Beyond the Competition: The Creative Business Cup Experience

For creative startups, internationalization is often understood as “expanding abroad.” Yet the process is not only about reaching another market. Being able to present an idea to people from different countries, sectors and perspectives; making a business model more visible; and connecting with the right networks are also important parts of this journey.

Creative Business Cup is an international creative entrepreneurship competition organized by Creative Business Network, a global network that brings together entrepreneurs, investors, public institutions, sector professionals and ecosystem actors working in the field of the creative economy. As one of the most visible programs of this global network, which has representatives in more than 80 countries, CBC creates space for creative and innovative business ideas to gain international visibility.

Today, Creative Business Cup continues through national competitions held in different countries. It does not only bring creative startups onto the stage; it also offers them an experience where they can develop their ideas, strengthen their narratives and connect with international creative economy networks.

This year, the Creative Business Cup Türkiye process carries particular significance for the Create in İzmir ecosystem. The startup selected as the winner of the Türkiye final in 2026 will represent Türkiye at the Creative Business Cup Global Finals, which will take place on 26–27 August 2026 in Copenhagen as part of TechBBQ. In this way, Create in İzmir will carry a creative startup from its own ecosystem to the international stage.

Türkiye representation has been carried out by KREA since 2020

Creative Business Cup’s Türkiye representation has been carried out since 2020 by the Creative Economy Research and Application Center (KREA) at İzmir University of Economics. KREA coordinates the process in Türkiye, from the application stage to the national final, from the evaluation of finalists to the selection of the Türkiye representative.

In 2024 and 2025, the Creative Business Cup Türkiye process was integrated into the Create in İzmir Project, which was launched to support regional development in the field of cultural and creative industries. Coordinated by KREA, Create in İzmir positioned CBC not merely as a competition, but also as an important opportunity to connect creative entrepreneurs with international networks, strengthen the visibility of the project, and represent the local creative ecosystem on a global stage.

For this reason, CBC is not only a competition title for us. It is a strong meeting point for preparing creative startups in Türkiye for the international stage, enabling them to present their ideas to different actors and helping them connect with the global creative economy ecosystem.

Each year, through this process, we encounter creative business ideas from many different fields, including design, technology, culture, digital production, sustainability, gaming, gastronomy, media, health, education and community-oriented solutions. This diversity shows that creative entrepreneurship is no longer limited to a single sector; instead, new business models and solutions emerge at the intersection of different disciplines.

More than a competition

The Creative Business Cup process begins with national applications. Startups submit their ideas, go through an evaluation process and selected finalists present their projects before the jury at the Türkiye final. However, this process is about more than simply answering the question of “who won?”

The preparation process for the final often allows entrepreneurs to look at their own ideas from a new perspective. Presenting a creative idea is not only about explaining what you do. It also requires clearly communicating which problem the idea responds to, for whom it creates value, how it can become sustainable and why it matters.

In this sense, CBC offers entrepreneurs a valuable practice space. Entrepreneurs simplify their ideas, strengthen their stories, rethink their business models and have the chance to see how their projects are perceived by people from different sectors.

Who can apply?

Creative Business Cup provides a suitable platform for startups built around creativity. Here, creativity does not have to be limited to the fields of art or design. It is enough for creative thinking to be at the center of the product, service, business model or solution approach.

As in previous years, the competition is open to startups that are business-oriented, have market potential, own the idea, product or service they are applying with, and are registered in Türkiye as a legal entity or as a sole proprietorship established in accordance with the relevant legislation and holding a tax certificate. Having received no more than 1,000,000 USD in investment is also among the application criteria.

This year, a new criterion linked to the Create in İzmir ecosystem has also been added. Startups applying to Creative Business Cup Türkiye 2026 must have previously participated in at least one activity organized within the scope of Create in İzmir, such as an Ideathon, Creathon, Hackathon, Creative Entrepreneurship Trainings, Mentorship Programs, Pitching events or similar programs.

In this respect, the 2026 process is also an important step toward carrying creative startups supported within the scope of Create in İzmir to an international platform.

Examples from Türkiye and the world

One of the strongest aspects of Creative Business Cup is that it brings together creative startups from very different fields on the same platform. On the Türkiye stage, startups from different sectors stand out each year. In 2022, Myth.Ai became the winner of Creative Business Cup Türkiye. In 2023, Kahve Gibi Kahve represented Türkiye at the CBC Global Finals and ranked among the top 10. In 2024, Homster Inc. took the global stage as Türkiye’s representative, while in 2025, Kami drew attention by reaching the semifinals.

Looking at the global level, it is possible to see how widely creative entrepreneurship has expanded. In 2025, Mattie Success from Botswana won first place with a business model that uses banana stem fiber to develop a more sustainable and healthier alternative to synthetic hair braids. This achievement was also noteworthy as it marked the first time an African country won the grand prize in the history of the Creative Business Cup. In 2024, Castomize from Singapore won first place. The startup develops 4D-printed medical solutions that make orthopedic casts used in fracture treatment lighter, stronger and more comfortable. These examples show that CBC covers a broad field of creative entrepreneurship.

This diversity also reminds us that creative talent is not limited to specific centers or sectors. Startups working in areas such as creative technology, sustainability, health, culture, design, digital production and community-oriented solutions can gain visibility through this platform.

From the Create in İzmir Ecosystem to the Global Stage in Copenhagen

Applications for Creative Business Cup Türkiye 2026 are opening soon. This year, the startup selected as the winner of the Türkiye final, which will take place at İzmir University of Economics on 24 July 2026, will represent Türkiye at the Creative Business Cup Global Finals, organized as part of TechBBQ in Copenhagen on 26–27 August 2026.

TechBBQ is an important international meeting point that brings together entrepreneurs, investors and different ecosystem actors. For this reason, the CBC process is not only a competition opportunity for creative startups; it also offers a valuable space for making their ideas visible within a broader network and building international connections.

From the perspective of Create in İzmir, this year’s process means carrying a creative startup developed within the local ecosystem to the international stage in Copenhagen. This turns CBC into more than a competition where Türkiye’s representative is selected; it becomes a concrete opportunity for the creative capacity supported by Create in İzmir to connect with global networks.

When locally developed ideas come into contact with actors from different countries, new possibilities emerge both for entrepreneurs and for the creative ecosystem. Creative Business Cup Türkiye 2026 offers an important step toward making these possibilities visible and carrying a creative startup from the Create in İzmir ecosystem to the international stage.