This new call combines financial and in-kind support, and is open to ventures across fashion, architecture and audiovisual media from pre-seed stage to Series A
Cologne, 10 August 2026 – EIT Culture & Creativity, Europe’s largest innovation network for the cultural and creative industries, supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, today opens a new funding call offering up to €8.6M in funding and tailored acceleration support to creative tech startups and scale-ups across Europe.
Through two programmes, Shape Acceleration and Scale Post-Acceleration, the call targets startups and scale-ups developing innovative solutions in architecture, audiovisual media and fashion, helping them strengthen product-market fit, attract investment and scale internationally.
In addition to the current call, EIT Culture & Creativity plans additional calls in 2027 to include gaming and cultural heritage ventures.
Shape offers up to €100,000 to pre-seed and seed-stage ventures with early market traction and international ambitions, helping them build investment readiness. Scale offers up to €200,000 – or up to €500,000 for ventures registered in an EIT Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS) country – to seed ventures with proven market and investment traction, accelerating their path to their next funding round.
The financial support is combined with structured acceleration and post-acceleration programmes, including opportunities to connect with EIT Culture & Creativity’s pan-European network of investors and industry partners, and pitch at a Demo Day for additional financial support. Beyond financial support, the programmes focus on helping founders achieve the milestones that matter most for growth: stronger market validation, scalable business models, customer acquisition, fundraising readiness and international expansion.
Europe’s cultural and creative sectors and industries (CCSI) already contribute 5.3% of EU GDP and 8.7 million jobs, yet much of its growth and investment potential remains untapped even as the global creative economy heads toward nearly 10% of global GDP by 2030. This call aims to strengthen the pipeline of ventures capable of attracting private capital and compete globally.
“Europe’s cultural and creative industries have never lacked for talent or ideas, but the business support, investor relationships and funding that take a promising venture from product to scale have been harder to come by,” said Anette Schaefer, CEO of EIT Culture & Creativity. “Shape and Scale are designed to close that gap.”
Two tracks, one goal: Growth
Shape and Scale share a common eligibility baseline: applicants must be registered, for-profit companies operating in the CCSI, based in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe-associated country, and committed to growing in Europe. Full eligibility criteria, timelines, and application details are available here.
All selected ventures in Shape or Scale, receive:
• A six-month acceleration journey with an in-person kick-off and Demo Day in an EU city
• Goal-oriented topic sprints and workshops
• A designated coach and expert trainers, plus high-level matchmaking with investors and industry partners
Become part of the 100-To-Watch list, EIT Culture & Creativity list of most promising ventures in culture & creative tech in Europe, including visibility, market access and priority connections with funding and commercial opportunities.
Building and scaling Europe’s creative investment pipeline
Today’s announcement is part of EIT Culture & Creativity’s broader effort to strengthen Europe’s innovation and investment ecosystem for cultural and creative industries. It follows the launch of a call supporting education and training providers to develop continuing professional development (CPD) courses for Europe’s audiovisual media workforce, as well as two NEB Academy programs to advance circular fashion and skills for sustainable built environments.
Together, these initiatives make a total of €15.2M available to innovators, educators, and entrepreneurs across Europe’s cultural and creative sectors in the first half of 2026.
About EIT Culture & Creativity
EIT Culture & Creativity is the institutional partnership dedicated to transforming Europe’s Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries to become more sustainable, resilient, and competitive. Established in 2023 by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), an independent EU body, the organization offers funding, knowledge, and tailored support.
As part of Europe’s largest innovation ecosystem, we connect research, industry, academia, and cultural institutions to drive systemic innovation. Our vision is to empower the CCSI as a vital force for economic, social, and environmental transformation. Our mission is to drive responsible growth through innovation, education, business creation, and societal impact.
Our initial strategic focus is on five sectors — architecture, gaming, fashion, cultural heritage, and audiovisual media — offering targeted support to innovators to scale ideas, translate innovation into impact, and redefine entrepreneurship for the creative economy.
EIT Culture & Creativity operates in over 30 countries, with its headquarters in Cologne and regional hubs in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bologna, Helsinki, Košice, and Vienna.
We believe culture and creativity are not luxuries — they are essential infrastructure for resilience, renewal, and sustainable economic growth. Whether you are a creative entrepreneur, a university, a cultural institution, a policymaker, or simply someone passionate about shaping Europe’s future, we invite you to join us.
Media Contact
Christy Drummond
Senior Communication Manager, EIT Culture & Creativity
[email protected] | +32 493 82 97 60
