Innovation Call: Short Innovation Projects 2025

Innovation Call: Short Innovation Projects 2025

EIT Culture & Creativity invites you to submit proposals for the 2025 Short Innovation Projects, supporting high-impact initiatives that address pressing challenges in the Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries (CCSI). This call focuses on fast-paced, results-driven innovation projects with a maximum duration of 6 months, delivering tangible and market-ready solutions within a short timeframe.
With a strong emphasis on Fashion, Architecture, Cultural Heritage, Audio-Visual Media, and Gaming, this call seeks to accelerate commercialisation and market adoption of innovations that address the challenges of globalisation, digital transformation, emerging technologies (such as AI), and environmental sustainability.
Beyond financial support, EIT Culture & Creativity may offer selected projects additional services to enhance long-term sustainability, such as market access support, investor pitch sessions, networking opportunities, and collaboration within the broader EIT ecosystem.

Timeline
Call segment 1 (single applicant)
- Call opening: 11 February 2025
- Call closure: 11 March 2025 at 17.00 CET
- Eligibility and admissibility check: mid-March 2025
- External evaluation of proposals: Until beginning of April 2025
- Portfolio selection: Second half of April 2025
- Communication of results to applicants: End of April 2025
- Publication of results: Beginning of June 2025 (1 month standstill period) 
- Tentative projects start date: Beginning of June 2025

Call segment 2 (consortia)
- Call opening: 11 February 2025
- Call closure: 11 April 2025 at 17.00 CET
- Eligibility and admissibility check: mid-April 2025
- External evaluation of proposals: Until beginning of May 2025
- Portfolio selection: Second half of May 2025
- Communication of results to applicants: End of May 2025
- Publication of results: Beginning of July 2025 (1 month standstill period) 
- Tentative projects start date: Beginning of July 2025

Total estimated EIT funding allocated to this call
Call segment 1 (single applicant)
The total budget for this segment is up to €595,000.00 with a maximum €59,500 of EIT CC financial support per project.
Co-funding
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%.
Call segment 2 (consortia)
The total budget for this segment is up to €2,640,000.00 with a maximum €120,000 of EIT CC financial support per project.

Who can apply?
Call segment 1 (single applicant)
Proposals must be submitted by a single SME or micro enterprise established in an EU Member State or Horizon Europe-associated country. The single entity acts as both the innovation developer and commercial partner, progressing an innovation from TRL 7 to TRL 9 within 6 months. The entity is fully responsible for market readiness and contributing to financial sustainability through the Financial Sustainability Mechanism (FSM). Call segment 2 (consortia)
Proposals must be submitted by a consortium of two entities:
- One SME or micro enterprise (the innovation developer) as the project leader.
- One supporting entity (e.g., research organisation, technology provider, or business consultant) providing complementary expertise to support market readiness
The partners must be from two different EU Member States or HE-associated countries. The commercial partner role must always be held by an SME or micro enterprise. The project must advance the innovation to TRL 9 within 6 months.

Scope and topics of the call
Call segment 1 (single applicant)
The Call for Short Innovation Projects, segment 1, supports 6-month projects carried out by a single SME or micro enterprise. These projects advance technologies from TRL 7 to TRL 9, ensuring rapid commercialization. The single applicant must independently manage the project, act as the commercial partner, and implement the innovation.
Priority sectors include all five EIT CC priority areas: Fashion, Cultural Heritage, Architecture, Gaming, and Audio-Visual Media. The expected outcome is a market-ready product, service, or business model, with a clear path to commercialization across multiple European markets.
Call segment 2 (consortia)
The Call for Short Innovation Projects, segment 2, supports 6-month projects carried out by a consortium of two entities:
- One SME or micro enterprise as the innovation developer (and often the commercial partner).
- One supporting entity providing innovation support (e.g., research or technology development).
These projects advance technologies from TRL 7 to TRL 9, ensuring rapid commercialization. Priority sectors include all five EIT CC priority areas: Fashion, Cultural Heritage, Architecture, Gaming, and Audio-Visual Media. The expected outcome is a market-ready product, service, or business model, with a clear path to commercialization across multiple European markets.

KPIs requirements (both segments)
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.

Admissibility, eligibility, evaluation and portfolio selection criteria
- For the admissibility, eligibility, evaluation and portfolio selection criteria please see the call guidelines.
Segment 1: The application form will be available from 11 February 2025 until 11 March 2025 17:00 CET.
Segment 2: The application form will be available from 11 February 2025 until 11 April 2025 17:00 CET.
https://eit-culture-creativity.eu/short-innovation-projects-2025/