Innovative tools and business models

Objective

The Innovative tools and business models action is aimed at encouraging the development and/or the spread of innovative tools and business models to improve the visibility, availability, audience and diversity of European works in the digital age and/or the competitiveness and/or the greening process of the European audiovisual industry (including videogames). The support also aims to enable the European audiovisual industry to better adapt to the opportunities offered by the development of Artificial Intelligence and contribute to the implementation of the Apply AI Strategy. Expected results

• Improve the competitiveness of the European audiovisual industry (including videogames) and seize the benefits of the innovative developments in technology and business models;
• Improve the adaptation of the European audiovisual industry to the opportunities offered by Artificial Intelligence;
• Improve the greening process of the European audiovisual industry;
• Improve the production and circulation of European audiovisual works in the digital era;
• increase the number and diversity of European works available online and increase their visibility in order to allow them to reach more audiences.

Description of the activities to be funded

The projects can include in particular:

• Subtitling or accessibility/discoverability/recommendation tools to be widely used across borders and across platforms in order to improve the visibility, the availability and the audience potential of European audiovisual works;
• Business tools improving the efficiency and the transparency of the audiovisual markets: automated rights management system, technology for data gathering and analysis;
• Business models seeking to optimise the synergies and complementarities between the distribution platforms (festivals, cinemas, VOD…);
• Business tools exploring new modes of production, financing, distribution or promotion enabled or enhanced by new technology (AI, big data, blockchain, Virtual worlds / Metaverse, NFT, etc.).
• Innovative tools and business models improving the greening process of the audiovisual industry.

The action does not cover the development of hardware (e.g. cameras, virtual headsets...). Applications should present adequate strategies to ensure more sustainable and more environmentally-respectful industry and to ensure gender balance, inclusion, diversity and representativeness. Transparency plays a key role in the action. Therefore, applications should contain plans for the disclosure of the inputs and results of the action, including among others communicating the results to public authorities, Member States and the audiovisual industry. Special emphasis will also be placed on attracting private investment and on own investment. Project’s ability to apply for a sound and reasonable level of EU public funding below the 80% authorised will be assessed.

Type of action: CREA Project Grants

Programme period: 2021 - 2027

Priorities: DigitalAgenda, AI

"> Conditions

1. Admissibility conditions: Proposal page limit and layout

described in the call document .

Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

2. Eligible countries

described in the call document .

3. Other eligibility conditions

described in the call document .

4. Financial and operational capacity and exclusion

described in the call document .

5a. Evaluation and award: Submission and evaluation processes

described in the call document .

5b. Evaluation and award: Award criteria, scoring and thresholds

Evaluation criteria, scoring, threshold and process are described in the call document

5c. Evaluation and award: Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement

described in the call document .

Publication of the call: September, 30 2026 .

Deadline for submitting applications: January, 14 2027 17:00 (Brussels time) .

Evaluation period: January-May 2027.

Information to applicants: July 2027.

Signature of grant agreement: October 2027.

6. Legal and financial set-up of the grants

described in the call document .

Call document and annexes:

Call document Application form templates Standard application form (CREA MEDIA) — the application form specific to this call is available in the Submission System Information on independence and ownership control (CREA MEDIA) Model Grant Agreements (MGA) CREA MGA

Additional documents:

CREA Annual Work Progr