The CLIMB Accelerator Bootcamp, at CREW- Creative Enterprise West, is Ireland’s first dedicated accelerator/ scale-up programme for digital creative businesses and has been developed by team CREW in Galway with support from Enterprise Ireland. With only eight places, it has already attracted applicants from digital creative industries throughout Ireland that wish to address the challenges of scaling up and growing to compete internationally. The deadline for candidates is tomorrow September 18 2026.
This programme, designed by professionals with direct experience of the creative industries to address the challenges that digital creative and IP-led businesses face as they grow and compete internationally. The Accelerator Bootcamp combines expert led masterclasses, mentoring and peer learning covering intellectual property, market expansion, leadership and funding readiness. This sector promises to create high value jobs of the future within Ireland’s growing digital creative industries, including gaming, animation, immersive technology, digital design and music technology and IP-led businesses.
Leading the programme as Lead Entrepreneur is native of Roscommon, Mary Carty FRSA, entrepreneur, investor and strategy adviser, CEO of Wilson & Keys and co-founder of AwakenHub and AwakenAngels. ‘Ireland has always punched above its weight on creative talent. The opportunity now is to turn more of that talent into sustainable businesses with international reach. Through CLIMB, businesses will work directly with experienced entrepreneurs, investors and industry experts who can bring practical insight into the challenges they are facing,’ stated Mary Carty, FRSA.
Research published by CREW earlier this year identified 1,045 active digital creative businesses across the West and North-West of Ireland alone, with the number of enterprises growing by almost one-third between 2019 and 2023 and employment increasing by more than 50%.
The CLIMB Accelerator Bootcamp resulted from CREW identifying a “missing middle” in the supports available to these businesses, with many founders having moved beyond early start-up supports but not yet being served by scale-up programmes designed around the particular challenges of creative and IP-led companies.
“Since its launch, CREW has successfully developed incubation and enterprise development programmes, engaged in a variety of regional industry development projects, forged strong industry partnerships, and influenced policy to support creative businesses. It is fast becoming a leading centre for excellence for digital creatives in Ireland. We now see a growing pipeline of ambitious creative businesses in Ireland, and they need assistance to scale internationally. We look forward to bringing them to the next step with the CLIMB Accelerator Bootcamp, where successful businesses will grow internationally, increase their exports and create high value jobs based here in Ireland.,” said Niamh Costello, CEO, CREW.
Running from 25 September to 15 November 2026, the CLIMB Accelerator Bootcamp will combine expert-led masterclasses, one-to-one mentoring and peer learning, focusing on intellectual property, market expansion, leadership, funding and investment readiness. It will also include two immersive in-person weekends in Galway.
Applications are open to trading digital creative businesses that are ready to grow and develop new markets. Only eight businesses will be selected, with applications closing tomorrow Friday, September 18.
Applications and further information: https://crewdigital.ie/programme/climb-accelerator-bootcamp/
CLIMB – Creative Leaders Innovating for Market & Business Growth – is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Northern & Western Regional Programme 2021–2027 and supported by Enterprise Ireland.
