- Winno opens applications for Popcorn/Inc, its eight-week online incubation program for aspiring FilmTech and MediaTech founders
- The free program helps participants turn early ideas into validated startup concepts, prototypes, and Demo Day presentations
- Aspiring entrepreneurs are welcome to apply until August 20th
This August, Winno teams up with DEEP Ecosystems, InnoMaker Partners, Yantra Studio, Varg.ai, 8bitPR Agency, and more ecosystem partners to launch Popcorn/Inc — their free, eight-week online incubation program for aspiring founders interested in building startups in the FilmTech and MediaTech sectors. The partners are bringing together expertise from the startup, media, and technology sectors to support the next generation of founders in transforming early-stage ideas into validated business concepts and first prototypes through workshops, mentorship, and collaboration with industry experts.
Winno is a Budapest-based innovation ecosystem organization supporting entrepreneurs, startups, and collaborative projects at the intersection of technology, creativity, and emerging industries. Through programs such as Popcorn/Inc, the organization aims to foster new ventures and strengthen startup communities across Central and Eastern Europe.
Opportunities Beyond AI Video
While AI is self-apparently reshaping the media industry, Popcorn/Inc positions FilmTech and MediaTech as much broader categories that include emerging formats, new distribution models, creator-driven ecosystems, immersive experiences, and production technologies.
Timefey Golovin, Founder of Popcorn/Inc
‘Most people think ‘FilmTech’ means AI video. It doesn’t. Streaming rules are being rewritten, production is moving to real-time engines, and distribution is shifting to creators who own their audience – AI is one piece of a much bigger rebuild. Immersive media alone is already a USD 185B market. Popcorn/Inc exists to gather the founders, developers, and everyone with passion to build whatever comes next in the Film and Media world,’ Popcorn/Inc’s founder Timofey Golovin explains.
The program explores opportunities across such areas as:
- AI-driven storytelling
- generative media tools,
- digital production technologies,
- immersive experiences,
- interactive content,
- and new models for content distribution and monetization.
Who Can Apply
Popcorn/Inc welcomes participants from any location who are interested in building startups in FilmTech or MediaTech. Importantly, applicants are not required to have previous startup experience, an existing team, or a fully developed idea. The program is designed both for aspiring founders at the exploration stage and for individuals already interested in creating products for the future of media and entertainment.
The organizers are particularly interested in attracting founders, developers, designers, creatives, media professionals, and technology enthusiasts willing to explore cross-discipline collaboration opportunities.
Applications for Popcorn/Inc are open until August 20th. Participants will be selected based on their background and motivation.
What Participants Learn
During the eight-week journey, participants will:
- Learn how FilmTech and MediaTech startups are built;
- Explore industry trends and emerging technologies;
- Form teams with creatives, developers, and innovators;
- Generate and validate startup ideas;
- Test concepts with experts and ecosystem partners;
- Develop their first prototype and prepare it for Demo Day.
The incubation process is divided into four stages:
- The first two weeks focus on understanding the media industry and identifying opportunities for innovation.
- During weeks three and four, participants develop startup concepts and form teams around promising ideas.
- The following two weeks are dedicated to building prototypes and testing assumptions.
- The final week focuses on preparing projects for public presentation during a Demo Day held in a film festival-style format.
In a Nutshell
- Apply here before August 20th, 2026
- Duration: 8 weeks, dates are to be announced
- Format: online
- More information: on the Popcorn/Inc web page
- For additional inquiries, contact info@popcorninc.com
Kostiantyn is a freelance writer from Crimea but based in Lviv. He loves writing about IT and high tech because those topics are always upbeat and he’s an inherent optimist!
