European Capital of Innovation: who succeeds Lisbon?

The European Commission has opened applications for the 10th edition of the European Capital of Innovation 2024 Awards, also known as iCapital Awards. Until June 18, cities with more than 250 thousand inhabitants can compete for this initiative that distinguishes municipalities that contribute most to open and dynamic innovation ecosystems, that involve citizens in the decision-making process and that use innovation to improve sustainability urban.

The winning city receives one million euros, while the other two finalists are entitled to 100 thousand euros, intended to support innovation initiatives. The choice is made by a group of independent experts who evaluate applications using six main criteria: Experimentation, to make the city a test tube; Ability to increase and accelerate the growth of start-ups and SMEs; Creation of an ecosystem and promotion of synergies; Expand the city’s innovation capacity; Innovative Vision; and Citizens’ Rights.

Remember that Lisbon was elected European Capital of Innovation 2023, becoming the first Portuguese city to receive this award, after surpassing the other two finalists from the last edition: Lviv, in Poland, and Kiev, in Ukraine. According to the municipality, the value of the prize will be used to develop the Fábrica de Unicórnios projects, at Hub Criativo do Beato, but also to create three social innovation prizes in health, education and immigration, among other initiatives.

In addition to the European Capital of Innovation award, the European Commission also promotes the Rising Innovative City category (Rising Innovative City), this is for cities and towns with more than 50 thousand inhabitants and less than 250 thousand. In this case, the winner receives 500 thousand euros, while the two runners-up are entitled to 50 thousand euros.

In addition to Lisbon, the list of winners of the main prize includes Metropolis Aix-Marseille Provença (France, 2022); Dortmund (Germany, 2021); Leuven (Belgium, 2020), Nantes (France, 2019); Athens (Greece, 2018); Paris (France, 2017), Amsterdam (Netherlands, 2016) and Barcelona (Spain, 2014). Linkoping, in Sweden, was elected Rising Innovative City in 2023, succeeding Haarlem (Netherlands, 2022) and Vanta, in Finland, which won in the debut year of this category (2021).

Portugal also has a history in the initiative, as Lisbon had already been a finalist in the race for the main prize in 2018. In turn, in the Rising Innovative City category there were two national finalists: Cascais, which came in 2nd place in 2021, and Aveiro, which finished in 3rd position in 2022.

Applications for the 2024 edition can be made through this link until June 18th, while on April 9th ​​there will be an online information session for potential interested parties.

Featured image: © iCapital Awards