The Department of Science and Technology (DST) had supported R&D activity within the hydrogen and fuel cell (HFC) sector under its HySA project for over five years as part of a long-term strategy to create a vibrant domestic industry. As R&D outcomes started to emerge, Innocentrix was asked to provide the DST with recommendations to inform its commercialisation framework for the next stage of its HFC strategy. The study included extensive research to provide detailed recommendations around organisation structure, funding frameworks, processes, board composition, staff skills and goals and objectives. By using its national and international knowledge base around commercialisation and cluster support and exploring its extensive networks, Innocentrix could deliver recommendations based on national and international best practises, academic research, international cases studies, extensive engagement with national stakeholders and interviews with international experts on HFC technologies, cluster management and IP commercialisation.

The recommendations aimed to create a competitive HFC industry in South Africa with the South African government fostering growth, business creation and human resource capacity.