Protium Green Solutions Ltd has secured over £31mn in financing in the first close of its Series B funding round. The funding is intended to accelerate the company's UK projects and further the commercial deployment of its existing portfolio. Existing investors Barclays Principal Investments and SWEN Capital Partners led the round, with additional support from new investors ITOCHU Corporation and Toho Gas Co. Christopher Jackson, the CEO and Founder of Protium, expressed gratitude for the investment from current partners and welcomed the new industrial investors. He emphasized the importance of having renowned investors in the green hydrogen market for the company's future success. Steven Poulter from Barclays Climate Ventures highlighted the key role green hydrogen plays in the energy transition and commended Protium for its end-to-end service in scaling production and supply. Thibauld Thuilliez of SWEN Capital Partners reiterated the firm's commitment to supporting Protium's growth, labeling the company as a leader in the green hydrogen sector in the UK. The investment from ITOCHU Corporation was seen as a positive step towards expanding Protium's business model internationally and tapping into a wider customer base for decarbonization efforts. Toho Gas Co., Ltd also expressed its delight in participating in the funding round, emphasizing the importance of Protium's local production and consumption model for accelerating regional decarbonization. The collaboration aims to contribute to the realization of a low-carbon and decarbonized society. The sentiments from investors and company executives reflect a positive outlook on Protium's position and role in the green hydrogen sector.