Applications Open for Business Innovation Synergizer Program

Deadline: 20-Sep-2026

The Business Innovation Synergizer (BIS) by Media Innovation Europe supports established media organisations in Europe that have validated business ideas and are ready to implement them. Selected organisations can receive up to €30,000 in grant funding, with no mandatory co-financing, plus one-to-one expert mentoring and practical support to develop sustainable products, services, revenue models, digital infrastructure, and audience strategies. The programme is designed for legally registered media organisations with annual revenue above €80,000, at least five full-time employees, and an establishment date before 1 January 2025. Eligible organisations can be based in the 27 EU Member States and a specified group of European partner countries. What Is the Business Innovation Synergizer? The Business Innovation Synergizer (BIS) is a support programme under Media Innovation Europe 3.0 for established media organisations seeking to turn validated business ideas into practical, sustainable solutions. This means applicants do not have to provide a specified matching contribution to access the grant. In addition to financial support, selected beneficiaries receive dedicated mentoring and implementation assistance. What Does the Funding Support? The grant can support practical activities directly connected to the applicant’s validated business innovation. New Revenue Models BIS can support the development or implementation of revenue strategies such as: Subscription models. Membership programmes. Premium content. Events. Audience-supported initiatives. Other innovative revenue streams. The proposed activity should have a clear connection to the organisation’s existing business strategy or validated business idea. Websites and Digital Platforms

Funding may support improvements to:

Websites. Mobile applications. Newsletters. Digital platforms. These improvements should contribute to measurable business or organisational results. Content Production Tools Applicants may use support to introduce digital tools that improve content production and workflows.

Examples include technologies for:

Content creation. Content management. Digital publishing. Audience analytics. Customer relationship management. Audience Analytics and CRM Digital tools for understanding and managing audiences may be eligible.

This can include:

Audience analytics. Customer relationship management systems. Audience segmentation. Engagement tools. Product and Service Development The programme can support the creation or implementation of: New media products. New services. New content formats. Digital products. Audience-focused offerings. Marketing and Audience Acquisition Funding can help organisations strengthen: Marketing strategies. Audience acquisition. Audience engagement. Product promotion. Digital outreach. Equipment, Software and Licences Eligible implementation costs may include necessary: Equipment. Software. Licences. Digital infrastructure. These expenses must be directly connected to the proposed business innovation. Expert Mentoring and Implementation Support BIS is more than a grant programme.

Selected organisations can receive:

One-to-one expert mentoring. Regular online or in-person support. Practical implementation guidance. Knowledge-sharing opportunities. Collaboration opportunities with other participating media organisations. This support is designed to help beneficiaries move from a validated idea to measurable implementation and business results. What Is a Validated Business Idea? A central feature of BIS is the emphasis on validated business ideas. A validated idea is a business concept, strategy, product, or revenue model that has already undergone structured testing or systematic validation and is supported by evidence. Preference will be given to ideas that have been validated through: A structured validation programme. An independently conducted systematic validation process. Evidence demonstrating the findings of the validation. Applicants should therefore avoid presenting an entirely untested concept. Many established media organisations face challenges related to changing audience behaviour, digital transformation, declining or unstable traditional revenue, and the need to develop sustainable business models. BIS addresses these challenges by combining funding with practical implementation support. The programme can help media organisations: Diversify revenue. Improve financial sustainability. Strengthen digital operations. Build stronger audience relationships. Develop innovative products. Improve internal capacity. Adopt new technologies. Turn validated ideas into measurable results. How the Business Innovation Synergizer Works

Step 1: Identify a Validated Business Innovation

The organisation should have an existing business idea, strategy, plan, product, or revenue model that has already been tested or systematically validated.

Step 2: Review Eligibility

Confirm that the organisation:

Is legally registered. Is a media organisation. Has annual revenue above €80,000. Employs at least five full-time employees. Was established before 1 January 2025. Is located in an eligible country.

Step 3: Define the Implementation Plan

Explain exactly how the grant will be used to implement the validated innovation.

The plan should identify:

Activities. Required resources. Expected outputs. Business objectives. Organisational improvements. Measurable results.

Step 4: Connect the Proposal to the Existing Strategy

The proposed activities must be clearly connected to the organisation’s: Business plan. Development strategy. Validated business idea. The grant should support implementation rather than an unrelated project.

Step 5: Demonstrate Validation

Provide evidence showing that the proposed business idea has already been tested or validated. Explain the validation process and the findings that support implementation.

Step 6: Prepare the Budget

Develop a realistic budget of up to €30,000. Eligibl