, you first need to demonstrate that it works at a larger scale. Does it hold up? Is there a market for it? Every startup has to go through those steps.”
Maarten and Saeid met at FLIE and discussed everything from the technology and the roadmap to funding. “We are working on further developing the system and the business case, and we are also writing a grant proposal together”, says Maarten. Saeid adds, “You can learn so much from the right partner. We are focused on the product and the technology; they also take things like market visibility and commercial viability into account. They help us complete the picture.”
“With FLIE, we want to offer tailored support to each innovation”
– Maarten Visser, Senior Business Developer at TNO
The first phase is critical
“FLIE is exactly what FlowVolta needs”, says Saeid. “The fieldlab’s new hall is expected to be operational around August 2026, and we will be able to set up and test our showcase unit there.” The next step will be a 50 kW pilot project, followed by a 250 kW demonstration model.
“The first phase is the hardest”, Saeid points out. “FLIE and the wider ecosystem are there to help you get through this stage. Once you’ve made it through, everything gets easier. But that first phase is critical. No one invests in something that doesn’t exist.”
Maarten describes that process as a bumpy ride: “Innovation doesn’t follow a straight and predictable path, which is precisely why FLIE exists. We want to take a tailored approach and really look at what each individual startup needs.” That could be anything from tech scouting or a feasibility study to system validation, as with FlowVolta. “I see a lot of startups full of ambition but with no product that’s market-ready, so good and honest communication is essential. We also look at the innovation from the investor’s perspective. Why should they believe in your startup?”
The ecosystem behind the innovation
FlowVolta is a young company with big ambitions. Green hydrogen has the potential to strengthen Europe’s energy security, especially when produced using a flexible technology like FlowVolta’s. Saeid says, “You have to look at it from a strategic perspective, not just as a product you want to sell. Some companies offer their products at half the price and push competitors out of the market. But that’s only half the story. We expect to be able to compete with those companies on price, while our product significantly reduces the overall cost of producing hydrogen—and with a fully European supply chain, which is important.”
FLIE’s role is also crucial, as is the South Holland ecosystem that is rapidly evolving into a frontrunner in hydrogen technology. “Hardware is capital-intensive, which makes early-stage involvement risky for investors”, explains Maarten. “If you want to get to major investment level, you need to be able to show the world a working showcase and say, ‘this is my electrolyser, it’s flexible, come see it in action at FLIE.’”
FlowVolta and FLIE show what hydrogen innovation looks like in practice. It doesn’t happen within a single company or lab but within a growing network of partners working together to accelerate the energy transition. Alongside TNO, the municipality and the Port of Rotterdam, the province of Zuid-Holland, InnovationQuarter, TU Delft, FME, Platform Zero and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency all play key roles as knowledge partners, funding channels and routes to market.
Is your startup developing an innovative idea and looking for a partner to support testing, validation and scaling? Get in touch with FLIE.
