The WORTH Partnership Project is inviting applications from SMEs, designers, and creative professionals to form transnational partnerships aimed at enhancing sustainability, competitiveness, and innovation in European fashion and home decoration industries. The project offers a total funding of €4,500,000.
By Creatives Unite CommunityApplication Deadline: April 3, 2025
Funding Available: €4,500,000
Maximum Project Duration: 36–48 months
Apply here.
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The general objective of this call is to enhance the competitiveness, sustainability, and innovation of European design-intensive creative and lifestyle industries, particularly in sectors like fashion and home decoration.
The WORTH Partnership Project supports transnational business partnerships between SMEs (e.g. manufacturers, crafters, tech-providers) on the one hand and designers or other creative professionals on the other. Throughout an incubation and acceleration process, these business partnerships work to develop innovative, design- and creativity-driven products, processes or services with high value-added helping them either embark on a sustainable business path or enhance their competitive position.
In particular, the programme supports partnerships to: i) define and develop their business idea; ii) define their market positioning; iii) showcase their prototypes or proof of concept during relevant trade shows; iv) define their Intellectual Property Rights strategy; v) define their strategy to attract investors and to access markets.
Support to business partnerships will be provided through: direct financial support, tailor-made mentoring programmes (coaching and strategic advice tailored to meet the specific needs of the partnership), general training courses (e.g. marketing, business planning, IPR protection, etc.), as well as visibility and networking opportunities.
The total call budget is €4,500,000, divided into two funding topics:
- Fashion – €2,250,000 (SMP-COSME-2024-WORTH-01)
- Home Decoration – €2,250,000 (SMP-COSME-2024-WORTH-02)
Up to 2 projects will be funded, with a maximum duration of 36 to 48 months.
Eligible activities
- Matchmaking activities facilitating the establishment of partnerships to be supported;
- Selection of partnerships for incubation programme;
- Business and financial support to selected partnerships;
- Knowledge Sharing and networking activities for selected partnerships, including annual events promoting creative entrepreneurship.
Eligible applicants
Proposals must be submitted by a consortium which complies with the following conditions:
- Formed by minimum 3 and a maximum of 8 independent entities from a minimum of 3 different eligible countries;
- At least one entity is a business support organisation or legal entity with proven capacity of knowledge transfer to, and training of SMEs, such as university, training centre or research centre;
- At least one entity is specialized in communication and dissemination.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted before April 3, 2025 via the official application portal.
For more details on eligibility, funding structure, and application guidelines, visit the WORTH Partnership Project website.
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