Hydros Power has been named Southern Europe’s Best Greentech Startup at the 2025 Global Startup Awards, one of the most influential competitions in the global startup ecosystem, with a presence in 154 countries and 19 regions.
The award places the Alicante-based company among the most promising young businesses worldwide, recognizing its potential to make a real impact in sustainability and technological innovation. The milestone secures Hydros Power a spot representing Southern Europe at the 2026 Global Grand Finale, which will bring together the most innovative startups from every region. Thanks to Hydros Power, Alicante will be on the map at the world’s marquee entrepreneurship event.
The recognition for Hydros Power comes at a particularly exciting time for Alicante’s innovation ecosystem, which continues to gain visibility both in Spain and abroad. The city, currently a semifinalist for the European Capital of Innovation award, is proving its ability to foster projects with a real impact on the energy transition and the development of new clean technologies.
“Alicante is proving it has the talent, the ideas, and an ecosystem with the potential to lead projects with a global impact. This award is proof of that,” said Iván Navalón, co-founder and CEO of Hydros Power. “Our goal is to keep building solutions from here that can truly change the industry.”
Removing barriers to bring green hydrogen to life
The jury of this year’s edition highlighted Hydros Power’s integrated and modular approach, which tackles many of the barriers that have so far held back the adoption of green hydrogen. Its technology, developed within the STELION ecosystem, enables decarbonization in sectors where batteries are not a viable alternative, such as logistics, urban mobility, and industrial transport.
Through a system based on plug-and-play capsules, compact refueling stations, and hybrid fuel-cell modules, Hydros Power makes hydrogen use more practical, cost-effective, and scalable even in environments without existing infrastructure.
The company’s solution is specifically designed for logistics operators, captive fleets, and industries that require uninterrupted energy supply. Among other benefits, it helps eliminate emissions, reduce refueling costs and operational noise, and boost productivity compared with conventional battery or fossil-fuel systems.
Hydros Power’s technology has already been validated in real-world environments, including pilot tests with long-range hydrogen drones and a pioneering project to power refrigerated containers, which is set to launch in the coming weeks.
Awards, Investment and Impact: Hydros Power’s Journey
Since its early days, Hydros Power has earned recognition from some of the most prominent organizations in the Spanish and European innovation ecosystem. The company was selected by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) through its Urban Mobility division, which backed its technological proposal by investing in the company.
The company has also received distinctions such as ENISA’s Top 101 Spain Up Nation, the EIBT Seal, the Innovative SME Seal, and the Best Electric Mobility Startup Award at the eMobility Startup Forum, among others. It has also been supported by initiatives like Cuatrecasas Acelera and Valencia Innovation Capital, further consolidating its position as one of the most promising players in the hydrogen and energy transition sectors.
One more step toward the future we want
The recognition at the Global Startup Awards strengthens Hydros Power’s trajectory and fuels its mission to set a new standard for distributed hydrogen in Europe. After being named Southern Europe’s Best Greentech, the company is now preparing to represent the region at the Global Grand Finale in 2026.
With its sights set on upcoming milestones, Hydros Power continues to advance the development and commercialization of its products, which are now nearing market readiness. The company is working alongside logistics operators, industrial firms, and public institutions to position its technology as a clean, cost-effective, and practical solution for decarbonizing strategic sectors such as logistics and transportation.
