Creative Innovation Lab

The Creative Innovation Lab aims to support the design, development, and spread of innovative tools, models, or solutions applicable in the audiovisual sector (compulsory) and at least one of the following sectors: music, books, or museums. The objectives are to foster cross-sectoral cooperation, environmental transition, improved competitiveness, and greater visibility, discoverability, availability, diversity, and audience for European content. The support encourages adaptation to digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and virtual worlds, while promoting sustainable industry strategies, gender balance, inclusion, diversity, and private investment.

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Agency	CREA (EU)
Region	EU
Country	N/A
Legal form	Company, NGO, Government organization, Other
Start date	22 Oct 2026
End date	22 Apr 2027
Budget	7,183,502 EUR (for 2027)
Coverage	EU support may cover up to 80% of eligible costs. The project’s ability to apply for a sound and reasonable level of EU public funding below the 80% authorised will be assessed.

Grant application conditions

Admissibility conditions	Proposal page limit and layout described in the call document. Application in the format described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.
Eligible countries	Described in the call document. Generally applies to EU Member States and other eligible countries under the Creative Europe programme.
Other eligibility conditions	Described in the call document.
Legal and financial set-up	Described in the call document.
Type of projects	Projects must focus on one or more topics: Virtual Worlds for promotion and competitiveness of European content industries; Innovative business tools enabled by new technology (AI, big data, blockchain, NFTs, etc.), in particular for rights’ management, data collection and analysis, and greener practices aligned with the European Green Deal and New Bauhaus initiative. Cross-sectoral cooperation is compulsory: projects must show partnership between the audiovisual sector and at least one of the music, book, or museum sectors.
Applicant type	Open to a wide spectrum of organisations, including private and public entities, tech companies, start-ups, audiovisual, cultural and creative organisations, incubators, and accelerators.
Own investment and private investment	Special emphasis on own investment and attracting private financing.
Sustainability and Inclusion	Applicants should present strategies for sustainable, environmentally respectful industry, gender balance, inclusion, diversity and representativeness.
Documentation	https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/portal/screen/opportunities/topic-details/CREA-CROSS-2027-INNOVLAB

Eligible expenses

Evaluation criteria

Business exclusions

Reporting

Application process

Application requirements