Today the San Sebastian Festival opens its third call for submissions for the Zinemaldia Startup Challenge, a competition for technology projects in the audiovisual field. The initiative will run in the framework of the fourth edition of Zinemaldia & Technology, the Festival’s strategic endeavour to position itself as a benchmark space for reflecting on technology and the audiovisual industry.

The deadline for receiving submissions is June 1. The competition focusses on individual entrepreneurs and recently created startups – constituted after 31 December 2015 – proposing new European business projects based on the incorporation of new technologies and focussed on the audiovisual field. The candidates must also have their legal residence in a European country and consider developing their business project in the Basque Country.  

The selected projects will be presented at an event to take place in September during the Festival, including a masterclass.

The Basque Government, through its Department of Economic Development, Sustainability and Environment, promotes the Zinemaldia Startup Challenge, an initiative running in the framework of the Zinemaldia & Technology event, organised by the San Sebastian Festival, TECNALIA and Tabakalera, with the backing of Creative Europe MEDIA and Vicomtech, the applied research centre. With Tabakalera, through its 2deo audiovisual laboratory, work is underway to extend the activity to other events held throughout the year.

In its previous editions, Zinemaldia & Technology constituted a meeting place for technologists, filmmakers and film industry professionals. In 2018, the filmmaker J.A. Bayona opened the event with a masterclass, while in 2019 Lucía Peralta shared her experience as Digital Matte Painter and in 2020 Marc Orts spoke about the evolution of sound technology and the process of creating a soundtracks.

Prize money of 10,000 euros and potential funding of up to 500,000

Those wishing to participate can complete the online form provided for this purpose on the Festival website. A jury of experts will choose five finalists, who will have the opportunity of a year’s free access to an incubation space at one of the BICs (Business Innovation Center) in the Basque Technology Park Network, access to all of the Festival activities and events and will bear their travel and accommodation costs to attend the event. The selected projects will be announced through a press release in early August. Finally, in September, during the Festival, an independent jury will choose the winning project, which will receive 10,000 euros. Both the winner and the four finalists will also have the option to obtain up to 500,000 euros to develop their project in the Basque Country.   

To access the Terms & Conditions and submit a project, click here.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: JUNE 1st

startupchallenge@sansebastianfestival.com
Tel.: +34 943 481 217
www.sansebastianfestival.com

The Industry Department has the support of