Episode 25 of the WHySE Creatures Stories
This post first appeared on LinkedIn on 25 August 2026.
“We need a pilot,” said Tiger.
“Why, are we flying?” asked Monkey.
“We’re carrying out an H₂ project, aren’t we?”
Dog looked up from his map and smiled.
Tiger and Monkey had just come out of a meeting.
Tiger, the founder of the start-up, wanted to test things out. To learn. To show that his technology works out in the real world.
On his piece of paper, written in large letters, was: Pilot.
Monkey had folded a paper aeroplane from a second piece of paper.
“A pilot in an H₂ project rarely sits in the cockpit,” said Dog.
“It stands between the idea and market implementation.”
Tiger nodded.
Monkey twirled the paper aeroplane in her hand.
“So a pilot is a sort of real-world trial, just outside the lab?”
“Yes,” said Dog.
“A deliberately limited learning environment.”
A pilot plant answers questions that remain unresolved at the desk:
Does the technology work under real-world conditions?
What data do we need for the next step?
What risks will we only see once the plant is up and running?
Dog placed the compass on the table.
“And this is exactly where Technology Readiness Levels get interesting. In short: TRL. They show where a technology currently stands – whether it’s still in the lab or already closer to market entry.”
Monkey looked at her paper aeroplane.
“So we’re not flying at all?”
“Oh, we do,” said Tiger.
“Just differently.”
Dog smiled.
Because sometimes an H₂ project doesn’t need a flight plan.
Instead, it needs a clear learning question.
And a pilot who can show whether a good idea can become the next viable step.