STARTS IN MOTION takes art-tech projects to the next level.
Since 2016, more than 100 sensational collaborations have been supported by the STARTS initiative, especially through WEAR SUSTAIN, STARTS PRIZES, VertigoSTARTS RESIDENCIES, and more recently MIND SPACES, RE-FREAM and the STARTS REGIONAL CENTRES. Across Europe, many other outstanding projects have been developed.
Many of these teams have created prototypes and innovative solutions that have the potential to develop further and scale up. STARTS in Motion has been designed to empower artists and technologists in further developing their art-tech project by exploring the business side of the creative endeavors.
Through STARTS in MOTION, we want to promote a greener and more sustainable economy, turned to the people, promoting diversity and respectful of the environment. We want to support artists whose critical,aesthetic and visionary perspectives push the boundaries of technology and have the potential to change the shape of the economy of the future.
Artists are at the very forefront of reflecting on these issues. Operating at the nexus of art, technology and science, they are developing provoking and visionary prototypes and projects that propose solutions on how to tackle global challenges. STARTS in MOTION focuses on the promotion of their art-driven projects, products and solutions.
What makes STARTS in MOTION special in the landscape of the accelerators, is that it has been designed in the framework of STARTS, always keeping in mind that art-driven projects are not traditional businesses, because they are led by artists and designers who have at heart to bring an innovative perspective on the market, with a critical eye on the technology, and a central ethical and sustainable dimension.
This field is emergent in the economy, and art-driven projects have to build their own path in the market, by finding a compromise between speaking the language of the business and keeping their identity. With STARTS in MOTION, the objective is to empower artists so they are able to promote new solutions that are human-centered, to own the place, and to create new spaces and new models that shape the economy of future, which we want to be respectful of the environment and the planet, of the consumers, and turned to the people.
We have thought this programme to be flexible and tailor-made. No session is mandatory and the administrative burden is reduced at the minimum. Each team is free to make the best out of the programme: the more involved, the more benefits!
The first step, after revision of the applications, is to have an individual assessment talk with a monitor (of INOVA+ and ARS ELECTRONICA), where specific needs are analysed and objectives are determined. Regular checks are made along the 4 months of implementation.
Through group sessions where experts introduce key topics (see below the sessions organised in the first edition – generally 2 times a month), the participants gain general knowledge.
Upon their interest, they can continue the discussions with individual mentoring sessions with the experts of the STARTS ecosystem, to work further and achieve meaningful changes.
STARTS in MOTION focuses on:
- Business plan : support in building a strong canvas
- Business model : with a specific interest on creative entrepreneurship, open source, creative commons and alternative pricing methodologies
- Public funding : tips to access opportunities especially designed for art-tech collaborations and creative businesses, and how to build a strong application
- Private funding : better understanding on how it works and best strategies to adopt, introductions to business angels, investors, or/and advice on crowdfunding
- Storytelling, marketing and pitching : upon the needs and targets defined, work on different types of presentations
- Intellectual Property and patenting : fundamental and strategies to implement to protect rights when entering the market
Overall, STARTS in Motion aims to unleash the full potential of the talents and changemakers who contribute to the development of an innovative art-tech ecosystem at European level.
The fabulous pool of mentors:
- Laurence Leny, VP starts-up ecosystem creative industries at Orange (FR), specialised in innovation and start-up development strategy.
- Marija Butkovic, CEO of Women of Wearables (UK), specialised in marketing, private funding and storytelling.
- Alejandro Martin, Head of EU projects and Innovation at Espronceda (ES), specialised in innovation, art/tech area, project development.
- Silvia Zancarli , Course Leader MAS Fashion Innovation at SUPSI and Start-up mentor (IT), specialised in crowdfunding and marketing.
- Michka Mélo, social ecology and innovation specialist at EPFL (CH), specialised in alternative pricing strategies.
- Eurico Neves, CEO of INOVA(PT), specialised in business angels and private investment, storytelling and marketing.
- Miguel Sousa, COO of INOVA(PT), specialised in business model canvas, coaching and investment.
- Gil Gonçalves, Professor at University of Porto and former CSO at INOVA(PT), specialised in open source strategy, business models and development.
- Aurélie Delater, Senior Consultant at INOVAand STARTS ECOSYSTEM manager (PT), specialised in public funding, EU projects and proposals writing.
- Kate Rich, artist, trader and feral economist (AS), specialised in creative economy, arts and business, and alternative pricing methodologies.
- Lubomila Jordanova, co-Founder & CEO of PlanA.Earth and co-Founder of Greentech Alliance (DE), specialised in pitching.
- Nana Radenković, co-founder and program manager at Nova Iskra (RS), specialised in business plan for creative industries
- Elio de Tullio, founder and CEO of De Tullio & Partners, lawyer and expert in IP towards the European Commission (IT), specialised in IP for creative businesses.
- Kristina Maurer, Head of European projects at ARS ELECTRONICA (AT), specialised in innovation and art-tech collaborations.
- Joana Lacerda, Director of Impact at ThePowerHouse (DE), specialised in business strategy, pitching and funding for creative entrepreneurs.
- Ivan Manojlovic, International Cooperation Manager at Nova Iskra (RS), specialised in creative sector and cultural heritage.
- Camille Baker, Professor at UCA, artist, researcher (UK), specialised in immersive experience, media art and exploring the Human.
23 outstanding projects have been selected for STARTS in MOTION 2021
Discover them
This year, a public session was held in the frame of STARTS in MOTION about:
EU funding for art-tech projects: some tips to get closer
Within this session, participants have been provided with tailor-made info on thetypes of EU funding that match the art-tech projects.
In particular, European programmes such asHorizon Europe, Erasmus+ and Creative Europehave been peeled, keeping in mind the specificities of this kind of collaborations, that are embedded in arts, tech-driven and entail a component of sustainability and ethics.
Thescope of the different programmes and the spots to find information have been approached by the speaker Aurélie Delater, Senior Project Manager at INOVA+ and coordinator of STARTS ECOSYSTEM.
National and regional opportunitiesavailable trough European funds have also been explored.
Watch the replay!
STARTS in MOTION Day
The outcomes of the programme have been presented at the event:
Beyond Business: art-driven projects shape the economy of the future
Discussing and showcasing how art-tech projects promote an ethical and sustainable economy
A series of events during the day, where the projects selected for STARTS in MOTION 2021 have presented and discussed their art-tech product / service / solution.
STARTS in MOTION Day has showcased how innovative art-tech projects are shaping the economy of the future, how much the market of transdisciplinary innovation is vibrant in Europe.