What Pôle de création numérique does

Pôle de création numérique (PCN) is the operational arm of the Fondation pour la création numérique, a Swiss private foundation of public utility established in 2016. PCN was launched in 2022 by RTS and SSR to coordinate and structure the digital creation ecosystem in French-speaking Switzerland (Romandy), serving digital creators, artists, studios, collectives, and cultural producers. The foundation distributes complementary production funding, runs thematic project calls, organizes residencies, hosts an annual sectoral conference, and operates a visibility platform for the Romandy digital creation community.

The foundation's portfolio comprises several branded programs: Mind the Gap (a complementary production support fund allocated 400,000 CHF in its 2024–2025 pilot phase and 400,000 CHF for 2026), Perfect Match (thematic calls connecting creators with funders and distribution platforms), NeoDoc (digital documentary expressions, run jointly with RTS, supporting seven Romand projects in its first call), Si la neige ne revenait pas (a 100,000 CHF competition co-organized with FIFAD), the Assises annual conference series, the Résidences program, and the KulturTeK open platform. Effective 1 January 2026, the foundation absorbed the activities of Pyxis Explo in Lausanne, adding a dedicated venue for mediation, research, and knowledge transmission in digital arts within Pyxis (House of Culture and Digital Exploration).

The entity is a non-profit and does not sell products or services commercially; its "revenue" consists of public and private funding flows from Swiss cantonal authorities (Geneva, Vaud, Valais, and as of 2026 Fribourg) and institutional partners including RTS, SSR-SRG, GIFF, HEAD-Genève, Virtual Switzerland, and Creatives+. Governance rests with a seven-member Foundation Council chaired by Pascal Crittin (Director of RTS), while Alex Iordachescu serves as operational director leading a core team of approximately nine employees (programming, administration, events). Geographic operations are centered on Geneva (headquarters, co-located with RTS) and Lausanne (Pyxis Explo), with a Valais site planned. The core technology is non-proprietary — the foundation runs grant administration, an event/conference series, and the KulturTeK showcase platform rather than building software products.

Name

Pôle de création numérique

Legal name

Fondation pour la création numérique

Website

https://polnum.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pôle de création numérique (PCN) is the operational arm of the Fondation pour la création numérique, a Swiss public-utility foundation that coordinates, funds, and structures digital creation in French-speaking Switzerland (Romandy). It serves digital creators, collectives, and cultural producers through grant programs, thematic calls, residencies, and the Assises conference series.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Arts Funding & Support

akta.pro primary industry

Virtual/Hybrid Conference Production & Platform Management (THAHACAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sponsorship, Exhibitor & Partnership Management Services (THAHACAK)

Keywords

• Digital arts funding
• Creative production support
• Artist residency programs
• Cultural foundation services
• Digital creation grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Public Funding and Grants: As a foundation, the organization distributes public and private funding to digital creators. It receives support from Swiss cantons (Geneva, Vaud, Valais, Fribourg) and operates grant programs including Mind the Gap (400,000 CHF pilot phase, 400,000 CHF for 2026), Perfect Match initiatives, and the 'Si la neige ne revenait pas' competition (100,000 CHF).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Pôle de création numérique (PCN) operates as a non-profit foundation coordinating and financing digital creation in French-speaking Switzerland. It delivers production-support funds (Mind the Gap), thematic calls for projects (Perfect Match, NeoDoc), an industry visibility platform (KulturTeK), an annual conference (Assises), artist residencies, and a national prize/competition (Si la neige ne revenait pas), serving creators, cultural producers, and partner institutions across Romandy.

Product overview

Pôle de création numérique is a foundation that operates as a coordination and support structure for digital creation in French-speaking Switzerland. Its portfolio consists of funding programs (Mind the Gap), annual conferences (Assises), a platform (KulturTeK), matchmaking initiatives (Perfect Match), residency programs (Résidences), and thematic competitions (Si la neige ne revenait pas, NeoDoc). In January 2026, it integrated Pyxis Explo, adding mediation and research capabilities to its ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mind the Gap: Fonds de soutien complémentaire à la production de projets culturels et artistiques numériques, doté de 400 000 francs pour stimuler l'écosystème de la création numérique et lutter contre la précarité dans les milieux culturels.
• KulturTeK
• Perfect Match
• Assises de la création numérique
• NeoDoc

Products and services

• Mind the Gap Production-support fund providing financial backing for digital creation projects from Romandy-based creators and producers.
• Assises

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, key and supporting.

• Pyxis ExplocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Space for mediation, research and knowledge transmission in digital arts, located within Pyxis, the House of Culture and Digital Exploration in Lausanne. Activities taken over by Foundation for Digital Creation on January 1, 2026.
• Canton of FribourgmajorOthers · 1 January 2026Public canton partner newly joined Mind the Gap 2026, expanding geographic coverage for funding eligibility.
• RTS (Radio Télévision Suisse)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Key founding partner and major supporter. RTS Director Pascal Crittin serves as President of the Foundation Board. RTS collaborates on specific projects including NeoDoc and the 'Si la neige ne revenait pas' competition.
• SSR-SRG (Swiss Radio and Television)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Parent organization of RTS, founding partner of the Foundation for Digital Creation.
• GIFF (Geneva International Film Festival)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Festival partner represented on the Foundation Board, contributing expertise in film and digital arts events.
• HES-So/HEAD-GenèvecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023University of Applied Sciences and Arts Western Switzerland, with HEAD-Genève represented on Foundation Board by Director Lada Umstätter. Provides educational and research expertise.
• Virtual SwitzerlandcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Association represented on Foundation Board by Director Laetitia Bochud. Focuses on virtual reality and digital experience ecosystem.
• Creatives+coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Association represented on Foundation Board by Vice-President Erinrose Sullivan. Represents creative professionals and studios.
• Canton of GenevamajorOthers · 1 January 2023Public canton partner supporting digital creation through funding programs including Mind the Gap eligibility.
• Canton of VaudmajorOthers · 1 January 2023Public canton partner supporting digital creation through funding programs including Mind the Gap eligibility.
• Canton of ValaismajorOthers · 1 January 2023Public canton partner supporting digital creation through funding programs including Mind the Gap eligibility.
• FIFAD (Festival International du Film Alpin des Diablerets)keyStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Festival partner for 'Si la neige ne revenait pas' competition, providing venue for premiere of winning project in August 2025. Co-funder with RTS and PCN of 100,000 CHF prize.
• Pyxis Exploration NumériquesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on information sessions for Mind the Gap fund, December 2024. Located in Lausanne.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe: German center for art and media technology combining a museum, research, and production facility. Comparable as a publicly-supported institution dedicated to digital and media arts with exhibition, research, and convening functions.
• Fondation SUISA: Swiss non-profit foundation supporting music creators through cultural funding mechanisms. Comparable as a Swiss cultural-support foundation distributing grants to creators, though focused on music rather than digital arts.
• Migros Kulturprozent: Swiss cultural foundation (sponsored by the Migros cooperative) funding cultural and creative projects including digital arts across Switzerland. Comparable as a Swiss cultural-support foundation distributing grants to creators.
• Ars Electronica: Austrian institution running the annual Ars Electronica Festival, Prix Ars Electronica awards, and Futurelab research programs — the canonical European digital-arts organization combining funding, conferences, and a creator platform. Closely comparable mission and program structure to PCN.
• Pro Helvetia - Swiss Arts Council: Switzerland's federal arts funding body, providing grants and support across all artistic disciplines including digital arts. Directly comparable as a publicly-funded Swiss cultural-support organization distributing grants to creators, though at national rather than regional scope.

Broad incumbents

• Culturespaces / Atelier des Lumières: French operator of immersive digital-art venues. Adjacent comparator for digital-art venue programming, though operating commercially and at much larger scale.
• Stiftung Digitale Kultur (c/o re:publica): German non-profit foundation organizing re:publica, Europe's largest digital-culture conference. Comparable as a digital-culture convening and support organization, but operating at a much larger scale across Germany and Europe.

Regional players

• Geneva International Film Festival (GIFF): Geneva-based film and digital arts festival, founding partner and Foundation Board member. Comparable as a Romandy cultural organization programming digital-arts events, but focused on festival curation rather than funding distribution.
• Creative Industries Switzerland / Creative+: Swiss association representing creative professionals and studios, with VP Erinrose Sullivan sitting on PCN's Foundation Board. Comparable as a Romandy creative-industry association, but focused on advocacy rather than grantmaking.
• HEAD – Genève (HES-SO): Geneva-based university of arts and design, one of PCN's core founding partners and represented on the Foundation Board. Comparable as a Romandy institution engaged in digital arts education and research, though focused on training rather than ecosystem funding.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/p%C3%B4le-de-cr%C3%A9ation-num%C3%A9rique

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Pôle de création numérique