New Programme Launched to Help Creative Industry Businesses Expand Abroad

2026/03/06

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The mentoring programme launched for the first time last year to support creative industry businesses expanding abroad has concluded successfully. The business development and foreign market consultation tender offers customised professional support for export-ready Hungarian brands that are at the threshold of entering foreign markets or are already present internationally but plan further growth. Domestic fashion, design, gaming, and beauty industry businesses can apply to the second programme, launched this year, by 5 April.

Considering the potential within the domestic creative industry and international best practices, we have launched our professional workshop series, aiming to promote the professional success of medium-sized enterprises in the sector and help maintain their long-term presence in international markets.

 

Last year, Sugarbird from the fashion industry, Léptékterv with the Viaplant product line from the design sector, and furniture manufacturers Mybetterself and Sixay participated in the programme. Our goal is to provide companies with measurable, practical results, allowing them to implement the development plans launched in the programme according to their own schedule. Based on the preliminary impact assessment, the programme enables the following results:

 

• Companies’ advertising unit costs (the cost of acquiring a new customer) may decrease by 20–30%.
• The number of new customers can increase annually by 30–40% as a result of identifying new target groups and markets.
• Through the acquisition of new customers and an increase in the average basket value of existing ones, sales volume may rise by as much as 50–60% after the first year.
• As a result of more efficient organisational operations and the consolidation of advertising and sales costs, companies’ profit per product may exceed previous levels by an estimated 5–15%.

 

In the second programme, starting in April 2026, in addition to professional consultation, businesses will first participate in a three-session workshop series to assess their operations, including export processes, internal functions, and marketing strategies. Afterwards, the “professional consultation plan” will be completed, focusing on international expansion through marketing optimisation, strengthening digital presence, enhancing organisational operations, developing internal processes, and creating a sales handbook and system. The customised development package will guide and support the work in line with the goals set by the applicant business. Companies that accept the plan will participate in an additional customised workshop series of at least 10 sessions, running until 31 July 2026 at the latest, designed to support the achievement of the established goals.

 

Medium enterprises in the industry that have an exportable product and/or service and whose resources make it possible for them to enter foreign markets are eligible to apply. Thanks to targeted assessment, consultation, and professional support, these companies can navigate the international business environment more efficiently and, through personalised expert guidance, create a well-founded action plan, optimise their export processes, and, in the long run, become competitive players in the global market.

 

We will evaluate the submitted applications according to a unified set of criteria, with the involvement of a professional advisory board composed of respected industry experts.

 

Take advantage of tailored professional support and strengthen your international market position through a comprehensive business and export development strategy.

 

Application deadline: 5 April 2026, 11.59 PM

 

The detailed call for applications and the requirements, the Application Form, its annexes, and the Privacy Notice are available HERE.