By Antonella Passani, DEN Institute

We are ready to start the second MediaFutures programme with new projects, but before doing so, let’s pause for a backside view for considering the results of the first program.

MediaFutures supported 12 projects and, as a result of the programme, they. Developed 13 artworks, 6 products/services, 19 datasets, 3 scientific publications, 3 articles for artistic and other types of journals and one PhD thesis is foreseen to be finalised in the next months.

Startups and artists have attracted new funds for an amount of more than 100.000 Euros; submitted 11 proposals, requests of fund or residencies; and 11 teams are planning to launch a new artwork or service on the market  – as outcome of the MF  programme – in 2022.

More than 30.000 persons have been engaged in online activities, more than 200 in face-to-face activities and more than 1800 thanks to events. The participation to an European project like MediaFutures appear to be a good thing for out teams in terms of reputation and recognition from other stakeholders.

Participants to the program created several new collaborations, not only among themselves, but also with other actors: 15 new collaborations have been established with artists; 15 with start-ups and SMEs; 21 with stakeholders of the media sector and 43 with other stakeholders. These news links represent an important takeaway from the program as it could lead to new opportunities for further developing the project’s ideas or for increasing the visibility of their outputs.

Our participants declared to have increased their competences thanks to the project, especially they learned better how to work in an interdisciplinarity ways and are more awareness and better informed on GDPR, data management and data ethics. For start-ups it has been mentioned that the programme supported them in developing new strategies, identifying new markets, designing, and developing their business models.

Overall, the programme contributed to the professionalisation of the participants, with different specificities for each team according to their initial level of knowledge and team consolidation