Funding Opportunities: 

Manufacturing

This opportunity supports projects testing clean maritime technologies before they are deployed in real world conditions. The focus is on developing and trialling solutions on land, such as in factories or dry docks, to reduce emissions in the maritime sector. Projects should show clear potential to cut carbon and prepare technologies for future use on vessels or within port infrastructure.

This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ Developing clean maritime or shipping technologies
✔️ Working on low or zero emission fuels, energy systems, or vessel upgrades
✔️ Building smart shipping or digital solutions that improve efficiency
✔️ Already have partners including end users like ports or vessel operators

Should you apply?
If you have a maritime innovation that needs real world testing before deployment, and want to prove its impact on reducing emissions while preparing for future commercial use across vessels or ports, this is a strong opportunity.

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This strand focuses on early stage feasibility work for clean maritime solutions. The aim is to help teams explore whether an idea is technically and commercially viable before moving into testing or deployment. Projects are mainly desk based and should build a clear case for future real world use, especially in reducing emissions across maritime operations.

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This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ Exploring a new clean maritime concept or idea
✔️ Assessing feasibility before committing to development or testing
✔️ Working on green shipping, infrastructure, or maritime skills
✔️ Collaborating with partners like ports, operators, or industry bodies

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Should you apply?
If you are at an early stage and need to validate your idea, understand costs and impact, and build a strong foundation for future trials, investment, or deployment in the maritime sector, this is a strong opportunity.

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This funding call is focused on taking clean maritime technologies into real world use by funding full deployment trials. The aim is to help teams prove their solutions work in live operational environments, such as on vessels or within ports, and show clear impact in reducing emissions. Projects must go beyond testing and demonstrate real performance over a sustained period.

This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ Ready to deploy a clean maritime solution in real conditions
✔️ Working on low or zero emission vessel or port technologies
✔️ Looking to prove performance through live operational trials
✔️ Partnering with end users like vessel operators or ports

Should you apply?
If you have a mature maritime solution and want to demonstrate it in real world operations, generate strong performance data, and position it for large scale commercial rollout across the industry, this is a strong opportunity.

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Programme is designed to support the creation and growth of early-stage deep-tech spin-outs, with a strong focus on helping them become investment-ready and secure their first significant funding round.

The emphasis is on bridging the gap between initial customer validation and investor readiness, by providing targeted support, funding, and guidance to build strong commercial proof points.

This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ A newly formed or soon-to-be spin-out in Frontier AI, Engineering Biology, or Advanced Materials
✔️ Past early customer discovery and now preparing to raise your first investment round
✔️ Looking to build clear investor proof points rather than continue core R&D
✔️ A high-growth deep-tech venture with strong commercial potential

Should you apply?
If you are an early-stage spin-out with validated market interest and need support to become investment-ready, remove key commercial barriers, and secure your first funding round, this is a highly relevant opportunity to pursue.

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Organisations developing innovative solutions for identifying Special Educational Needs (SEN) can access funding to create, validate, and prepare tools for widespread adoption across education and health settings.

The programme focuses on improving the early, fair, and consistent identification of children with SEN, helping ensure they receive appropriate support sooner while reducing variation in assessment across the UK.

This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ Developing innovative assessment tools, digital platforms, frameworks, or services that improve the early identification of SEN
✔️ Creating solutions that support frontline professionals, schools, health services, or early years providers to identify children's strengths and support needs more accurately
✔️ Using technologies such as AI, data analytics, speech and language assessment, or health data with a clear educational application
✔️ Working with schools, healthcare providers, local authorities, or family support organisations to pilot and validate your solution
✔️ Able to demonstrate a clear route to commercialisation or adoption within existing education or health systems

Should you apply?

If you have an innovative solution that can improve the speed, consistency, and accuracy of SEN identification, and can demonstrate real-world testing, user co-design, safeguarding, and a credible pathway to adoption and scale, this is a strong opportunity. Successful projects will deliver practical tools that improve outcomes for children while supporting future integration into education and healthcare services.

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Organisations developing technologies, products, services or business models that help consumers actively participate in a flexible energy system can access significant funding to accelerate commercialisation and support the UK's transition to a clean energy future.

The programme is designed to support innovations that enable consumer-led flexibility, helping households and businesses shift energy use, support grid resilience, and contribute to the UK's Clean Energy Superpower Mission. Projects are expected to deliver real-world impact by 2030 and demonstrate a credible route to deployment and adoption.

This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ Developing solutions that encourage or enable consumer participation in energy flexibility markets
✔️ Able to demonstrate how your innovation can contribute to clean energy adoption, grid flexibility, or energy system optimisation by 2030
✔️ Bringing together energy sector expertise, end users, and commercial partners to accelerate impact
✔️ Looking to progress feasibility, industrial research, or experimental development activities towards commercialisation

Should you apply?

If your innovation can help unlock consumer participation in a more flexible energy system, has a clear route to UK deployment, and can demonstrate measurable impact on the transition to clean energy, this is a highly relevant opportunity. The competition supports projects ranging from early feasibility through to near-market development, with grants available up to £3 million depending on project stage.

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This opportunity supports organisations developing space enabled solutions to improve water systems and resilience. The focus is on tackling challenges like water quality, leakage, flooding, and infrastructure issues by using satellite data and technologies to build smarter, more efficient water management systems.

This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ Using satellite data, sensors, or connected systems in your solution
✔️ Working on water management, utilities, or environmental monitoring
✔️ Looking to develop or test a new service or product
✔️ Building solutions for infrastructure, climate resilience, or resource efficiency

Should you apply?
If you are developing a solution that can improve how water is managed and want support to prove it works, test it with real users, and move towards commercial deployment using space technology, this is a strong opportunity.

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This opportunity supports early stage startups building solutions for urban mobility, helping them raise funding and scale across Europe. The focus is on high impact innovations that improve how people and goods move in cities, including areas like clean transport, shared mobility, and data driven systems.

This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ A startup with a mobility solution already in development
✔️ Working on transport, logistics, or city mobility challenges
✔️ Raising investment at pre seed, seed, or Series A stage
✔️ Building a product with clear potential to scale across cities

Should you apply?
If you are a startup looking to raise funding while scaling your mobility solution, and want support to grow faster, expand into new markets, and deliver real impact in cities across Europe, this is a strong opportunity.

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This programme supports SMEs working on innovative products, services, or processes through international collaboration. The focus is on helping businesses develop and commercialise new solutions by partnering with organisations across different countries, with strong emphasis on real market potential and impact.

This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ An SME developing a new or improved product or technology
✔️ Looking to collaborate with international partners
✔️ Building a solution with clear commercial potential
✔️ Working on innovation that solves real industry or societal challenges

Should you apply?
If you are an SME ready to develop your innovation with international partners and want support to bring it to market, grow your business, and access funding through national programmes across Europe, this is a strong opportunity.

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This funding topic focuses on improving the security, resilience, and trustworthiness of artificial intelligence systems, particularly those used in cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, and decision-making environments. As AI adoption grows, these systems are becoming increasingly vulnerable to adversarial attacks that manipulate inputs, poison training data, or introduce hidden vulnerabilities.

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Projects should develop stronger and more trustworthy AI systems by improving their ability to withstand threats such as adversarial manipulation, data poisoning, and backdoor attacks. This includes creating new defence techniques, real-time detection systems for suspicious behaviour, and tools to identify compromised datasets.

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The call aims to develop robust AI systems that can detect, resist, and recover from these threats, while also ensuring sensitive data remains protected.

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This opportunity supports projects that take existing research results and move them closer to real world use. The focus is on turning earlier EU funded research into practical applications by testing and validating the technology in relevant environments, helping bridge the gap between research and commercialisation.

This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ Building on results from previous EU funded research projects
✔️ Looking to move a technology closer to real world application
✔️ A startup, SME, or research organisation with validated early results
✔️ Working on innovation that needs further development before market

Should you apply?
If you already have strong research results from an EU funded project and want to develop them further, prove real world use, and move towards commercialisation or investment, this is a strong opportunity.

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This programme is focused on taking clean maritime technologies all the way through to real-world deployment and operation at scale. It is designed for ambitious projects that can build, deploy and run solutions over multiple years in live environments, helping position the UK as a leader in maritime decarbonisation.‍

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This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ Developing vessel or port technologies that significantly reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency
✔️ Able to deliver a large-scale project involving build, deployment and multi-year real-world operation
✔️ A UK business leading a consortium with strong commercial and delivery partners
✔️ Targeting solutions such as alternative fuels, electrification, charging infrastructure or vessel efficiency upgrades‍

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Should you apply?
If you have a mature, high-value solution ready to be deployed and operated in real-world maritime environments, with the capability to deliver a large collaborative project and demonstrate long-term impact, this is a strong opportunity.

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This grant focuses on accelerating the shift to electric-powered maritime systems by funding large-scale projects that build, deploy and operate battery-electric vessels and supporting infrastructure in real-world conditions over multiple years.

The aim is to move beyond testing and into full operational use, proving that electric maritime solutions can work reliably at scale across ports, inland waterways and wider maritime environments.

This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ Developing 100% battery electric vessels or electrification upgrades for existing fleets
✔️ Building charging infrastructure, shore power systems or port energy solutions that support vessel electrification
✔️ A UK business capable of leading a large consortium and delivering complex infrastructure and deployment projects
✔️ Ready to demonstrate your solution in a live operational environment for an extended period

Should you apply?
If you have an advanced clean maritime solution focused on electrification, with a clear plan to build, deploy and operate it at scale alongside strong commercial partners and end users, this is a highly relevant opportunity.

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This oppportunity is centred on accelerating the adoption of alternative fuel technologies in the maritime sector by supporting projects that build, deploy and operate vessels and refuelling infrastructure at scale.

The focus is on enabling real-world use of low and zero-emission fuels, alongside the infrastructure required to support them, proving that these solutions can operate reliably and commercially over a sustained period.

This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ Developing vessels powered by alternative fuels such as hydrogen, ammonia, methanol or other low-carbon fuel systems
✔️ Building bunkering, storage or refuelling infrastructure within ports to support alternative fuel adoption
✔️ A UK business able to lead a large consortium delivering both vessel and infrastructure components
✔️ Working with ports, operators or supply chain partners to enable real-world deployment and long-term operation

Should you apply?
If your project is ready to move beyond development into full-scale deployment, with a clear plan to build, operate and validate alternative fuel systems in real-world maritime environments alongside committed partners and end users, this is a highly relevant opportunity to pursue.

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Companies developing mature digital health, AI or data-driven healthcare solutions can access funding to accelerate commercialisation and adoption across European healthcare systems.

The programme supports commercially ready healthcare innovations by funding real-world validation, market access activities and deployment, helping companies generate the evidence needed to scale across Europe.

This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ An SME or industry-led organisation developing a mature digital, AI-powered or data-driven healthcare solution
✔️ Ready to validate your product in real-world healthcare settings and prepare for commercial scale-up
✔️ Able to form a consortium with at least two independent organisations from different eligible countries, including partners from at least two sides of the Knowledge Triangle (Industry, Research and Education)
✔️ Looking to strengthen market access through usability testing, health economics, reimbursement planning and commercial validation
✔️ Able to co-fund 50% of the project and demonstrate a clear route to market

Should you apply?

If you have a clinically validated digital health innovation that is ready for commercial deployment across Europe, this is a highly relevant opportunity. Successful applicants will demonstrate strong commercial potential, a robust consortium, a clear market access strategy and the ability to generate real-world evidence that supports widespread adoption across healthcare systems.

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Companies with mature healthcare innovations can access funding to accelerate product development, commercialisation and investment readiness across Europe.

The programme supports high-growth SMEs developing innovative solutions in biotech, medtech, digital health, AI, and biomarkers or diagnostics, helping them reach the next stage of commercial growth while addressing significant unmet clinical needs.

This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ An SME developing an innovative biotech, medtech, digital health, AI, or diagnostic solution
✔️ Have a mature product with demonstrated technical and commercial progress (IML 5–7+, depending on technology area)
✔️ Have raised at least €2 million in equity investment within the previous 36 months, including investment from at least one new investor
✔️ Looking to accelerate product development, strengthen your commercialisation strategy and prepare for your next fundraising round
✔️ Able to provide 50% co-funding alongside the EIT Health grant

Should you apply?

If you have a well-funded healthcare startup with a mature innovation, clear clinical value and strong commercial potential, this is a highly relevant opportunity. Successful applicants will demonstrate readiness to scale, a robust commercial strategy, and the ability to translate innovation into widespread healthcare adoption and future investment.

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This programme supports large scale projects that develop and scale bio based solutions to replace fossil based materials and processes. The focus is on building more sustainable industries across areas like materials, chemicals, food, and manufacturing, while improving resource use and reducing environmental impact.

‍This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ Developing bio based materials, chemicals, or products
✔️ Working on recycling, biodegradability, or circular solutions
✔️ Building technologies that use biomass or waste streams
✔️ Able to collaborate across industry, research, and supply chains

Should you apply?
If you are developing a sustainable solution that can replace fossil based products and want to scale it through strong European partnerships, demonstrate real environmental impact, and bring it closer to industrial use and market adoption, this is a strong opportunity.

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The Urban Mobility Explained (UMX) Open Call, run by EIT Urban Mobility, funds the development and delivery of professional training and learning services that address urban mobility knowledge gaps and support more liveable cities. It is open to a wide range of organisations across EU Member States and Horizon Europe–associated countries, with projects eligible for up to €700,000 in funding over a maximum of 35 months. Proposals should align with the strategic objectives of the EIT Urban Mobility Academy and demonstrate impact, scalability, and financial sustainability. The call supports a broad range of training-related activities, from course development and commercialisation to scaling successful programmes and providing operational support services.

This opportunity supports organisations developing space enabled services or applications, helping them move from idea to real world use. It funds both early stage work to prove a concept and later stage projects that test solutions with real users, with the goal of reducing risk and preparing for commercial launch.

This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ Developing a service that uses space data or technology
✔️ Looking to validate an idea or build a minimum viable product
✔️ Ready to test your solution with real customers or users
✔️ Working across sectors where space data can add value

Should you apply?
If you have a space enabled solution and want support to prove it works, test it in real world conditions, and move towards commercial deployment with customers and partners, this is a strong opportunity.

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This opportunity supports bold, early stage ideas that could lead to major breakthroughs in science and technology. The focus is on high risk, high reward projects that explore new directions, challenge current thinking, and have the potential to open up entirely new fields or capabilities.

This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ Exploring a novel or unconventional research idea
✔️ Working on early stage science or breakthrough technologies
✔️ Challenging existing approaches or assumptions
✔️ An individual, startup, SME, or research team with a bold concept

Should you apply?
If you have a high risk idea that would not typically get funded elsewhere and want support to explore it, prove its potential, and turn it into a future breakthrough or larger programme, this is a strong opportunity.

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Ambitious innovators and researchers looking to establish themselves as independent leaders can access long-term funding and support to accelerate both their career development and the delivery of high-impact innovation.

The programme is designed to help emerging leaders build independent careers through ambitious research and innovation programmes that deliver meaningful economic, societal or technological benefits for the UK.


This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ An early-career innovator or researcher with leadership potential
✔️ Developing a novel, ambitious innovation or research programme with significant UK impact
✔️ Looking to establish an independent career pathway and build leadership capability
✔️ Supported by a UK-based host organisation such as a business, charity, public sector organisation, research organisation or Agri-Tech Centre

Should you apply?

If you have a compelling vision, a strong host organisation, and can demonstrate how the fellowship will accelerate both your leadership development and the impact of your innovation, this is one of the UK's most prestigious opportunities for future research and innovation leaders.

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Companies developing deep tech solutions that help communities, infrastructure, agriculture, and natural systems adapt to climate change can access funding to accelerate commercialisation and scale across Europe.

The programme supports startups and SMEs developing breakthrough technologies that address Europe's most urgent climate adaptation challenges, with a strong focus on deployment in partnership with regional and local authorities.

This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ A startup or SME developing deep tech solutions for climate adaptation and resilience
✔️ Building innovations that address urban heat, climate-smart agriculture, water scarcity, or flood and coastal resilience
✔️ Combining engineering, AI, advanced materials, biotechnology, or nature-based solutions to improve climate resilience
✔️ Developing scalable technologies that can be deployed by cities, local authorities, utilities, infrastructure providers, or the agricultural sector
✔️ Able to demonstrate a clear route to commercialisation, measurable climate impact, and adoption across Europe

Should you apply?

If you have a breakthrough technology that helps communities, infrastructure, or industries adapt to climate change while delivering measurable environmental and commercial impact, this is a highly relevant opportunity. Successful applicants will combine strong deep tech innovation with a clear business case, scalable deployment model, and the potential to strengthen Europe's long-term climate resilience.

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Companies developing biotechnology solutions for healthier agricultural soils can access funding to accelerate the commercialisation and scale-up of innovations that improve soil health, increase agricultural resilience, and reduce reliance on harmful chemicals.

The programme supports deep tech startups and SMEs developing breakthrough biotechnologies that restore soil quality, enhance biodiversity, improve crop productivity, and strengthen Europe's sustainable bioeconomy.

This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ A startup or SME developing biotechnology solutions for sustainable agriculture or soil regeneration
✔️ Working on bioremediation, soil microbiome management, renewable fertilisers, bio-stimulants, or other biological approaches to improving soil health
✔️ Using technologies such as AI, sensors, or digital monitoring to optimise soil management and measure environmental impact
✔️ Developing circular solutions that transform agricultural waste, biomass, or biological materials into sustainable agricultural products
✔️ Able to demonstrate a clear pathway to commercialisation, environmental impact, and adoption within agricultural production systems

Should you apply?

If you have a breakthrough biotechnology with the potential to improve soil health, increase agricultural productivity, and support more sustainable farming, this is a highly relevant opportunity. Successful applicants will combine strong scientific innovation with a clear route to market, measurable environmental benefits, and a compelling contribution to Europe's transition towards a more resilient and sustainable agricultural sector.

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Companies developing breakthrough fusion energy technologies can access funding to accelerate the commercialisation and scale-up of innovations that overcome the key technical barriers to future fusion power plants.

The programme supports deep tech startups and SMEs developing alternative reactor concepts, advanced components, materials, and enabling technologies that will help position Europe as a global leader in commercially viable fusion energy.

This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ A startup or SME developing innovative technologies for fusion energy generation or fusion power plant infrastructure
✔️ Working on fusion reactor concepts, plasma systems, advanced materials, superconducting magnets, laser technologies, digital twins, AI, machine learning, or fuel cycle technologies
✔️ Developing enabling technologies that address major technical bottlenecks preventing commercial fusion power generation
✔️ Looking to scale deep tech innovations with the potential to become part of Europe's future fusion energy value chain
✔️ Able to demonstrate a clear pathway towards commercialisation and long-term impact within the fusion energy sector

Should you apply?

If you have a breakthrough fusion technology with the potential to solve critical challenges in commercial fusion power generation, this is a highly relevant opportunity. Successful applicants will combine deep technical innovation with a credible route to commercial deployment, helping accelerate Europe's transition towards commercially viable fusion energy while strengthening its industrial leadership in next-generation clean energy technologies.

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Companies developing advanced materials for renewable energy generation or energy storage can access funding to accelerate commercialisation and strengthen Europe's energy supply chain.

The programme supports startups and SMEs creating next-generation materials that improve the performance, efficiency and sustainability of renewable energy and energy storage technologies, while reducing dependence on critical raw materials and imported materials.

This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ A startup or SME developing advanced materials for renewable energy generation or energy storage systems
✔️ Creating innovations for solar, wind, energy harvesting or medium to long-duration energy storage technologies
✔️ Designing, synthesising, scaling or manufacturing advanced materials with improved functionality or performance
✔️ Developing solutions that reduce reliance on critical raw materials while improving sustainability and circularity through lifecycle thinking
✔️ Building technologies with a clear pathway to commercialisation and integration into Europe's renewable energy value chain

Should you apply?

If you have a breakthrough advanced materials technology that can improve renewable energy or energy storage performance while strengthening Europe's manufacturing capability and strategic autonomy, this is a highly relevant opportunity. Successful applicants will combine strong technical innovation with a credible route to scale, commercial adoption and measurable environmental impact.

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Businesses developing highly innovative, near-market technologies can access patient finance through an Innovation Loan to support late-stage R&D, validation, and commercialisation activities where traditional funding is not available on suitable terms.

Unlike a grant, this programme is designed for ambitious SMEs with a clear route to revenue, strong commercial potential, and the ability to repay the loan through future business growth.

This is a strong fit if you are:

✔️ An SME developing a highly innovative product, process, service, or business model that is significantly ahead of current market offerings
✔️ Undertaking late-stage experimental development activities such as prototyping, piloting, testing, validation, or commercial-scale preparation
✔️ Operating within one of the UK Government's priority sectors, including Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy, Digital & Technologies, Defence, Life Sciences, or Creative Industries
✔️ Able to demonstrate a credible commercialisation strategy, market demand, and strong economic impact for the UK
✔️ Unable to secure suitable finance from private investors, lenders, or other funding sources

Should you apply?

If you have a commercially focused innovation at TRL 5 or above, a strong management team, clear customer demand, and a realistic plan to generate revenue and repay the loan, this is a highly relevant funding opportunity. Successful applicants will demonstrate both technical innovation and commercial readiness, alongside a compelling case for why loan funding is required to unlock growth and market adoption.

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