IBC2026 unveils strategic partnership with EIT Culture & Creativity to drive next-generation innovation

IBC has announced a strategic partnership with EIT Culture & Creativity, naming the organization as its European Innovation Partner for 2026. The collaboration aims to strengthen innovation in the broadcast and audiovisual industry by connecting Europe’s creative technology ecosystem with IBC’s global media and entertainment network. The partnership was introduced during the IBC Accelerator Media Innovation Programme’s Kickstart Day 2026, where industry leaders begin shaping new projects that address real-world challenges.

Through this partnership, EIT Culture & Creativity will bring its network of startups, research institutions, creative clusters, and investors to support the Accelerator Programme. The initiative focuses on turning early ideas and proof-of-concepts into scalable solutions across areas such as AI, trusted media, intellectual property, and rights management. The program will run through a six-month innovation cycle, ending with live demonstrations at IBC2026 in September.

IBC today announced a new strategic partnership with EIT Culture & Creativity – the institutional partnership for culture and creativity, supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) – appointing it as its European Innovation Partner for 2026. Announced at the IBC Accelerator Media Innovation Programme’s Kickstart Day 2026, the partnership reflects the two organisations shared commitment to advancing the broadcast and audiovisual industry and has the potential to meaningfully accelerate collaborative progress. Together, the two organisations aim to create clearer pathways from proof-of-concept to deployment across the global media and entertainment (M&E) ecosystem – starting with the Accelerator Programme.

“This new partnership promises to further accelerate innovation across the IBC community,” said Michael Crimp, Chief Executive Officer of IBC. “Kickstart Day is where many of the industry’s next breakthroughs begin, so it’s the right moment to announce this collaboration. Working with EIT Culture & Creativity, we are strengthening the pathway for M&E innovators to engage with the international media leaders who come to IBC to invest, form partnerships, and bring new solutions to market.”

Added Anette Schaefer, CEO of EIT Culture & Creativity: “This partnership connects Europe’s creative innovation ecosystem in the broadcast and audiovisual sector with its extensive industry network in a way that is practical, visible, and impactful. IBC is the ideal partner to help us demonstrate that culture and creativity sit at the heart of technology transformation.”

The partnership combines EIT Culture & Creativity’s pan-European network – supporting entrepreneurship and growth across Europe’s cultural and creative sectors – with IBC’s global reach through its conference, exhibition, and media platforms.

Under the agreement, EIT Culture & Creativity is contributing thought leadership and access to its ecosystem of start-ups, research institutions, creative clusters, and investors to support the Accelerator Programme. This kicked off with participation in a high-level, invitation-only strategic roundtable on innovation strategies that took place on the eve of Kickstart Day. The roundtable focused on key trends and issues shaping the broadcast and audiovisual industry, including trusted media, intellectual property, authenticity, rights management, and artificial intelligence (AI).

The Accelerator Programme’s Kickstart Day, held this year at BBC Broadcasting House, brings together leading broadcasters, streamers, technology vendors, start-ups, and academic partners to pitch and form collaborations around real-world industry challenges. It marks the start of a six-month fast-track innovation cycle culminating in live Proof of Concept (PoC) demonstrations in the Accelerator Zone at IBC2026 from 11–14 September.

Since its launch in 2019, the IBC Accelerator Programme has become a recognised platform for cross-industry collaboration, enabling media organisations and technology partners to work together in a structured, fast-track environment. Real-world projects are driven by industry “Champions” – including broadcasters, studios and content owners – who define the challenges, with “Participants” – vendors and innovators contributing expertise to develop practical, scalable solutions.