Twelve semi-finalists named for the 2026 European Capital of Innovation Awards

On 9 September 2025 the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency announced the twelve cities that have progressed to the semi-final stage of the 2026 European Capital of Innovation Awards, also known as iCapital. The competition recognises cities that open governance to experimentation and act as role models by pushing the boundaries of innovation for citizens. A two-panel assessment of independent experts conducted the selection.

Who made the semi-final list

The semi-finalists are divided across two categories. The list below is presented in alphabetical order within each category as published by the organisers.

Next steps in the competition

Each semi-final city will be invited to a private hearing with jury members. Hearings will be held remotely in the coming weeks. These sessions give cities an opportunity to present their applications and to answer clarifying questions tied to the award criteria. After the hearings the jury will select three finalists in each category. Winners and runners-up will be revealed at the awards ceremony in Turin, which is the current European Capital of Innovation, on 3–4 December 2025.

Prizes, recognition and alumni network

The iCapital awards include cash prizes and non-financial benefits intended to raise visibility and encourage replication of tested innovations. All finalists will also be invited to join the iCapital Alumni network, a forum for past finalists and winners to exchange experience and policy insights.

What iCapital rewards and how it fits into EU innovation policy

Context and critical considerations

The iCapital awards are widely used by municipalities and regional governments to signal innovation credentials and to attract attention from investors and partners. The cash prizes can fund projects and help to de-risk pilots. At the same time there are limits to what a prize can achieve on its own. Award amounts are meaningful for specific projects and campaigns but small relative to many city budgets and capital programmes. The long term impact depends on how award money is integrated into local governance, procurement and financing strategies. It also depends on follow through and independent evaluation.

There are several questions stakeholders and observers often raise about prizes of this type. How are claims in applications verified beyond jury hearings? Which metrics are used to measure outcomes for citizens rather than outputs or press coverage? How well do award processes account for structural differences between large metropolitan governments and smaller towns that have less administrative capacity but important innovation potential? These are important because visibility benefits tend to accrue disproportionately to well resourced cities unless mitigating measures are in place.

Past winners and the award's track record

iCapital has a decade plus history of recognising municipal innovation. Past European Capital of Innovation winners include Barcelona (2014), Amsterdam (2016), Paris (2017), Athens (2018), Nantes (2019), Leuven (2020), Dortmund (2021), Aix-Marseille Provence Metropole (2022), Lisbon (2023) and Turin (2024-2025). Rising Innovative City winners have included Vantaa (2021), Haarlem (2022), Linköping (2023) and Braga (2024-2025). The prize provides exposure and networking opportunities but assessments of long term policy influence vary between cities and depend on rigorous follow up and public reporting.

Practical information and timelines

For cities and observers who want to follow the process, the EIC and EISMEA publish details of calls, rules of contest and information sessions. Cities intending to apply in future editions should consult the EIC work programme and the iCapital call documentation for eligibility rules, scoring methodology and application templates.

Key documents and contacts

The iCapital awards are managed under the EIC work programme within Horizon Europe. Full application rules and guidance are available from the EISMEA and EIC websites. Inquiries about the awards can be directed to the official EISMEA contact address for iCapital.