Grenoble Alpes Métropole and Aalborg are the winners of the 2026 European Capital of Innovation Awards (iCapital).
The European Commission announced the winners this month at the Cities Innovate Summit in Turin, the reigning European Capital of Innovation (2024-2025).
Grenoble Alpes Métropole, awarded the title of European Capital of Innovation, receives a €1 million prize, coming out on top thanks to its ‘forward-thinking approach to sustainable urban development and community-driven innovation’.
While Aalborg, the European Rising Innovative City, walks away with €500,000. Aalborg stood out for its success in ‘integrating technology into urban planning, fostering a vibrant innovation ecosystem that values collaboration across diverse sectors, including education, healthcare, and clean energy’.
Ekaterina Zaharieva, Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, said: “Congratulations to Grenoble Alpes Métropole and Aalborg for winning the 2026 European Capital of Innovation Awards. These cities show that innovation is not only about technology, but also about creating inclusive communities and improving everyday life for everyone. They are becoming global examples of how cities can grow and transform in smart and sustainable ways, supporting the goals of the EU Start-up and Scale-up Strategy and the Competitiveness Compass.”
