Open Call: Acceleration and Post-Acceleration programmes
Supporting the growth of start-ups and scale-ups in the Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries (CCSI)
EIT Culture & Creativity launches its 2025 call for applications for two tailored business support programmes designed to accelerate the growth of promising start-ups and scale-ups in Europe’s cultural and creative sectors and industries (CCSI).
With a focus on five key sectors — fashion, architecture, cultural heritage, audio-visual media, and gaming — this call offers high-potential ventures the opportunity to scale their impact, compete for financial prizes, prepare to raise funds, and expand across international markets.
Learn more through our upcoming webinar on 15 May. Register here.
Timeline
- Call opening: 9 April 2025
- Application deadlines:
- Cohort 1: 23 May 2025, 17:00 CET
- Cohort 2: 11 July 2025, 17:00 CET
- Programme start:
- Cohort 1: Mid-July 2025
- Cohort 2: Mid-September 2025
- Programme duration: 8–10 weeks
- Demo Days:
- Cohort 1: October 2025
- Cohort 2: December 2025
Total estimated EIT funding allocated to this call
Financial Prizes
Top-performing participants in each cohort may receive:
Shape Programme:
- 3 prizes of €30,000
- 3 prizes of €15,000
- 4 prizes of €7,500
The total prize budget is €330,000.
Scale Programme:
- 3 prizes of €60,000
- 3 prizes of €30,000
- 4 prizes of €15,000
The total prize budget is €660,000.
The maximum EIT funding for prizes in this call is €990,000.
Who can apply?
Start-ups and scale-ups operating in one or more CCSI sectors, legally established in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe-associated country. Applicants must meet the SME criteria, have at least 2 years of operations, and a product or service on the market.
How to apply:
- Read the full call guidelines and check eligibility.
- Submit your application via the EIT Culture & Creativity platform, here.
- To be eligible for the prizes, selected applicants will need to fulfill a series of conditions linked to their participation in the programme.
Scope and topics of the call
The call for Acceleration (Shape) and Post- Acceleration (Scale) programmes support start-ups, scale-ups and SMEs in their growth plans through group training, expert coaching, investment readiness and more. It also provides beneficiaries with the opportunity to access financial prizes of up to €60,000. Projects must tackle challenges in at least one of EIT Culture & Creativity’s priority areas: audio-visual media, fashion, architecture, gaming or cultural heritage.
The expected outcome is to provide advanced support, mentorship, and strategic guidance, ensuring that the selected companies can thrive, secure funding, and achieve significant market impact in the competitive landscape of the CCSI.
What does the call offer?
Selected companies will benefit from:
- Face-to-face and online training tailored to their maturity stage.
- Personalised mentoring and strategic business coaching.
- Access to industry events including a Demo Day.
- Visibility and long-term support via the “100 to Watch” list.
- Opportunities to connect with investors and industry leaders.
- The chance to win financial prizes of up to €60,000.
- Two programme segments, tailored to company maturity.
- Shape (Acceleration): For start-ups with at least 2 years of operation,a market-tested product or business model and future plans to raise investment.
- Scale (Post-Acceleration): For scale-ups with proven commercial success and presence in at least two eligible countries, actively seeking investment and international expansion.
KPIs & Requirements
Mandatory KPIs
- EITHE06.1 – Investment Attracted by KIC-supported Start-ups/Scale-ups €10,000.
- Minimum target: Shape: €50,000 ;Scale: €100,000.
Additional KPIs:
- EITHE01.1 – Intellectual Property Rights (IPR): Number of innovative products, processes, and IPR applications resulting from the programme.
- EITHE02.4 – Innovations Launched on the Market (€10K Revenue): Number of innovations introduced to the market during or after programme completion, generating at least €10,000 in revenue.
Admissibility, eligibility, evaluation and portfolio selection criteria
For the admissibility, eligibility, evaluation and portfolio selection criteria please see the call guidelines.
Please note that the following documents need to be submitted:
- Application form, available on Monday platform: https://wkf.ms/3FVYSet .
- Link to video demonstration.
Key documents for your application
Information sessions
To help applicants in preparing and submitting their proposals, EIT Culture & Creativity hosted two information sessions covering the different aspects of the call. These webinars aimed to ensure open, free, and fair access to all interested stakeholders.
- Webinar 1: Introduction to the call, focus & scope. Watch the recording here.
- Webinar 2: Application demonstration. Watch the recording here.
Got more questions? We’ll be hosting a live Q&A session on 15 May. Register here!
Contact details
In addition to the information sessions, applicants may submit their inquiries via the official EIT Culture & Creativity Contact Form
This form should be used for all questions related to call content, technical aspects, thematic focus, administrative, financial, or procedural matters. The relevant team will review and respond accordingly to provide clear and aligned guidance throughout the application process