In the last two days we did the kick-off meeting of the #euEIC Mid- to long-term and systems integrated #energystorage Pathfinder challenge #portfolio. The 32 representatives of the 9 projects belonging to the technological categories of the Electrochemical, Thermal, Chemical looping and storage of energy carriers and Thermomechanical energy storage discussed with experts coming from @JRC, CINEA - European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency, Future Cleantech Architects and scientific organizations how to accelerate their technology innovation journey through sharing scientific and innovation expertise as well as facilities and equipment. Take home messages are: 1) collaboration is needed but to implement it you clearly need to demonstrate that it is a win-win approach; 2) tech to market plans needs to be strategically designed since day one of the deep tech innovation journey; 3) to achieve the ambitious goal of implementing the energy transition we need to design the proper policies and to develop technologies that are environmentally and economically sustainable.