The screen industries are undergoing change across every part of the value chain, from how stories are developed and produced, to how projects are financed, distributed, and discovered by audiences. At the same time, the industry’s creative foundations — collaboration and human storytelling — remain central to what makes our screen industries unique.

EFM Startups exists at the intersection of these two forces: creativity and technology.

In its 2026 edition, EFM Startups brings together a curated cohort of 12 startups, with strong European representation, meaningful participation from female founders, and select global voices reflecting the international reality of today’s film market. Collectively, they address real, day-to-day challenges across the screen industry value chain — spanning creative development, production workflows, operational infrastructure, audience intelligence, rights and distribution pathways, and new models for collaboration between creative and technology-driven teams.

This session features a fast-paced series of 3-minute pitches, offering insight into tools that are already being tested, piloted, or adopted by industry professionals. The emphasis is not on replacing long-standing industry practices, but on strengthening them — using technology to support more sustainable ways of working for independent companies.

EFM Startups Pitch is designed for the real audience of the European Film Market: producers, distributors, sales agents, platforms, festivals, institutions, and industry experts looking for solutions they can understand, evaluate, and realistically integrate into their work.

When creative and technology-driven industries collaborate, they can respond to change and actively shape the future of the screen industries. EFM Startups offers a snapshot of how this collaboration can help build a more resilient, diverse, and future-ready audiovisual ecosystem, while preserving the creative values that have defined it for decades.

With this session, the EFM Industry Programme contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

Participating Startups:

CHAMELAION (DEU), crewser (AUT), FilmAmo (ITA), INSHORTS.AI (KOR), Lux AI (DEU), Mureel (EST), Refractio (FRA), team4set (POL), Vievo (DNK), Wantent (UKR), Wavery (DEU), WeDaVinci AI (DEU)