departure is searching for business experts with professional experience in the consulting of creative industries companies in the following areas: business consulting, legal and tax consulting, consulting in financing and organization, marketing, public relations etc.

Well-established creative professionals with long-standing entrepreneurial experience in the fields of fashion, music, multimedia, design (including graphic design), audio-vision, media/publishing, art market and architecture can join our expert pool as mentors.

The consulting services funded under the departure pioneer program in the scope of a business start-up have to focus on substantiating and developing a business concept and include consulting regarding business idea and business plan, consulting in legal and tax issues, financial and liquidity consulting and consulting in the field of marketing and PR.

departure experts is the appropriate program for companies that require specific consulting services and expert support for the implementation of their project or growth initiative. The consulting services comprise the development and assessment of a business concept or business plan, consulting in legal and tax issues as well as financial and liquidity consulting, the development of a cooperation or partnering strategy, organization and management, product and service development, consulting in the field of marketing & PR, branding, communication design and distribution.

Conditions for joining the departure expert pool: business experts must have at least five years of relevant professional experience (international experience is advantageous).

Mentors should have at least five years of practical experience as self-employed entrepreneurs or employees in a leading position in the creative industries.

In addition business experts have to provide at least three reference projects. Mentors have to provide three successfully completed activities (business successes)in the field of the creative industries within the last four years.

Applications for admission to the departure expert pool can only be submitted online.

• Applications for admission to the departure expert pool can be submitted online any time.

• A first appraisal is carried out by departure and by the board of experts according to pre-defined criteria followed by a hearing, the acceptance or rejection of the application.

• The appraisal by the board takes place on a quarterly basis.