The cultural and creative industry sector is one of Europe's most dynamic sectors comprising highly innovative companies and contributing approximately 2.6% to EU GDP.

It is a sector with high growth potential and provides quality jobs to over 5 million people.

For most creative individuals developing a new product or idea, the focus is firmly placed on what it can do; how it can be used; what makes it different.

While these are all essential pre-requisite to any future potential business, of equal importance are questions like:

  • Who are the management team behind the business?
  • What is the business model proposed?
  • How will intellectual property be protected?
  • Does the product or idea have scalable potential?

So while having the right idea might get you half the way to success, it will only get you half the way as core business management skills are also required.
While individual capacities like creativity, motivation and powers of persuasion are often considered to be key attributes that drive new business ventures it is the marrying of those skills to business acumen that ultimately brings success.

Project partners

The SHADOWS consortium comprises 9 partner organisations from 8 different EU Member States:

  • Municipio de Lousada (PT);
  • Universitaet Paderborn (DE);
  • Creative Exchange UK (UK);
  • Meath Community Rural & Social Development Partnership (IE);
  • Universitatea Din Pitesti (RO);
  • Future In Perspective (IE);
  • INNEO-Studio Tworczego Rozwoju (PL);
  • Innoventum Oy (FI)
  • European University Cyprus (CY).

These organisations have joined together to develop Europe's first bespoke, targeted entrepreneurship curriculum for graduates embarking on a career in the cultural and creative industry sector.

The proposed new curriculum will include all the normal entrepreneurship development modules which will be supplemented by a suite of sector specific modules that address how to;

  • present the cultural and creative entrepreneur and his/her management team;
  • present the investment opportunity being offered while simultaneously alleviating investor/financier fears and concerns;
  • demonstrate that you have a relevant and robust business model;
  • present the scalability of your CCI product or idea and a provide a true market valuation that stands up to scrutiny;
  • protect your intellectual property and manage intellectual property assets;
  • internationalize your business.

The SHADOWS project runs from September 2016 to August 2018.

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