Clean hydrogen is attracting serious investment as governments and industry pursue lower emissions and greater energy independence. According to the Hydrogen Council’s Global Hydrogen Compass 2026, more than US$130 billion has been committed to clean hydrogen projects worldwide, across over 570 projects. While green hydrogen production often receives the most attention, its commercial deployment also depends on the infrastructure needed to store, compress, and distribute it.
Swiss company GRZ Technologies has built its business around these infrastructure needs. Founded in 2017 as a spin-off of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL), GRZ develops and manufactures hydrogen storage, compression, and conversion systems for industrial and energy applications.
With over €20 million in cumulative revenue and products operational in more than 10 countries, GRZ has established a commercial presence beyond its origins in materials research.
Hydrogen systems built on proprietary metal hydrides technology
GRZ’s systems use proprietary metal hydrides, compounds formed when metal alloys absorb hydrogen into their solid-state structure. Controlled heating releases the hydrogen again, allowing the materials to be used repeatedly.
For storage, this enables hydrogen to be stored compactly at comparatively low pressure, helping address the space and safety requirements of industrial installations.
For compression, heating increases the pressure at which hydrogen is released. This process, known as thermochemical compression, can utilise industrial waste heat instead of relying solely on electricity to compress hydrogen.
The wider product portfolio includes systems that convert hydrogen into electricity or combine it with carbon dioxide to produce synthetic methane, extending GRZ’s applications into power supply and renewable-gas production.
The company has developed more than 300 material compositions, with a focus on reducing reliance on critical raw materials such as cobalt and nickel. Its intellectual property portfolio comprises 13 international patent families. Published research also demonstrated that a newly developed GRZ hydrogen storage material maintained its performance after more than 20,000 hydrogen absorption and desorption cycles without noticeable degradation, providing evidence of long-term durability.
From advanced materials to industrial applications
At Gruyère Hydrogen Power in Bulle, Switzerland, GRZ supplied a 200 kg hydrogen storage system connected to a 2 MW electrolyser. The system stores renewable hydrogen until it is needed, providing a buffer between production and industrial consumption.
At Messer’s industrial site in Visp, GRZ supplied a thermochemical hydrogen compressor that uses low-pressure steam to increase hydrogen pressure from 10 to 200 bar for filling transport trailers. Low-pressure steam supplies the heat needed for compression, thus reducing electricity consumption and dependence on mechanical compressors.
These installations illustrate how hydrogen infrastructure can support both renewable energy use and more efficient industrial operations.
Commercial traction and growth opportunities
Across its target markets, GRZ estimates a combined addressable opportunity exceeding €21 billion, spanning hydrogen storage, compression, power systems, and related applications.
The company reports an order backlog exceeding €5 million and positive earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) in the first half of 2026. Its investors include Hyundai Motor Company alongside institutional, strategic, and financial investors.
GRZ is now raising capital through Republic Europe to support expansion into new markets, reduce production costs for its standard products, and finance the industrialisation of its next generation of hydrogen systems.
Learn more about GRZ Technologies and the current investment opportunity on the campaign page.