The article reviews recent advancements in the development of non-noble metal catalysts for the electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Emphasis is placed on the nanostructuring of industrially relevant hydrotreating catalysts, which have shown potential as HER electrocatalysts. The review highlights the challenges and improvements in catalyst performance, including the density and reactivity of active sites, electron transport, surface area, and stability under operating conditions. Key strategies for enhancing catalyst efficiency include increasing the number of electronically connected active sites, preferentially exposing active edge sites, and improving electrical contact to these sites. The review also discusses the application of modern analytical techniques and computational tools to understand the structure-performance relationship in these catalysts. Despite the current limitations, the nanostructuring approaches described in this review provide valuable insights for future catalyst optimization and breakthroughs in energy conversion technologies.The article reviews recent advancements in the development of non-noble metal catalysts for the electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Emphasis is placed on the nanostructuring of industrially relevant hydrotreating catalysts, which have shown potential as HER electrocatalysts. The review highlights the challenges and improvements in catalyst performance, including the density and reactivity of active sites, electron transport, surface area, and stability under operating conditions. Key strategies for enhancing catalyst efficiency include increasing the number of electronically connected active sites, preferentially exposing active edge sites, and improving electrical contact to these sites. The review also discusses the application of modern analytical techniques and computational tools to understand the structure-performance relationship in these catalysts. Despite the current limitations, the nanostructuring approaches described in this review provide valuable insights for future catalyst optimization and breakthroughs in energy conversion technologies.