UPTEC promotes the EIT acceleration programme for cultural and creative startups

EIT Culture and Creativity, a European initiative of which UPTEC – Science and Technology Park of the University of Porto is a member, is supporting startups and scale-ups from the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI). Companies will benefit from specialised mentorship, tailored training, and financial prizes of up to €60,000 through two acceleration and post-acceleration programmes.

The programmes are aimed at fashion, architecture, cultural heritage, audiovisual media, and gaming projects. Startups and scale-ups operating within the Cultural and Creative Industries, established in an EU Member State or a Horizon Europe-associated country, with at least two years of activity and a product or service already on the market, are eligible to apply.

In addition to financial support, the programme offers a networking platform, connecting companies with investors and industry leaders. During the Demo Days, participating companies can present their projects and boost their visibility. The programme will award €990,000 in financial prizes to the best initiatives.

Cultural and creative industries: a growing sector

With a turnover of €643 billion (2019), the cultural and creative industries rank among Europe’s top five sectors, alongside the automotive and agricultural industries. The EIT Culture and Creativity programme provides companies with a unique opportunity to stand out and grow within the competitive European and global markets.

The University of Porto is the only Portuguese higher education institution involved in the consortium, which brings together more than 61 universities, research institutions, companies, investors, and major associations from 21 European countries in the Cultural and Creative Industries.

To support applicants, EIT is organising information sessions to clarify the application process and details about the programme. The first session will occur on 15 May 2025, and registration can be done here.

Applications are open until 23 May 2025 for the first cohort and until 11 July 2025 for the second. Activities will start in July 2025 for the first group and September 2025 for the second group.