From 50 applications to seven finalists and two winners: the MetaHeritage Call for Investment Ideas has come to an exciting conclusion with yesterday’s Pitching Showcase.

Launched in collaboration with EBAN – European Business Angels Network, the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) and the Galician Innovation Agency (GAIN), the call aimed to identify promising solutions at the intersection of cultural heritage, tourism, technology and innovation, the call aimed to help innovative projects become better prepared to connect with investors and the market.

From 50 applications to 10 selected projects

The response to the call demonstrated the growing potential of innovation at the intersection of heritage, technology and tourism.

We received 50 applications from across Europe and beyond, of which 34 eligible proposals moved into the evaluation process. From these, 10 projects were pre-selected to take part in an investment-readiness journey delivered together with EBAN – European Business Angels Network.

But the journey was about much more than selecting the strongest ideas.

From promising ideas to investment-ready propositions

The selected teams participated in investor-led dry runs led by Audra Shallal from EBAN, designed to challenge their ideas, sharpen their pitches and strengthen their investment readiness. They had the opportunity to pitch their solutions, receive direct feedback from investors and work on some of the fundamental questions that arise when moving from a promising idea towards an investable proposition:

Who is the customer? What is the market? What is the business model? Who are the competitors? How can the solution scale? And, ultimately, what are you asking investors for?

These sessions provided the teams with an opportunity to refine their pitches, strengthen their business cases and gain a better understanding of what investors are looking for.

Following this process, seven projects were selected for the final Pitching Showcase:

  • Art Out of the Frame
  • Aranguelos
  • Zoomguide
  • TUNTU
  • Talking Paintings
  • MuseMind
  • ArtCentrica

Three minutes to make an impact

At the final Pitching Showcase, each finalist had just three minutes to present their solution and make their case to the audience and investor jury.

The pitches highlighted a diverse range of approaches to using technology and innovation to create new experiences, services and business opportunities around cultural heritage.

After the final pitches, two projects were recognised:

Zoomguide — selected by the investor jury

ArtCentrica — selected as the audience favourite

Congratulations to both winners, and to all seven finalists for reaching the final stage of the programme!

Why investment readiness matters for cultural heritage innovation

The value of initiatives like the MetaHeritage Call for Investment Ideas goes beyond the final winners.

For innovative companies working across cultural heritage and tourism, opportunities to test their ideas with investors can be an important step towards strengthening their business models, understanding market expectations and building connections beyond their usual ecosystems.

At the same time, these initiatives give investors a window into what is emerging across the sector — from new technologies and services to innovative business models and a growing pipeline of companies demonstrating that cultural heritage can also be a space for entrepreneurship, innovation and investment.

Sometimes, the first step towards investment is simply creating the opportunity for the right ideas and the right people to meet.

The journey continues

A huge thank you to all 50 applicants, the selected teams, finalists, investor jury, coaches, EBAN and all our partners and contributors who helped make this journey possible.

The pitches may be over, but the connections are only beginning.

The MetaHeritage community will continue to create opportunities to connect cultural heritage, innovation, technology, entrepreneurship and investment and to support the ideas that can help shape the future of the sector.