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Strategic Analysis
A winning proposal under HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-HERITAGE-02 must establish an actionable acceleration pipeline tailored specifically to the unique non-technological and creative asset models of European cultural and creative industry (CCI) startups. Consortia should deploy robust Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) and implement at least three diverse, cross-border real-world pilot trials that prove how targeted investment readiness and intellectual property valorisation lead directly to scaleups and disruptive market entries. Strong operational linkages with established ecosystems, notably EIT Culture & Creativity, business angels, and venture capital networks, will be decisive for securing top scores.
TRL 4 → 8
Based on programme defaults
Deepen the knowledge of the most important factors that favour the scaling up of creative startups in Europe and unleashing their potential for disruptive innovation, focusing on factors that distinguish them from startups in other sectors.
Devise innovative approaches that boost the growth of creative startups in Europe and/or encourage engaging in disruptive innovation, ensuring feasibility across Europe under the current legal framework.
Carry out at least 3 pilot trials in different settings under real-world like conditions to validate and refine the proposed approaches, piloting scaling-up or positioning for disruptive innovation according to the chosen option.
Consider providing financial support to third parties (FSTP) to engage diverse innovative creative startups, facilitate uptake of solutions, experiment with innovative approaches, or engage other funders in co-financing.
Build on and take advantage of previous research, networks, policy initiatives and infrastructure at European and national levels (e.g., EIT Culture & Creativity, incubators, accelerators, venture capital networks).
Establish coordination mechanisms with other projects funded under this topic to achieve the strongest possible common impact, including in communication and dissemination efforts.
Deepened knowledge of specific factors favouring the growth of creative startups, in particular those with potential for disruptive innovation and/or cross-sectorial innovation impacts, is made available and promoted to policymakers, investors, funding- and enterprise support bodies.
Effective methods to favour the growth of creative startups, in particular those with potential for disruptive innovation and/or cross-sectorial innovation impacts, are developed, tested and put in practice by industry, investors, funding- and enterprise support bodies, and relevant decision makers.
Examples of creative startups scaling up and/or engaging in disruptive innovation are made available, with a view to increase the visibility and recognition of the innovative power of Europe’s creative startups.
The effectiveness of the methods developed is demonstrated by at least one creative startup supported via the action becoming a scaleup in a Member State or an Associated Country.
The effectiveness of the methods developed is demonstrated by at least one creative startup or scaleup supported via the action succeeding in bringing a disruptive innovation to the market.
The full potential of cultural heritage, arts and cultural and creative industries and sectors as drivers of both sustainable innovation and a European sense of belonging is realised through a continuous engagement with society, citizens and economic sectors.
European Parliament Resolution 'A coherent EU policy for cultural and creative industries'
highThis resolution calls for a comprehensive, cross-sectoral EU strategy to support cultural and creative industries (CCIs), highlighting their role in economic growth, innovation, and job creation. It stresses better access to finance, intellectual property protection, digital adaptation, and support for creative entrepreneurship and cross-sectoral collaboration.
Evaluators expect proposals to detail tangible mechanisms supporting creative enterprise growth, addressing structural bottlenecks such as access to finance, market fragmentation, or cross-sectoral spillover effects, while demonstrating how creative startups can drive broader economic and technological innovation.
EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy
highThe Europe's Next Leaders: the Start-up and Scale-up Initiative aims to remove barriers preventing entrepreneurs from growing and scaling their businesses across the single market. It focuses on easing regulatory hurdles, improving access to finance, supporting taxation simplification, and offering tailored support ecosystems.
Evaluators expect proposals targeting creative startups to outline clear scale-up pathways, investor readiness strategies, connection with business accelerators or venture capital networks, and concrete roadmaps for navigating cross-border scaling in Europe.
Culture Compass for Europe
mediumThe Culture Compass for Europe is a strategic framework developed by the European Commission to guide EU action in the cultural sector. It aims to foster a more coherent and impactful approach to culture, addressing key challenges and opportunities. It typically outlines priorities such as promoting cultural diversity, strengthening the cultural and creative sectors, fostering cultural participation, and leveraging culture for external relations.
Proposals should demonstrate how they align with the strategic directions and priorities outlined in the Culture Compass, particularly regarding the role of culture in societal development, innovation, and European identity. Evaluators will look for projects that contribute to the overarching goals of strengthening the cultural and creative sectors, enhancing cultural participation, and promoting European values through culture.
UN Sustainable Development Goals
mediumThe UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a 'blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.' Adopted by all UN Member States in 2015, they address global challenges including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace, and justice.
Proposals should clearly articulate which specific SDGs their project contributes to and how. This involves demonstrating a tangible impact on sustainable development, whether through environmental, social, or economic dimensions, and aligning with the EU's commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Council conclusions of 21 May 2014 on cultural heritage as a strategic resource for a sustainable Europe (2014/C 183/08)
lowThese Council conclusions recognize cultural heritage as a strategic resource that drives economic growth, social cohesion, and environmental sustainability. They emphasize mainstreaming heritage across EU policies and unlocking its potential for creative industries, sustainable tourism, and regional development.
Where creative startups engage with tangible, intangible, or digital heritage, evaluators expect to see clear valorization strategies showing how technological and business model innovations can sustainably leverage cultural assets without compromising their integrity.
Council of Europe Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society (CETS 199)
lowCommonly known as the Faro Convention, this treaty emphasizes the rights of individuals and communities to participate in cultural heritage. It conceptualizes cultural heritage as a key resource for human development, quality of life, and democratic participation, rather than just an asset to conserve.
Evaluators look for participatory approaches, ethical considerations, and community engagement models, ensuring disruptive innovations and commercial platforms respect social rights and foster inclusive access to cultural resources.
Specific requirements
EU space data infrastructures
If the project uses satellite-based Earth observation, positioning, navigation or timing data/services, beneficiaries must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS. Other sources may be added but not substitute EU infrastructures.
Civil applications only
Horizon Europe funds exclusively civil applications. Research with exclusive military or dual-use application is excluded.
Gender Equality Plan
Having a Gender Equality Plan (GEP) is an eligibility criterion for public bodies, research organisations, and higher education institutions from Member States and Associated Countries.
Open Science
Mandatory open access to peer-reviewed scientific publications and responsible management of research data (FAIR principles, DMP required).
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As described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.
Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.
The page limit of the Part B of the Innovation Action (IA) application using lump sum is 45 pages.
In addition, it is mandatory to submit a detailed budget table using the template available in the Submission System.
As described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.
As described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.
As described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.
To ensure a balanced portfolio, grants will be awarded to applications not only in order of ranking but at least also to those that are the highest ranked within each of the two options provided in the scope (Option a and Option b), provided that the applications attain all thresholds.
As described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.
As described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.
As described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.
Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) – and in actions under the Research and Training Programme of the European Atomic Energy Community (2021-2025) [[This decision is available on the Funding and Tenders Portal, in the reference documents section for Horizon Europe, under ‘Simplified costs decisions’ or through this link: https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/guidance/ls-decision_he_en.pdf]].
Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties. The support to third parties can only be provided in the form of grants. The maximum amount to be granted to each third party is EUR 60 000.
The granting authority may, up to 4 years after the end of the action, object to a transfer of ownership or to the exclusive licensing of results, as set out in the specific provision of Annex 5.
In addition, as described in Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.
As described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.
Application form templates — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System
Standard application form (HE RIA, IA)
Evaluation form templates — will be used with the necessary adaptations
Standard evaluation form (HE RIA, IA)
Guidance
Model Grant Agreements (MGA)
Call-specific instructions
Information on financial support to third parties (HE)
Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?"
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 5. Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society
HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes
HE Framework Programme 2021/695
HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764
EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509
Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme
Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment
EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement
Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual
Evaluators will rigorously score proposals against key operational and portfolio criteria:
Everything the call asks for, seen from the call's point of view. Each line shows what answers it, and which partner carries it.
This matrix lists everything the call asks for: outcomes, impacts, scope, the requirements buried in the call text, and policy alignment. Sign up free and GrantForge tracks each line against the concept you build.
| Requirement | Covered by | Carried | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope activities | |||
| SC1Deepen the knowledge of the most important factors that favour the scaling up of creative startups in Europe and unleashing their potential for disruptive innovation, focusing on factors that distinguish them from startups in other sectors. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC2Devise innovative approaches that boost the growth of creative startups in Europe and/or encourage engaging in disruptive innovation, ensuring feasibility across Europe under the current legal framework. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC3Carry out at least 3 pilot trials in different settings under real-world like conditions to validate and refine the proposed approaches, piloting scaling-up or positioning for disruptive innovation according to the chosen option. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC4Consider providing financial support to third parties (FSTP) to engage diverse innovative creative startups, facilitate uptake of solutions, experiment with innovative approaches, or engage other funders in co-financing. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC5Build on and take advantage of previous research, networks, policy initiatives and infrastructure at European and national levels (e.g., EIT Culture & Creativity, incubators, accelerators, venture capital networks). | · | · | Sign up to track |
| SC6Establish coordination mechanisms with other projects funded under this topic to achieve the strongest possible common impact, including in communication and dissemination efforts. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Expected outcomes | |||
| EO1Deepened knowledge of specific factors favouring the growth of creative startups, in particular those with potential for disruptive innovation and/or cross-sectorial innovation impacts, is made available and promoted to policymakers, investors, funding- and enterprise support bodies. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO2Effective methods to favour the growth of creative startups, in particular those with potential for disruptive innovation and/or cross-sectorial innovation impacts, are developed, tested and put in practice by industry, investors, funding- and enterprise support bodies, and relevant decision makers. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO3Examples of creative startups scaling up and/or engaging in disruptive innovation are made available, with a view to increase the visibility and recognition of the innovative power of Europe’s creative startups. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO4The effectiveness of the methods developed is demonstrated by at least one creative startup supported via the action becoming a scaleup in a Member State or an Associated Country. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| EO5The effectiveness of the methods developed is demonstrated by at least one creative startup or scaleup supported via the action succeeding in bringing a disruptive innovation to the market. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Other requirements | |||
| REQ1Inter-project coordination among funded projects under this topicTo the extent appropriate, the Commission expects projects funded under this topic to establish coordination mechanisms in order to achieve the strongest possible common impact, such as in communication and dissemination efforts. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ2Synergies with EIT Culture & Creativity and existing R&I networksProjects should build on results or structures from relevant R&I projects under Horizon Europe or other EU programmes, the EIT Knowledge and Innovation Community 'EIT Culture & Creativity', and existing business incubators, accelerators, or venture capital networks. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ3Synergies with European Research Infrastructures, EOSC, and Data SpacesWhere appropriate, actions should leverage data and services available through European Research Infrastructures federated under the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC) or included in ESFRI, as well as data from relevant European Data Spaces. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ4Integration with the European Collaborative Cloud for Cultural Heritage (ECCCH)Projects that produce data or digital tools of potential interest to cultural heritage institutions or researchers should, as appropriate, establish links to and/or consider integrating their results into the ECCCH. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| REQ5FAIR data compliance for generated research dataParticular efforts should be made to ensure that the data produced in the context of actions under this Destination is FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Re-usable). | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Expected impacts | |||
| EI1The full potential of cultural heritage, arts and cultural and creative industries and sectors as drivers of both sustainable innovation and a European sense of belonging is realised through a continuous engagement with society, citizens and economic sectors. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| Underlying policies | |||
| POL1european parliament resolution a coherent eu policy for cultural and creative industriesThis resolution calls for a comprehensive, cross-sectoral EU strategy to support cultural and creative industries (CCIs), highlighting their role in economic growth, innovation, and job creation. It stresses better access to finance, intellectual property protection, digital adaptation, and support for creative entrepreneurship and cross-sectoral collaboration. | · | · | Sign up to track |
| POL2eu startup and scaleup strategyThe Europe's Next Leaders: the Start-up and Scale-up Initiative aims to remove barriers preventing entrepreneurs from growing and scaling their businesses across the single market. It focuses on easing regulatory hurdles, improving access to finance, supporting taxation simplification, and offering tailored support ecosystems. | · | · | Sign up to track |
The binding rules of this call. Items marked auto are verified by GrantForge from the call and the template. The others are yours to confirm.
LMIC entities auto-eligible
Low/middle-income country entities are automatically eligible for funding.
EU space data infrastructures
If the project uses satellite-based Earth observation, positioning, navigation or timing data/services, beneficiaries must use Copernicus and/or Galileo/EGNOS. Other sources may be added but not substitute EU infrastructures.
Civil applications only
Horizon Europe funds exclusively civil applications. Research with exclusive military or dual-use application is excluded.
Gender Equality Plan
Having a Gender Equality Plan (GEP) is an eligibility criterion for public bodies, research organisations, and higher education institutions from Member States and Associated Countries.
Open Science
Mandatory open access to peer-reviewed scientific publications and responsible management of research data (FAIR principles, DMP required).
5 key insights you must internalise before writing. Each is grounded in the call text and tells you what evaluators will actually look for. Share these with your consortium before drafting.
To ensure a balanced portfolio, the granting authority will award grants to the highest-ranked proposals within each of the two scope options (Option a: scaleups, Option b: disruptive innovation). You must explicitly state your chosen option in the proposal, as this dictates your competitive pool and directly influences your chances of funding.
Source: Eligibility rules
Your consortium must design a robust Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) architecture, capped at EUR 60,000 per startup, to execute at least three distinct real-world pilot trials. Evaluators will scrutinize the transparency and merit-based nature of this cascading grant mechanism to ensure it effectively engages diverse creative startups and leverages co-financing.
Source: Evaluation criteria (pre-award)
Evaluators are instructed to check for mandatory scaled demonstrations. Your methodology must guarantee that at least one supported startup transitions to scaleup status or successfully launches a disruptive market innovation by the project's end. Vague acceleration frameworks without committed, measurable market outcomes will fail the operational evaluation.
Source: Evaluation criteria (pre-award)
Because this is a Lump Sum Innovation Action, Part B is strictly capped at 45 pages. You must concisely justify the cost-effectiveness of your work packages and establish a sound milestone structure within this reduced space, as these milestones will directly trigger your lump sum payments.
Source: Eligibility rules
Do not build an isolated acceleration pipeline. Securing top scores requires demonstrating strong operational linkages with established ecosystems, specifically integrating the EIT Culture & Creativity KIC, business angels, and venture capital networks directly into your pilot and scaling activities.
Source: Overview
Talk to the Grant Coach to build your concept. There is no set order: start wherever your project starts. The sections below mirror what the conversation produces, and your coverage tracks the progress. You can refine everything once your project workspace is created.
The problems this call frames, and who they affect. Your concept and plan address them.
Traditional venture capital valuation criteria fail to capture intangible cultural assets, copyright-intensive IP, and non-linear monetization paths, starving viable creative startups of scaleup capital.
Incubation and accelerator services often apply generic tech-oriented acceleration frameworks that neglect the hybrid artistic, technological, and cross-sectoral nature of disruptive creative ventures.
Disparate national legal frameworks governing digital IP, licensing, and public enterprise funding in Europe prevent creative startups from scaling seamlessly across borders.
Early-stage creative entrepreneurs, digital heritage ventures, gaming/XR studios, and design startups seeking scaling methodologies, investment, and market disruption channels.
Ecosystem enablers, regional creative clusters, and EIT Culture & Creativity partners that adopt and deliver the project's tested mentoring and investment-readiness frameworks.
Specialized and generalist early-stage venture capital funds, angel networks, and impact investors targeting creative intellectual property and disruptive business models.
National and regional development agencies, cultural ministries, and EU policymakers designing regulatory and financial instruments for cultural entrepreneurship.
Academic researchers and research institutes focused on cultural economics, entrepreneurship studies, creative IP management, and innovation policy.
The long-term impacts your project should drive, and the policies they serve.
Enhanced access to growth funding, alternative finance, and market entry schemes that translate into validated scaleups and increased venture survival rates across the European creative economy.
Broad institutional uptake of dedicated IP valuation and de-risking mechanisms by venture capital funds and public-private enterprise support bodies.
Establishment of empirical datasets, validated econometric valuation metrics, and peer-reviewed open methodologies clarifying creative sector scaling determinants.
Deployment of disruptive digital creative platforms, interactive heritage tools, and inclusive creative services fostering broad social engagement and European shared identity.