A new European funding programme will support startups and SMEs in fashion, architecture and audiovisual media to bring validated innovations to market, with up to €900,000 available per project.
EIT Culture & Creativity has opened a €10.5 million funding call aimed at helping companies in Europe’s cultural and creative industries turn validated innovations into commercial products and services.
The Innovation Projects call targets startups, scale-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) working in fashion, architecture and audiovisual media. It is designed for businesses that have already developed and validated a prototype or solution and are ready to focus on market adoption, investment readiness and growth.
The initiative addresses a common challenge for innovators: developing a working solution is only part of the journey. Securing customers, building commercial partnerships and accessing the investment needed to scale can prove just as difficult.
“Europe is not short of creative innovation. The challenge is turning validated solutions into products and services that customers adopt at scale,” said Anette Schaefer, CEO of EIT Culture & Creativity.
The call will support innovations aligned with Europe’s green, digital and social transitions. Priority areas include circular textile technologies, bio-based building materials and responsible artificial intelligence for content creation.
These reflect some of the challenges and opportunities facing the creative industries. Fashion businesses are exploring alternatives to resource-intensive production models, while architecture has a growing need for materials and solutions that support climate adaptation. In audiovisual media, generative AI is changing how content is created and how businesses operate.
EIT Culture & Creativity aims to help companies move beyond technical validation and demonstrate that their solutions can succeed in real markets.
From prototype to commercial scale
The programme is aimed at innovations at Technology Readiness Level 7 (TRL 7), meaning a system prototype has been demonstrated in an operational environment. Selected projects are expected to progress towards TRL 9, where the actual system has been proven in an operational environment.
The funding process has two stages.
In the first stage, selected applicants will receive €20,000 to develop a business development plan, strengthen customer and market validation, establish a go-to-market strategy and assess the financing needed to implement and scale their solution.
The strongest proposals can then progress to an implementation phase lasting up to 18 months, with funding of up to €900,000 per project. The programme expects to fund up to 11 projects.
Alongside financial support, selected companies will be able to access EIT Culture & Creativity’s pan-European network of industry partners, potential customers, investors and distribution networks across more than 30 countries. The programme will also offer matchmaking opportunities, commercial visibility and support to strengthen investment readiness.
The aim is to help promising innovations establish a route to market, build partnerships and prepare for further growth.
Who can apply?
The call is open to legal entities established in EU Member States and countries associated with Horizon Europe. Applicants must have a technically validated prototype or solution at TRL 7.
Stage one applications close on 30 October 2026, while the deadline for stage two is 15 March 2027. The stage two application form will be made available to applicants selected following stage one.
Further information on eligibility requirements and how to apply is available through EIT Culture & Creativity.
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