Creative Startup Lab: internationalisation strategies and European tools for cultural and creative businesses

As part of the Creative Startup Lab, a training course included in the Creative - Metropolitan Festival of Youth Cultures, sponsored by the Metropolitan City of Naples and the Fondazione Teatro di San Carlo, with the support of the University of Naples Federico II and Officine San Carlo, a lesson was held on Monday 3rd March focusing on a central theme for the growth of cultural and creative enterprises: internationalisation and the opportunities offered by European funding programmes.

The importance of internationalisation for startups

In the first part of the session, Carmine Russo, Project Manager at Smart Malico, provided an overview of the most effective strategies for tackling international markets, highlighting the importance of planning, networking, and transnational partnerships for the success of creative enterprises.

The opportunities offered by European programmes

Following this, Anne-Marie Bruyas, Head of European Projects and Open Innovation at SPICI, and Bita Sekhavati, Technology Project Manager, presented the main European Union initiatives supporting the cultural and creative industries, with particular attention to:

• Erasmus+, which promotes international mobility and cooperation in education, training, and youth.

• Creative Europe, the programme dedicated to supporting competitiveness and innovation in European cultural and creative industries.

Analysis of calls for proposals: a practical exercise

The final part of the meeting was dedicated to a workshop focusing on reading and interpreting European calls for proposals. Through the analysis of concrete cases, participants gained valuable skills for identifying the most suitable opportunities for their projects and drafting competitive proposals.

The training course continues on Monday 10th March with the next appointment: "Communicate your idea and prepare your pitch!", led by Marco Meola, a session focused on communication strategies and preparing an effective pitch to attract investors and partners.