Monday 15 December 2025

The European Commission has announced Grenoble Alpes Métropole and Aalborg as the winners of the 2026 European Capital of Innovation Awards (iCapital).

Supported by Horizon Europe, this year’s prestigious awards mark 11th year of celebrating cities that excel in adopting innovative solutions to enhance the lives of their residents.

Grenoble Alpes Métropole has been awarded the title of European Capital of Innovation, receiving a €1m prize. The city secured the top spot through its forward-thinking approach to sustainable urban development, emphasising renewable energy solutions, smart infrastructure, and community-driven innovation to tackle environmental and social challenges.

Aalborg has been named the European Rising Innovative City, receiving a €500,000 prize. Aalborg distinguished itself by effectively integrating technology into urban planning, fostering a vibrant innovation ecosystem that values collaboration across diverse sectors, including education, healthcare, and clean energy.

2026 award rankings

The awards also recognised runner-up cities for their outstanding contributions to European innovation. Runners-up in the main category receive €100,000 each, while runners-up in the Rising City category receive €50,000.

European Capital of Innovation category

• Grenoble Alpes Métropole (France), Winner;
• Rotterdam (the Netherlands), 2nd place;
• Liverpool (United Kingdom), 3rd place.

European Rising Innovative City category

• Aalborg (Denmark), Winner;
• San Sebastian (Spain), 2nd place;
• Nicosia (Cyprus), 3rd place.

The winners were announced at the Cities Innovate Summit in Turin, the reigning European Capital of Innovation (2024-2025). Organised in cooperation with the City of Torino and Eurocities, the summit focused on the future of urban innovation