Held online as part of the CreaTech project, the event created a space for emerging businesses to present their ideas, test their pitches and engage directly with experienced professionals from different European and international markets. Moderated by Prof. Dr. Jaka Vadnjal, the event was designed around a concise and dynamic pitching format. Each participating start-up was given three minutes to introduce its business idea, followed by two minutes of questions and feedback from the investor panel. This gave the teams an opportunity not only to present their concepts, but also to respond to questions, clarify their business models and reflect on issues raised by investors.

A total of eight start-ups from five countries took part in the pitching session, reflecting the international scope of the CreaTech initiative. Zonda Creative, represented by Selim Maloku and Visar Spanca, and Rrënjët Tona / Our Heritage, represented by Vesa Morina, joined from Kosovo. Slovenia was represented by SCORPI, presented by Nina Treven, while Albania was represented by Timeless Capsule, led by Holta Dusha, and Ori-Artizan – N'prag, presented by Orjeta Rucaj. From Greece, SOPHROSYNE, represented by Despoina Rozi and Nikolaos Konstantopoulos, and Pop2See, represented by Aliki Rangou, took the stage, while British Mauritius, represented by Venesa Coodien, joined from the United Kingdom.

The start-ups presented a diverse range of ideas emerging within the Cultural and Creative Industries, while the pitch format placed particular emphasis on clear communication, focus and the ability to engage with questions in real time. Moving from a prepared presentation to an open exchange with investors provided the participating teams with a valuable opportunity to experience a setting that closely reflects the kind of conversations entrepreneurs encounter when presenting their businesses to potential partners, investors and other stakeholders.

An important part of the event was its international investor panel, which brought together professionals from several countries and business environments. The panel consisted of Vincenzo Piscitelli and Tracy Tang from China, Ardian Hoxha from Albania, Gianluca Abbruzzese from Italy, Chris Fox from the United Kingdom, Rok Habinc from Slovenia, Jens Broch from Denmark and Kogkos Vassilis from Greece. Their questions and feedback added an international perspective to the discussions and enabled the start-ups to receive reactions from professionals with different backgrounds and market experiences.

The exchange between start-ups and investors was at the heart of the event. Rather than limiting the session to a series of presentations, the Q&A component encouraged direct discussion and challenged teams to communicate the value of their ideas within a very limited timeframe. For the participating start-ups, this meant an opportunity to sharpen their messages, consider their businesses from an investor’s perspective and gain additional insights for their further development.

The successful Autumn CreaTech International Pitch Event represents another step in the CreaTech project’s efforts to strengthen entrepreneurship and innovation within the Cultural and Creative Industries. By bringing start-ups into direct contact with investors and experts from different countries, the event provided a platform for visibility, constructive feedback and international exchange, while supporting participating teams in further developing both their business ideas and the way they present them to the wider market. The event concluded with thanks to all participating start-ups, investors, partners and guests who contributed to the Autumn CreaTech International Pitch Event and to the wider CreaTech community.