The twelve cities will now compete for the titles of European Capital of Innovation 2027 and European Rising Innovative City 2027.
Supported by the European Innovation Council (EIC) under Horizon Europe, the European Capital of Innovation Awards (iCapital) recognise cities that open their governance practices to experimentation and aspire to become role models for other cities by pushing the boundaries of innovation for the benefit of their citizens.
Following a rigorous assessment by two panels of independent experts, the semi-finalists, listed in alphabetical order, are:
European Capital of Innovation category
- Alicante (Spain)
- Madrid (Spain)
- Manchester (United Kingdom)
- Montpellier (France)
- Tallinn (Estonia)
- Valencia (Spain)
European Rising Innovative City category
- Galway (Ireland)
- Kranj (Slovenia)
- Leiden (Netherlands)
- Oulu (Finland)
- Regensburg (Germany)
- Taranto (Italy)
What happens next?
Each city will be invited to a private hearing with members of the jury, held remotely in the coming weeks. The hearings will give each city the opportunity to present its application and respond to questions relating to the award criteria.
The jury will then select three finalist cities in each category. The winners and runners-up will be announced at the 2027 European Capital of Innovation Awards ceremony in Grenoble on 3 December 2026.
The prizes include substantial financial support:
- The European Capital of Innovation 2027 winner will receive €1 million, while two runners-up will each receive €100 000.
- The European Rising Innovative City 2027 winner will receive €500 000, with €50 000 awarded to each of the two runners-up.
All finalists will also be invited to join the prestigious iCapital Alumni Network, bringing together previous winners and finalists of the European Capital of Innovation Awards.
Background
Supported by the European Innovation Council (EIC) under Horizon Europe, this is the 12th edition of the European Capital of Innovation Awards, also known as iCapital.
Through the iCapital Awards, the European Union recognises cities with inclusive innovation ecosystems. The prize identifies cities that connect citizens with academia, businesses and the public sector to translate results into improved wellbeing, while boosting game-changing innovation.
Past winners as European Capitals of Innovation include Barcelona (2014), Amsterdam (2016), Paris (2017), Athens (2018), Nantes (2019), Leuven (2020), Dortmund (2021), Aix-Marseille Provence Métropole (2022), Lisbon (2023), Turin (2024-2025), and Grenoble-Alpes-Métropole (2026).
Past winners in the Rising Innovative City category include Vantaa (2021), Haarlem (2022), Linköping (2023), Braga (2024-2025), and Alborg (2026).
iCapital is one of the four EIC Prizes granted under Horizon Europe, the EU's research and innovation framework programme. The prize is managed by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency, and the winners are chosen following an assessment performed by two high-level juries of independent experts.
More information