This topic supports transnational business partnerships (‘partnerships’) between SMEs (e.g. manufacturers, crafters, tech-providers) on the one hand and designers or other creative professionals on the other. Throughout the incubation and acceleration process, these 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. Support to selected partnerships in the targeted creative sectors will be provided by the projects selected under this call through: direct financial support to the partnerships, tailor-made mentoring programmes (coaching and strategic advice tailored to meet the specific needs of partnership), general training courses (e.g. marketing, business planning or IPR protection), as well as visibility and networking opportunities for the partnerships. In particular, the mentoring programmes will support partnerships to:

• define and develop their business idea; ii) define their market positioning;
• showcase their prototypes or proof of concept during relevant trade shows;
• define their Intellectual Property Rights strategy;
• define their strategy to attract investors and to access markets, including public procurement markets where possible.

More specifically, the WORTH Partnership Project III will promote:

• The integration of creativity, design and advanced technologies (including digital) within SMEs, driving the development of innovative, high-added value products, processes and services.
• The cross-Union cooperation, businesses cross-fertilisation and knowledge sharing between SMEs, designers and other creative professionals.
• The market uptake and commercialisation of innovative business ideas within the creative and lifestyle industries.
• The green and digital solutions’ uptake by SMEs operating in the creative industries and beyond.

The WORTH Partnership Project IIIrd edition remains the Europe-wide incubation programme providing direct support to partnerships between SMEs (e.g. manufacturers, crafters, tech-providers) on the one hand and designers or other creative professionals on the other, during the entire process from idea generation to prototype design as well as product manufacturing and commercialisation, based on tech-driven or green business solutions.

The project proposals shall overall support designers and SMEs in developing innovative products, services and business ideas responding to the most pressing challenges such:

• Circular economy and resources efficiency.
• High-value added solutions for attractive growth markets.
• Advanced digitized manufacturing, value chains and business models.
• Smart, high-performance materials.
• Rethinking social innovation and inclusion.
• Reinvention of craftsmanship and heritage preservation.

Topic 1: SMP-COSME-2024-WORTH-01 – Fashion: The project proposals submitted under topic 1 will cover support to partnerships in the fashion sector, including textiles and clothing, footwear, leather goods, jewellery, and fashion accessories.

Fashion is one of the most vibrant creative sectors in Europe. It is present in the everyday life of millions of people, and can convey values such as culture, creativity, innovation, and craftsmanship. Europe is home to many independent fashion brands and talented fashion designers. Despite crisis and diverse challenges many European companies in the sector have managed to defend their position in the global market.

This is mainly due to a move towards innovative, high added-value products and services, niche markets, and new business models. WORTH partnership projects contribute to innovation and sustainability in the fashion sector, incubating new design-driven solutions and business ideas and promoting transnational cooperation.

The project proposals shall overall support designers and SMEs in developing new innovative products, services, and business ideas in the sector of fashion industries, including textiles and clothing, footwear, leather goods, jewellery, and fashion accessories.

In terms of priorities (scope), the proposal for WORTH Partnership Project – Fashion must:

• Propose a clear vision and implement robust scheme to support and facilitate the formation of partnerships in the area of fashion. The application must describe how the project intends to first help identify and reach out to potential partners for partnerships (see section on partnerships below), with potential to participate in the WORTH incubation programme. The application must describe how a matchmaking scheme to gather expressions of interest and support formation of partnerships will be set to bring forward the most promising and innovative ideas addressing the challenges set in this call, in line with WORTH’s objectives and the relevant EU policies.
• Develop and implement a relevant and robust business support and incubation scheme for supported partnerships. It must include:
  • tailor-made mentoring programmes – coaching and strategic advice tailored to meet the specific needs of each of the partnerships.
  • general training courses and workshops on e.g. marketing, brand building, business planning, readiness to market, access to markets including public procurement markets where possible, IPR protection, certifications, or financing.
• Develop a relevant and robust system of financial support to partnerships as detailed in the section on partnerships below (direct financing – third party financial support);
• Promote creative entrepreneurship and innovation in design-intensive creative and lifestyle industries, through
  • developing and implementing knowledge sharing and networking activities as well as business links for supported partnerships
  • organising annual events showcasing the role of creativity and design in innovating entrepreneurship.
  • fostering the emergence of new ideas and collaborations and facilitating the exchange of good practices.
• Develop communication/promotional actions about the project, its activities and the results achieved by the partnerships.