French natural hydrogen exploration startup Mantle8 has secured a €2.06 million grant from the European Union’s Just Transition Fund, strengthening its efforts to develop advanced technologies for detecting naturally occurring hydrogen reserves.
The funding forms part of the FEDER/FSE+/JTF 2021–2027 regional programme managed by the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region and supports a €4.84 million research and development programme running through 2028. The grant is non-dilutive, providing Mantle8 with additional runway to advance its technology without issuing new equity.
The award follows the company’s €3.4 million seed round in 2025, bringing total funding raised to date to approximately €5.46 million through a combination of private investment and public support.
A technology-first approach to natural hydrogen
Unlike conventional hydrogen production methods that require industrial processes, natural hydrogen exists underground and can potentially be extracted directly from geological formations. Mantle8’s strategy focuses on identifying these reserves using advanced geoscience systems designed to map hydrogen-generating environments with greater precision.
The company’s technology platform is built around four proprietary systems: GeoLogix, APoGeH, HOREX, and Simul8. Each plays a distinct role in analysing subsurface conditions and identifying locations where natural hydrogen is most likely to accumulate.
Mantle8 is developing a technology-first approach to natural hydrogen exploration, aiming to identify and unlock underground hydrogen resources that could play a role in the future energy mix. By combining these tools, Mantle8 aims to visualise the entire hydrogen-generating system, including the quantity and quality of hydrogen present. This approach enables exploration teams to better understand underground reservoirs before drilling or development begins.
Strategic partners Viridien and Smart Seismic Solutions are supporting the development of the platform as the company continues to refine its exploration capabilities.
Building Europe’s natural hydrogen future
Mantle8 was founded in 2024 by Emmanuel Masini, bringing together a team of geoscientists with more than 20 years of field experience. Many members of the team previously collaborated through M&U, a geology research and consulting company.
The company has already secured multiple exploration permits covering some of the largest identified natural hydrogen reservoirs in Europe, positioning it among the early movers in this emerging sector. Its long-term objective is to unlock commercially viable natural hydrogen resources and drive down production costs.
Mantle8 is targeting hydrogen production costs of €0.80 per kilogram by 2030, a price point that could significantly improve the economic viability of hydrogen as a clean energy source.
Scaling Mantle8’s core technology platform
The newly secured EU funding will focus on strengthening Mantle8’s technology infrastructure and increasing the readiness of its systems for industrial deployment.
A key priority is the continued development of HOREX, the company’s pilot system currently operating in Comminges, which has already demonstrated strong resolution and large-scale applicability in field conditions. The funding will also enable the construction of the APoGeH geochemistry laboratory at Mantle8’s headquarters in Grenoble, allowing the company to conduct hydrogen system analyses internally rather than relying on external facilities.
Meanwhile, upgrades to GeoLogix will introduce greater automation, enabling faster and higher-resolution subsurface imaging across large exploration areas. The programme will also support further development of Simul8, Mantle8’s multiphysics modelling engine designed to simulate hydrogen systems through digital twin technology.
Beyond technology improvements, the initiative will fund the recruitment of specialised talent, including PhD researchers working alongside universities and Mantle8’s scientific advisory board. Industrial techno-economic studies will also be carried out with strategic partners to prepare future deployment pathways.
All activities funded under the programme will be anchored in Grenoble and the wider Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region.
Supporting regional industrial transformation
The EU’s Just Transition Fund was created to help regions adapt economically as they move away from fossil fuel dependence. Funding programmes under the initiative focus on supporting innovation, industrial transformation, and sustainable energy development.
Mantle8’s project aligns with that mission by building on Grenoble’s long-standing expertise in geoscience research and translating scientific knowledge into scalable industrial technologies.
While the programme does not directly finance exploration campaigns, it aims to accelerate the industrialisation of Mantle8’s technology stack. By improving efficiency and precision, the company expects its tools to enable faster and more cost-effective hydrogen exploration.
The agreement with the EU runs through 2028 and will operate under the monitoring and reporting requirements tied to regional innovation programmes.
This funding allows us to strengthen the core technologies that underpin our entire platform,” said Emmanuel Masini, CEO and Founder of Mantle8. “It gives us the means to scale our tools, improve their robustness and move closer to industrial deployment.”
