Horizon Europe is the European Union (EU) funding programme for the period 2021 – 2027, which targets the sectors of research and innovation. The programme’s budget is around € 95.5 billion, of which € 5.4 billion is from NextGenerationEU to stimulate recovery and strengthen the EU’s resilience in the future, and € 4.5 billion is additional aid.

The European Capital of Innovation Awards aim to champion inspiring cases of municipality-enabled innovation flourishing in cities. The Awards are a prestigious recognition for city administrators who are courageous enough to open up their governance practices to experimentation, to boost innovation by all means, to be a role model for other cities, and to push the boundaries of technology for the benefit of their citizens.

In addition to the monetary reward, the prize brings high visibility in the form of renewed public interest and increased media coverage.

The award will raise the profile of the cities that have developed and implemented innovative policies; established frameworks that boost breakthrough innovation; enhanced the city attractiveness towards investors, industry, enterprises and talents; helped to open up connections and strengthen links with other cities, promoting the replication of best practices in the innovation field; enhanced citizens’ involvement in the decision-making process; and supported cities resilience.

The Awards will feature two categories:

1. European Capital of Innovation 2027 category (HORIZON-EIC-2026-PRIZE-ICAPITAL-01)
2. European Rising Innovative City 2027 category (HORIZON-EIC-2026-PRIZE-ICAPITAL-02)

Not applicable.

• Public Administration
• Research, Technological Development and Innovation
• Urban Development

• Legal Entities under Public Law
• Local Authorities

In order to be eligible, the applicant has to be a city and must comply with the following criteria:

• The candidate cities must be located in one of the EU Member States or Associated Countries to Horizon Europe.
• For the category of European Capital of Innovation, the candidate city must have a minimum population of 250.000 inhabitants. In countries where there are no such cities, the city coming closest to 250.000 inhabitants is eligible to apply for the European Capital of Innovation category, provided that it has a minimum population of 50.000 inhabitants and that the city is not applying at the same time for the European Rising Innovative City category. For the category European Rising Innovative City, the candidate city must have a population comprised between 50.000 and 249.999 inhabitants. In countries where there are no such cities, the largest city by number of inhabitants is eligible.
• Winners of former European Capital of Innovation Awards editions, as well as runners-up of the edition 2026 are not eligible. This does not apply to previous finalist cities.
• Applicants that have already received an EU or Euratom prize cannot receive a second prize for the same activities.

Joint applications by a group of applicants are not accepted and will be rejected as ineligible.

Research and Innovation Foundation
Address: 29a Andrea Michalakopoulou, 1075 Nicosia, P.B. 23422, 1683 Nicosia
Telephone: +357 22205000
Fax: +357 22205001
Email: support@research.org.cy
Website: https://www.research.org.cy/en/

Contact Person:

Ms. Nedi Kaffa
Scientific Officer
Email: nkaffa@research.org.cy

EISMEAICAPITAL@ec.europa.eu

• Funding & Tenders (HORIZON-EIC-2026-PRIZE-ICAPITAL-01)
• Funding & Tenders (HORIZON-EIC-2026-PRIZE-ICAPITAL-02)
• Call for a prize — Rules of Contest