A. In this paper, we initiate the generalisation of the operadic calculus which governs the properties of homotopy algebras to a properadic calculus which governs the properties of homotopy gebras over a properad. In this first article of a series, we generalise the seminal notion of ∞-morphisms and the ubiquitous homotopy transfer theorem. As an application, we recover the homotopy properties of involutive Lie bialgebras developed by Cieliebak-Fukaya-Latschev and we produce new explicit formulas.