European Capital of Innovation Awards 2023 launches with €1.8 million in prizes and new application window
- ›The European Commission opened the ninth edition of the European Capital of Innovation Awards on 8 March 2023, with applications open until 29 June 2023.
- ›Six prizes across two categories will distribute a total of €1.8 million to cities that present experimental, inclusive and scalable urban innovation.
- ›The awards are managed by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency under Horizon Europe, and winners join the EIC Prizes Alumni network.
- ›Selection is based on five substantive criteria including experimentation, ecosystem building and citizens rights with assessment by two independent juries.
- ›The prize raises visibility for winning cities but questions remain about how monetary awards translate into measurable, long term improvements for citizens.
European Capital of Innovation Awards 2023 kicks off: rules, money and what cities should know
On 7 March 2023 the European Commission announced the launch of the ninth edition of the European Capital of Innovation Awards, widely known as iCapital. The competition recognises European cities that make their territories test beds for innovation intended to benefit citizens. The award is supported and administered by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency, commonly referred to as EISMEA, under the Horizon Europe funding framework. The 2023 edition opens applications on 8 March and closes on 29 June 2023 at 17:00 CET.
What the awards offer and how the money is split
| Category | Prize for winner | Prizes for two runners-up | Number of awards |
| European Capital of Innovation (larger cities) | €1,000,000 | €100,000 each | 1 winner + 2 runners-up |
| European Rising Innovative City (50,000 to 249,999 inhabitants) | €500,000 | €50,000 each | 1 winner + 2 runners-up |
Who runs the awards and what they mean
Eligibility and how to apply
Cities eligible to apply must be located in an EU Member State or a country associated to Horizon Europe and have at least 50 000 inhabitants. There are two categories: the European Capital of Innovation for larger cities and the Rising Innovative City for towns and smaller cities. Candidate cities apply to only one category. The full rules and exceptions are set out in the rules of contest published by the Commission.
How applications are assessed
Two high level juries of independent experts will evaluate applications against a set of criteria that focus both on concrete activity and on systemic capacity. Applicants must explain how experimentation, ecosystem development and inclusion are implemented and scaled. The juries will judge whether cities act as role models for others and whether their innovation vision supports sustainable and equitable transformations.
Timeline and practical steps for 2023 applicants
The call opens on 8 March 2023. The deadline for submitting applications is 29 June 2023 at 17:00 CET. The Commission scheduled an online information session for potential applicants on 28 March 2023. Application forms and submission links are provided through the EU Funding & Tenders portal and the iCapital webpage.
History, visibility and the alumni network
iCapital started in 2014 and has named a number of well known winners. Past winners and selected rising cities include Barcelona, Amsterdam, Paris, Athens, Nantes, Leuven, Dortmund, Aix-Marseille Provence Metropole, Lisbon and Haarlem. Winners and runners-up are invited to join the EIC Prizes Alumni network to exchange knowledge and best practices with other recognized cities.
| Year | European Capital of Innovation | Rising Innovative City |
| 2014 | Barcelona | |
| 2016 | Amsterdam | |
| 2017 | Paris | |
| 2018 | Athens | |
| 2019 | Nantes | |
| 2020 | Leuven | |
| 2021 | Dortmund | Vantaa (Rising 2021) |
| 2022 | Aix-Marseille Provence Metropole | Haarlem (Rising 2022) |
| 2023 | Lisbon | Linköping (Rising 2023) |
Critical perspective and what to watch
The iCapital prize offers money and profile. Both can be valuable but they are not a substitute for robust, long term funding and policy frameworks. A city can win on the basis of an innovative pilot project and media savvy communications but still struggle to mainstream and sustain results. Measuring outcomes for citizens is difficult and the prize does not by itself create accountability mechanisms for long term impact.
There are a few recurring questions that applicants and observers should keep in mind. How will awarded cities demonstrate that experimentation translated into regular public services? How are benefits distributed across different social groups? Will prize money be used to scale proven interventions or to fund new pilots? And finally will the visibility generated be used to attract private capital or to strengthen public investment in inclusive innovation?
Advice for cities preparing applications
Good applications typically show concrete indicators of impact, a clear route from experimentation to mainstreaming, evidence of cross sector partnerships and a plan for dissemination and replication. Cities should document measurable outcomes, include evidence of citizen engagement and explain how they will protect rights and equity. Applicants should also be realistic about what the prize can buy and tie any proposed spending to a longer term strategy.
Contacts and further information
Full details were available on the iCapital webpage and the Funding & Tenders portal from 8 March 2023. Applicants could register for the online info session on 28 March 2023. For direct enquiries the prize team can be contacted at EISMEA-ICAPITAL@ec.europa.eu.