Innovation Call: Main Innovation Projects 2025

  • Action type: EIT Culture & Creativity
  • Opening date: 11 February 2025
  • Closing time: 11 April 2025 17:00 (Europe/Brussels)
  • Budget per project: € 350 000 of total € 7 000 000
  • Estimated number of projects funded: 20
  • Project duration: 1 year
  • Official website

Scope

EIT Culture & Creativity invites you to submit proposals for the 2025 Innovation Programme, aimed at supporting cutting-edge projects that address key challenges in the Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries (CCSI). This call seeks to foster groundbreaking innovations in Fashion, Architecture, Cultural Heritage, Audio-Visual Media, and Gaming, helping stakeholders navigate the challenges of globalisation, digital transformation, emerging technologies (such as AI), and environmental sustainability. 

Through this call, EIT Culture & Creativity aims to develop a balanced portfolio of high-impact projects, strengthen long-term partnerships, and expand the innovation ecosystem surrounding the sector. Selected projects may also benefit from additional services beyond the lifetime of the grant, including support for market access, investor pitching sessions, networking opportunities, and collaboration with the broader EIT community. 

The Regular Open Call for Main Innovation Projects supports one-year initiatives designed to advance technologies from TRL 6 to TRL 9, ensuring a smooth transition to market. Projects must address challenges in at least one of the KIC’s focus areas (Audio-Visual Media, Fashion, Architecture and Cultural Heritage). Projects must be completed within a 12-month period, with a focus on rapid commercialization. Projects will focus on refining prototypes, branding, market research, and scaling distribution channels. The expected outcome is a market-ready product, service, or business model, with a clear path to commercialization across multiple European markets. 

Initiatives designed to advance technologies from TRL 6 to TRL 9, ensuring a smooth transition to market from Gaming, Audio-Visual Media, Fashion, Architecture and Cultural Heritage sectors.

At least two eligible entities from two different EU Member States or countries associated with Horizon Europe are required to form a consortium. Single applicants will not be considered. One of the entities in the consortium must come from the business sector (micro enterprise, SME, large company, business association, etc.). Additionally, the consortium must have both a commercial partner and a research or academic partner. If the consortium consists of only two partners, the business entity may also serve as the commercial partner.
 
Mandatory KPIs
  • EITHE02.4 – Innovations Launched on the Market: The proposal must aim to launch at least one innovation (new product or service) on the market within the KAVA duration or within three years of completion, with documented sales revenue of at least €10,000. Minimum target: 1 

Optional KPIs: 

  • EITHE01.1 – Intellectual Property Rights (IPR): The proposal should aim to generate and apply for at least one IPR (patent, trademark, registered design, etc.) resulting from KIC activities. 
  • EITHE04.4 – Start-ups Created: The proposal should aim to establish a start-up based on the project’s outputs, with financial transactions of at least €10,000 for services/products sold to customers.

Remarks

All proposals must have a minimum co-funding rate of 30% across the project. Partners within a consortium may have different individual co-funding rates, as long as the overall co-funding for the entire project meets the required minimum of 30%. 

New project idea for: Innovation Call: Main Innovation Projects 2025

Please fill out and submit the form below to register a new project idea for this funding opportunity. It will be published immediately but might be moderated by the Time Machine project scouting service at a later point.

Please describe your project idea. The limit is 3000 characters.

Please add any number of keywords related to your project idea.
1
Add keyword

Please select what you are mainly interested in finding for your project idea.

Please select your institution from the list of Time Machine members. Only members are eligible for participation.

Please add a short description for your institution so potential partners are aware of the context of the application. The limit is 3000 characters.

Please add your name so we can better contact you. This will not be published.

Please add your contact email address where potential partners can reach you. It will be publicly visible.

Please confirm your consent to the storage and use of the data entered in this form including your contact name and email address.

Related project ideas

There are no project ideas for this funding opportunity. To submit a project idea, please fill the form after clicking the "+" button above.