Scale Creative Startups into Breakthrough Innovators

Cabo Verde
Creative Industries
Socio-culturally Acceptable
Entrepreneurship

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Call Reference:

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-HERITAGE-02

Overview

The European Commission, under the Horizon Europe Programme, has launched a call for proposals to strengthen Europe's cultural and creative industries by supporting innovative projects that help creative startups scale, commercialise disruptive innovations and build stronger innovation ecosystems.

The call seeks projects that develop and test new approaches for accelerating the growth of creative startups, improving investor readiness, enabling market expansion and increasing the visibility of high-potential creative enterprises across Europe.

Projects must move beyond existing support mechanisms by piloting innovative models that demonstrate measurable commercial and innovation outcomes.

Funding Instrument

• Programme: Horizon Europe
• Destination: Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society
• Action Type: Horizon Innovation Action (IA)
• Grant Type: Horizon Lump Sum Grant
• Submission Process: Single-stage
• Status: Open for Applications

Important Dates

• Applications Open: 12 May 2026
• Application Deadline: 23 September 2026 (17:00 Brussels Time)

What is the European Commission Looking For?

Applicants must propose innovative solutions that strengthen Europe's creative innovation ecosystem by helping startups overcome barriers to growth and commercialisation.

Projects should generate practical, scalable models that can be adopted across Europe.

Successful Proposals Should Contribute To

• Accelerating the growth of creative startups into scaleups.
• Supporting disruptive innovation with the potential to transform markets.
• Strengthening investor readiness.
• Improving access to finance.
• Creating new collaboration models between startups, investors and innovation support organisations.
• Increasing the visibility of Europe's most innovative creative companies.
• Informing future European startup and innovation policy.

Applicants Must Choose One Strategic Focus

Projects must clearly select one of the following pathways.

Option A – Scaling Creative Startups

Focus on helping creative startups become fast-growing scaleups by developing and testing new support mechanisms.

Examples Include

• Scale-up programmes
• Market expansion models
• Investment readiness initiatives
• Business growth support
• Commercialisation strategies

Option B – Disruptive Innovation

Focus on helping creative startups or existing scaleups successfully bring disruptive innovations to market.

Projects Should Support Innovations Capable Of

• Creating entirely new markets
• Transforming existing industries
• Introducing radically different business models
• Delivering breakthrough creative products or services

Expected Project Activities

Successful projects are expected to include a combination of research, innovation and real-world implementation activities such as:

• Developing innovative startup support methodologies.
• Testing new investment readiness approaches.
• Building collaboration platforms between startups, investors and industry.
• Improving access to shared infrastructure and technological resources.
• Strengthening intellectual property (IP) commercialisation.
• Developing matchmaking platforms.
• Engaging venture capital networks.
• Supporting startup acceleration programmes.
• Connecting startups with innovation ecosystems.
• Demonstrating practical market uptake.

Projects are expected to build upon existing European innovation initiatives where relevant rather than duplicating existing programmes.

Pilot Demonstration Requirements

Projects must include at least three pilot demonstrations conducted in different real-world settings.

Depending On The Selected Option, Pilots Should Demonstrate Either

• Successful scaling of creative startups into scaleups; or
• Successful commercialisation of disruptive innovations.

Projects may also provide financial support to third parties to engage additional creative startups, pilot new approaches, or co-finance innovative activities.

Expected Project Duration

The European Commission recommends projects run for a minimum of four years to achieve meaningful and measurable impact.

Who Can Apply?

This opportunity is intended for consortia of organisations, rather than individual applicants.

Eligible Applicants May Include

• Universities
• Research institutions
• Public sector organisations
• Innovation agencies
• Creative industry organisations
• Business incubators
• Startup accelerators
• Creative clusters
• Innovation hubs
• Venture capital and investment networks
• Enterprise support organisations
• Non-profit organisations
• SMEs
• Private companies operating within the cultural and creative industries
• Regional development organisations
• Technology transfer organisations

Applicants must demonstrate the capacity to deliver innovation-focused projects with European impact.

Consortium Requirements

Applications must be submitted by an eligible consortium consisting of:

• At least three independent legal entities.
• Organisations established in three different eligible countries.
• At least one organisation from an EU Member State.
• The remaining partners must be established in different EU Member States or Horizon Europe Associated Countries.

Larger multidisciplinary consortia involving research, business support organisations, investors and industry stakeholders are encouraged where they strengthen project impact.

Country Eligibility

European Union Member States

• Austria
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Cyprus
• Czechia
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Italy
• Latvia
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Malta
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Portugal
• Romania
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden

Horizon Europe Associated Countries

• Albania
• Armenia
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Canada
• Egypt
• Faroe Islands
• Georgia
• Iceland
• Israel
• Kosovo
• Moldova
• Montenegro
• New Zealand
• North Macedonia
• Norway
• Republic of Korea
• Serbia
• Switzerland
• Tunisia
• Türkiye
• Ukraine
• United Kingdom

Eligible Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Many Additional Countries Are Also Eligible, Including

Africa

• Algeria
• Angola
• Benin
• Botswana
• Burkina Faso
• Burundi
• Cabo Verde
• Cameroon
• Central African Republic
• Chad
• Comoros
• Republic of the Congo
• Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Côte d'Ivoire
• Djibouti
• Equatorial Guinea
• Eritrea
• Eswatini
• Ethiopia
• Gabon
• Gambia
• Ghana
• Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau
• Kenya
• Lesotho
• Liberia
• Libya
• Madagascar
• Malawi
• Mali
• Mauritania
• Mauritius
• Morocco
• Mozambique
• Namibia
• Niger
• Nigeria
• Rwanda
• São Tomé and Príncipe
• Senegal
• Sierra Leone
• Somalia
• South Africa
• South Sudan
• Sudan
• Tanzania
• Togo
• Uganda
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

Eligibility at a Glance

To Be Competitive, Applicants Should Ensure That

• Their organisation is legally established in an eligible country.
• They form a compliant international consortium.
• Their proposal addresses either Option A or Option B, not both.
• The project includes at least three pilot demonstrations.
• The proposed approach goes beyond existing startup support models.
• The project demonstrates strong European added value.
• The consortium includes organisations capable of supporting startup growth, innovation and commercialisation.
• The proposal aligns closely with the expected outcomes described in the call.

Why This Opportunity Matters

Europe's cultural and creative industries are increasingly recognised as drivers of innovation, digital transformation and economic growth. This call provides an opportunity for organisations to shape the next generation of creative entrepreneurship by developing scalable support models that strengthen Europe's startup ecosystem, attract investment and accelerate the commercialisation of breakthrough innovations.

For innovation agencies, accelerators, universities, research institutions and creative ecosystem builders, this represents a strategic opportunity to influence European innovation policy while supporting high-growth creative enterprises.

Closing date

Wednesday, September 23, 2026

Industry

Other service activities

Website link

https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-HERITAGE-02?isExactMatch=true&status=31094501,31094502,31094503&callIdentifier=HORIZON-CL2-2026-01&order=DESC&pageNumber=1&pageSize=50&so

Brochures and other documents

wp-15-general-annexes_horizon-2026-2027_en-8.pdf544.08 KB