HARDT BV

Their core work

Hardt BV is a Rotterdam-based private company specialising in hyperloop technology — the next generation of high-speed ground transport using near-vacuum tubes to move pods at aircraft speeds. They work on the technical specifications, infrastructure standards, and ecosystem development needed to bring hyperloop from concept to deployable European transport network. Beyond hyperloop itself, they also contribute to the broader future-of-logistics debate, bringing expertise in how new transport modes fit into global trade flows, TEN-T corridors, and multimodal freight networks. Their base in Rotterdam — Europe's busiest port — gives them a practical lens on how fast, high-capacity transport reshapes supply chains.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Both H2020 projects launched in 2020, so the keyword split does not reflect a true chronological evolution — it reflects two parallel but complementary focus areas active simultaneously. The PLANET work engaged the systemic, policy, and logistics layer: geoeconomics, new trade routes, synchromodality, and physical internet — the context in which future transport systems must operate. HYPERNEX, by contrast, operated at the technology and industry-building layer: hyperloop specifications, roadmaps, and the assembly of a European ecosystem. Read together, the picture is of an organisation that understands both why new transport is needed (the logistics and trade rationale) and how to build it (the technical and regulatory pathway).

Hardt BV appears to be deepening its focus on hyperloop technology commercialisation and the regulatory-standards work needed to get European networks approved and built — making them an increasingly relevant partner as hyperloop moves from research to pilot infrastructure.

How they like to work

Hardt BV has participated in every project as a consortium member, never as a coordinator — consistent with a technology company that brings specialist expertise rather than project management infrastructure. Their 45 unique partners from just 2 projects indicates they work inside large, diverse consortia, which is typical for transport system projects that require input from infrastructure operators, logistics companies, policymakers, and technology firms simultaneously. They appear willing to engage across wide geographic and sectoral networks rather than working with a fixed circle of repeat partners.

Hardt BV has worked with 45 unique consortium partners across 15 countries from just 2 projects — an unusually wide network for such a small portfolio, pointing to membership in large, multi-partner research actions. Their network is European in character, consistent with projects focused on EU transport corridors and the TEN-T network.

What sets them apart

Hardt BV occupies a rare position as one of the very few European SMEs actively developing hyperloop technology, placing them at the frontier of a transport mode that does not yet exist commercially but has serious EU-level policy momentum. Their Rotterdam location is a genuine asset — sitting at the intersection of Europe's most important freight gateway and a national government that has invested in hyperloop test infrastructure. For consortium builders working on future mobility, advanced rail, or logistics innovation, they offer a combination of deep technology focus and system-level transport thinking that few organisations of their size can match.

Highlights from their portfolio

• HYPERNEX
  Directly focused on building the European hyperloop ecosystem — one of the few H2020 projects in this space — with Hardt contributing core roadmap and specification work that shapes the regulatory and technical future of the technology.
• PLANET
  The larger of the two projects (EUR 101,250 EC share, running to 2023) addresses the strategic logistics context — TEN-T integration, geoeconomics, and blockchain for freight — demonstrating that Hardt's expertise extends well beyond hyperloop hardware into transport system architecture.