Huilin Liu’s interest in energy innovation was sparked during her career as a corporate lawyer, where she structured transactions for renewable energy and digital infrastructure projects. Now a PhD researcher at TU Delft within the AWETRAIN network, Huilin investigates strategies for Airborne Wind Energy (AWE) commercialisation. Moving beyond technical feasibility, she utilizes Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) and Strategic Niche Management (SNM) to address the socio-economic barriers facing the sector. Drawing on her legal and commercial background, she bridges the gap between technological innovation and business strategy, translating technical progress into actionable policy and market insights. Her work aims to design market entry strategies for SMEs and collaborative roadmaps for large-scale utility adoption.