BOSCH THERMOTECHNIK GMBH

Their core work

Bosch Thermotechnik is the heating technology division of the Bosch Group, manufacturing heating systems, hot water solutions, and climate control equipment for residential and commercial buildings. Within H2020, they contributed industrial expertise in fuel cell micro-combined heat and power (mCHP) deployment, building thermal retrofit solutions, and smart building interoperability. Their role reflects a large manufacturer testing next-generation heating technologies — from fuel cells to digitally connected home energy systems — before commercial rollout.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Their early H2020 work (2016–2017) was firmly rooted in hardware deployment — commercialising fuel cell mCHP units and retrofitting building thermal systems. By 2018–2019, the focus shifted decisively toward digital integration (smart homes, smart grids, interoperability) and sustainability frameworks (circular economy, life cycle analysis, sustainable business models). This mirrors the broader Bosch corporate strategy of moving from pure hardware manufacturing toward connected, sustainable building energy ecosystems.

Bosch Thermotechnik is moving from standalone heating hardware toward digitally connected, sustainability-assessed building energy systems — future partners should expect interest in IoT integration and life cycle thinking.

How they like to work

Bosch Thermotechnik exclusively participates as a partner, never as coordinator — consistent with large corporates that contribute industrial capacity and market access rather than project management. With 140 unique partners across 21 countries, they operate in large consortia (typical for Innovation Actions). They are a broad-network collaborator, unlikely to repeat the same small group, making them accessible to new partners who bring complementary technical expertise.

Extensive European network spanning 140 unique partners across 21 countries, reflecting participation in large-scale Innovation Action consortia. Their reach covers most of the EU, with no visible geographic concentration beyond their German home base.

What sets them apart

As a division of Bosch, they bring something few academic or SME partners can: a direct path from prototype to mass-market product in heating and building technology. They are one of Europe's largest heating equipment manufacturers, meaning research results tested with them have a realistic chance of reaching millions of homes. For consortium builders, Bosch Thermotechnik provides the industrial validation and market deployment credibility that EU evaluators look for in Innovation Actions.

Highlights from their portfolio

• PACE
  Largest funding (EUR 1.1M) and longest project (2016–2023), focused on bringing fuel cell mCHP from demonstration to commercial-scale deployment across Europe.
• InterConnect
  Signals Bosch's strategic pivot toward digital building ecosystems — connecting smart homes, buildings, and energy grids through interoperability standards.
• ReTraCE
  Unusual for a heating manufacturer to join a circular economy research training network (MSCA-ITN), suggesting genuine commitment to sustainability beyond core products.