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Kickstarter Africa & Europe Program

Welcome to The Kickstarter Africa & Europe Program!

Financial and promotional support to help you grow your California wine brands in your market – July 2026 to June 2027.

Capped at 50 participants  ·  First registered, first served.

PROGRAM FUNDING

Two ways to access support

Choose one or both opportunities below. All funding is reimbursed after the activity on receipt of proof of performance.

Opportunity #1

California Wines Event

Financial support for an exclusively California wines trade tasting or dinner. Must include brands from at least two separate companies.

Fixed Support Fee €1,000

Opportunity #2

Travel to California

Limited to Buyer, Director or Owner. Trips cannot be taken in consecutive years unless a new brand was added, and travel representatives must rotate annually.

Fixed Support Fee €1,500

Budget deadline: All invoices and proof of performance must be received by 30 June 2027. Invoices received after this date cannot be paid. The budget cannot be carried over to the following year.

EDUCATION

Capstone California

As part of Kickstarter, participants are encouraged to complete the Capstone California online certification course – a comprehensive guide to California wines created by internationally recognized experts.

Free enrollment for Kickstarter participants

Levels 1 and 2 are available at no cost through the link below (normally €75 and €125). Please do not share the enrollment link externally.

Enroll Now
PROGRAM RULES

Before your event or trip

Complete these steps before undertaking any funded activity.

  1. 1
    Register to participate: complete the application form
  2. 2
    Read and accept the terms and conditions
  3. 3
    Download the California Wines logo for use on invites, menus, signage, and social posts

REIMBURSEMENT

Proof of performance required

Submit all proof of performance with your invoice to your local California Wine Institute representative by June 30, 2027.

Trade tasting or dinner

  • At least 2 California wine companies visible in photos
  • Copy of invitation showing the California Wines logo
  • Guest list (first name and company/affiliation) and total attendee count
  • Wine list or catalogue featuring the California Wines logo
  • Photos of wines lined up with logo, attendees, and event signage
  • Brief summary of event outcomes and anticipated sales results

Travel bursary

  • Completed trip report form detailing producers visited and wine impressions
  • California wines sales results from the prior 2 years
  • Confirmation of 2 or more new wineries visited seeking representation
  • Details on any new brands listed as a result of the trip
  • Links or screenshots of 2 social media posts about the trip
AGREEMENT

Terms, conditions & registration

Please read the terms below before completing your registration.

Payment

California Wine Institute (CWI) will pay the applicable amount within 30 days of receiving a valid invoice. Invoices must:

  1. Describe the activity
  2. Include all wire transfer details for EFT payment from the United States
  3. Be addressed to: California Wine Institute, 915 L St #1190, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA

Funding restriction

Participants must not charge the wineries they represent for any funding received through this program. If additional costs are billed back to the winery, the bill back must be reduced by the amount of Kickstarter funding received. Failure to comply requires repayment and will result in exclusion from future California Wines programs.

Other terms

Intellectual property: No rights in either party’s trademarks, brand names, copyrights, designs, or logos are transferred by this agreement.
Liability: CWI and its agents have no liability for any loss or damage in connection with participation in the activity.
Governing law: This agreement is governed by the laws of the State of California.

Complete ApplicationDownload Logo
FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Have a question not answered here? Email Tania Da Costa

No, Kickstarter funds have to be used on events that are exclusively for your California brands.

Yes absolutely. Just let us know.

CWI will not be directly involved in planning or hosting your tasting, however, we will promote the details to our trade and press database, and via social media channels if you would like us to.

No, the 2026-2027 funding must be used and invoiced to CWI by 30 June 2027.