The European Capital of Innovation Award (iCapital)

The European Capital of Innovation Award targets cities within EU Member States or Associated Countries to Horizon Europe, recognizing their crucial role in fostering innovation. The program aims to celebrate innovative urban practices that address societal challenges and contribute to sustainable development, emphasizing broad civic engagement and the strengthening of local innovation ecosystems.

The European Capital of Innovation Award recognizes cities for their innovative initiatives and policies across various urban and societal domains, rather than funding specific projects or costs. The evaluation criteria highlight efforts in experimenting with new approaches, scaling up innovation, building robust innovation ecosystems, and expanding successful models to inspire other cities.

The European Capital of Innovation Award is a recognition prize, providing monetary rewards to winning cities. The prize aims to bring high visibility and public interest to cities demonstrating leading innovative practices.

Applicants for the European Capital of Innovation Award must adhere to specific conditions regarding application submission, eligibility, and evaluation. These include detailed requirements for application content, participant eligibility, and the rigorous assessment process by a jury.

The application process for the European Capital of Innovation Award involves electronic submission and a multi-stage evaluation process, including pre-selection, jury review, and hearings. Successful applicants will be notified following comprehensive checks.

The European Capital of Innovation Award operates under a robust legal framework, primarily established by the Rules of Contest and further governed by a set of key European regulations and work programmes.