About SPECTRA

SPECTRA project (Stimulating Performance of Ecosystems in Creative Territories and Regional Actors) embodies the collaborative vision of 8 partners (including 3 associate partners) representing 4 regional ecosystems – an emerging innovator region in Bulgaria (North-Central BG), moderate innovator region in Ireland (Northern and Western), together with lead innovator regions in Denmark (Hovedstaden) and Germany (Berlin).

SPECTRA will put in place key ingredients required to equip the emerging innovator and moderate innovator regions with a more responsive, resilient ecosystem, capable of growing and developing coordinated responses to many challenges creative industries are facing – resulting in enhanced, more inter-connected, diverse, gender-responsive, competitive, and sustainable ecosystems.

The project has commenced on 1st December 2022 and will conclude on 30th November 2024. SPECTRA is funded through EISMEA, under Horizon Europe Lump Sum GRANT AGREEMENT No. 101097000.

Key ingredients of the SPECTRA project:

Collaboration Roadmap

of regional ecosystems in Germany, Denmark, West of Ireland, and Bulgaria.

Knowledge Transfer

2 discussion panels and 2 roundtables.
Role Models & Case Studies.

4 Study Visits

to each of the ecosystems with activities including 5 research topics.

New Methods & Tools

5 Workshops and Experiments.
4 Good Practices/New Methods/Tools/Business Support Models.

Access to finance

Investment sprints and e-pitches. Investor workshops and forum.

Co-innovation

5 Workshops and Innovation Forums.
2 Experiments/Challenges.
Cross-sectoral and Green Transition huddles.

Inclusive Ecosystems

2 research actions with surveys.
Gender Data Action Plan.
5 Good Practices.

Policy Brief

2 roundtable discussions and accompanying interviews.

Partner Profiles

Western Development Commission

The Western Development Commission is a statutory body to promote social and economic development in the Western Region.

It advises the government on regional issues and promotes government policy directed at improving social and economic standards here. It manages the WDC Investment Fund, which provides loans and equity to businesses and local communities in the region. WDC strategy is built on three pillars: regional promotion; regional leadership; and sustainable enterprise. Its initiatives had success in creating new national policy frameworks, leverage private and public investment and enlist communities. For over a decade the WDC has led the region in the development of its creative economy, including projects, funding, and regional assets such as:

Delivering a range of EU CCSI projects – for example, delivering a regional SME platform for Creatives and the Spot-Lit programme to establish a Regional Literary Tourism sector.
Multimillion funding to develop a regional Film & AV production fund – WRAP.
A creative micro-loans facility for CCSI.
Driving the Regional Enterprise Plan strategic objectives to grow the sector in the West while delivering on the National and European CCSI agenda.
An unparalleled body of analysis and data insight into the regional sector, driven by a dedicated regional development and policy team, Identifying long-term trends, challenges and solutions in CCSI.
€2.7M funding for a unique Creative Industries Hub (CREW) delivering, collaboratively, incubation and acceleration initiatives.

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Media Deals

Media Deals is a pan-European investor network created in 2008 and being constituted of business angels and early-stage venture capital funds focusing on cross border investment and financing of the creative industries and digital media.

It is headquartered in Berlin, which is described as a Pioneer in Creative Industry and Open Ecosystems in the Committee of the Regions (CoR) Guide to Regional Innovation Ecosystems. Over the past 4 years alone, Media Deals’ more than 100 active regular investor members participated in 457 creative company presentations (online and offline) that were attended by 391 public and private financiers. Media Deals is a member of EBAN, EBN and NEM, always recruiting new potential investors to connect them with start-ups through Investment Conferences, with membership to the European Business Angels Network and through Creative Europe supported Training programme for investors called ENTER Europe. Media Deals work with international investor online-platforms such as EuroQuity and Gust; provides training to investors to help them better understand how value creation, exploitations chains and financing models work in creative industries they are not yet acquainted with, as well as engaging investors to actively share sector expertise and investment experiences.Media Deals is a pan-European investor network created in 2008 and being constituted of business angels and early-stage venture capital funds focusing on cross border investment and financing of the creative industries and digital media.

It is headquartered in Berlin, which is described as a Pioneer in Creative Industry and Open Ecosystems in the Committee of the Regions (CoR) Guide to Regional Innovation Ecosystems. Over the past 4 years alone, Media Deals’ more than 100 active regular investor members participated in 457 creative company presentations (online and offline) that were attended by 391 public and private financiers. Media Deals is a member of EBAN, EBN and NEM, always recruiting new potential investors to connect them with start-ups through Investment Conferences, with membership to the European Business Angels Network and through Creative Europe supported Training programme for investors called ENTER Europe. Media Deals work with international investor online-platforms such as EuroQuity and Gust; provides training to investors to help them better understand how value creation, exploitations chains and financing models work in creative industries they are not yet acquainted with, as well as engaging investors to actively share sector expertise and investment experiences.

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Creative Business Network

Creative Business Network has the objective to support creative entrepreneurs through access to networks, investors and support organisations at national, European and international level, giving them and the network the needed visibility to create the right environment for a sustainable development.

It connects innovators and creative players from all over the world – it is a community of more than 3000 start-ups, institutions, industry experts and policy makers from more than 80 countries. CBN champion the cultural and economic impact of the creative industries with access to significant volume of reach, audience and data. The partnership can benefit from CBN’s experience in building and supporting trans-national networks.

Their goal is to facilitate a mutually beneficial environment where the local, regional, national economies can benefit from the creative industries. This includes innovators, individual businesses or groups of businesses. CBN are at the forefront in terms of competence and expertise in this field, based on international and regional work spanning more than 10 years. CBN have accumulated an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the relevant regulatory environment in different countries, particularly in Europe. They are members of the European Creative Business Alliance (ECIA) and work closely with many of its members. At the invitation of The European Commission, they co-chaired the expert group with representatives from all member states and external experts on access to funding. The group produced 10 key policy recommendations addressed to the EU Member States and the EU Institutions. These recommendations serve as a basis for decision-makers to adopt an ambitious European or national agenda to support the cultural and creative industries.

CBN runs a range of innovative interventions, including play & learn, the creative academy, this is CBN science and innovation challenges and is a key partner of sustainary, a global platform for sustainable collaboration rooted in technological advancements and invio – the experience economy cluster and an innovation network for experience-based innovation and business development.

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BIC Innobridge

BIC Innobridge and Ruse Chamber of Commerce are both active actors in the North-Central region. Innobridge Business Innovation Center supports innovative start-up businesses at local, regional and national level.

The working principle of BIC INOBRIDGE follows the methodology and collective experience, applying the know-how of the European Business Innovation Centres Network (EBN). Currently, this is the first and only officially accredited EU BIC centre for Bulgaria. The organization itself has its origins as a successfully implemented European project, thanks to the availability of a wealth of experience, knowledge and skills, numerous best practices, and a strong team. Innobridge provides innovation and business support activities such as: training, seminars, consulting and tailored supports, especially with focus on creative industries and needs of young entrepreneurs and start-ups. It has a team of 11 specialists and has collaborated in 16 EU projects with 58 partners.

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CREW

In response to the needs of the creative industries and the ecosystem, the CREW initiative was established in 2021.

CREW “Creative Enterprise West” is a collaborative incubator and acceleration initiative that supports enterprises in areas such as design, film and TV production, animation, gaming, content development and AR/VR from its base in Galway city, with the aim to increase enterprise and job growth in the West of Ireland contributing to sustainable regional economic and social development.

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Atlantic Technological University

The associate partner Atlantic Technological University is a regional HEI and research organisation with the Centre for the Creative Arts & Media (CCAM).

It is home to a number of Creative Industries organisations and enterprises alongside the courses in Design (Graphic Design & Illustration, Animation & Game Design, Industrial design and Fashion & Textile Design), Contemporary Art (2D Painting-Printmaking-Photography, and 3D Ceramics-Sculpture-Digital Media), and Film & Documentary (Editing, Screenwriting, Production design, VFX Visual Effects, Audio Production and Cinematography, Production & Direction).

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Galway Culture Company

Galway Culture Company was established to create opportunities to engage with EU and International partners and local place-based programming.

This programming honours the relationships and builds on the learnings, outcomes and legacies of Galway’s many European and Global designations including Galway’s designation as European Capital of Culture, UNESCO City of Film, European Green Leaf, European Region of Gastronomy. The company will work closely with Galway City Council and Galway County Council to deliver a collective creative vision for Galway and with regional stakeholders for West of Ireland.

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Ruse Chamber of Commerce

The Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry (AP) – the oldest chamber in Bulgaria, has extensive knowledge and experience in local and regional development, SME development, export and investment promotion.

It promotes and supports local business in providing a comprehensive range of business and trade related services, including representing individual and collective interests of its members. The principal activities of RCCI are the promotion of the economic development of the Ruse region; lobbying at local and central government and other public authorities to promote an understanding of the role and needs of business and providing a wide range of services to member and non-member companies to help them develop their business, both at national and international level. Given the pioneering nature of both organization and focus on creative industries, they represent strong agents for change and development of the regional ecosystem.

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