This review is devoted to an overview of the prospects for the development of the global hydrogen market and the strategies of individual countries aimed at transforming energy systems in favor of decarbonization and greening through the use of hydrogen. Special attention is paid to the prospects for the development of the Russian hydrogen market. The authors of the review used the method of comparative analysis and analytical generalization of publications, programs and regulatory documents from different countries. The results of the comparative analysis led to the conclusion that most of the publications currently focus on the technical and technological aspects of hydrogen energy, solving the problem of increasing the efficiency of methods for the production, transportation, distribution and storage of hydrogen fuel. The results of the analytical generalization led to the conclusion that in all countries of the world, the technology for the production of highly environmentally friendly “green” hydrogen is at an early stage, which makes it highly dependent on government initiatives to develop hydrogen projects and government funding of both scientific research in this area and realizable projects. In addition, the peaks of interest in the field of hydrogen energy are associated with market changes in the fossil energy markets, which makes the development of this technology unstable and dependent on market conditions. Moreover, the focus of attention of a number of authors is the prospects for the development of the hydrogen market. It is concluded that many countries are ready to invest in the development of hydrogen energy and, given the growth in demand for hydrogen, are ready to export it at an affordable price. That is, in the future, the international hydrogen market, as technical, technological, and economic problems are solved, will grow. The results of the study also indicate the fundamental co-direction of the trends in the development of hydrogen energy in Russia with global trends. At the same time, it should be emphasized that the high resource and scientific and technological potential allows Russia to fully focus its strategy on its implementation, not only developing the domestic market but also acting as an exporter of hydrogen and expanding international cooperation in this area.

The innovative potential of companies is a pivotal driver of both firm-level competitiveness and broader economic transformation. This study quantitatively and qualitatively assesses how innovation—viewed as a core component of intellectual capital—affects the commercial success of companies across Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia (EECCA) compared to adjacent European markets. A regression analysis on panel data reveals that intellectual capital innovation explains 54% of the variation in inclusive growth among firms oriented toward sustainable development. Specifically, Human Capital Innovation exhibits the strongest positive effect (β = 0.438, p < 0.001), followed by Relational Capital Innovation (β = 0.319, p < 0.001), and Structural Capital Innovation (β = 0.217, p = 0.0004). Firm size also positively correlates with growth (β = 0.124, p = 0.006), confirming scale effects. Knowledge-intensive companies in the Caucasus and Central Asia remain at an early development stage, whereas firms in Eastern Europe demonstrate innovation efficiency comparable to more advanced European markets. A qualitative analysis further substantiates the significant correlations between innovation, intellectual capital, human resource management, and firm success. The findings support the practical use of innovation management and intellectual capital development strategies to enhance competitiveness, particularly in emerging markets undergoing industrial transformation.