Liverpool is in the running to be crowned European Capital of Innovation 2026 after reaching the semi-final stage of the prestigious competition.
The city has been shortlisted in the 2026 European Capital of Innovation Awards (iCapital), alongside five cities from across Europe – Alicante, Grenoble, Riga, Rotterdam and The Hague – following a rigorous assessment process by two panels of independent experts.
This news comes amidst The British Science Festival, which is one of Europe’s longest-running science festivals, being hosted in Liverpool this week and follows the recent announcement that this year’s River of Light Festival will this year also have a science focus. Liverpool is also recognised as the world’s first UN Accelerator City on Climate Change.
Supported by the European Innovation Council (EIC) under Horizon Europe, iCapital recognises cities that open their governance practices to experimentation and aim at being role models for other cities, by pushing the boundaries of innovation for the benefit of their citizens.
Liverpool’s bid is entitled ‘LIFE’, which stands for ‘Liverpool Innovates For Everyone’ and reflects the city and city region’s commitment to inclusive innovation.
The winner of the European Capital of Innovation title will receive €1 million and join previous winners including Barcelona, Amsterdam and Lisbon. Two runners-up will each receive €100,000.
Each city will now be invited to a private hearing with the jury members in the coming weeks, where each city will have an opportunity to present their application and answer potential questions related to the award criteria.
Three finalist cities will be selected in each category and the winners and runners-up will be announced at the awards ceremony in the current European Capital of Innovation: Turin, Italy on 3-4 December 2025.
All finalists will also be invited to join the prestigious iCapital Alumni network, composed of previous finalists of the iCapital Awards.
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:
“Here in the Liverpool City Region, innovation is part of who we are. From pioneering the treatment that made modern IVF possible, to setting up the world’s first research centre for tropical medicine in the Knowledge Quarter, our people have always been at the cutting edge of discovery.
“But we’re not a city region that just looks back at past glories – we’re building on that proud history to create new opportunities for the future. Through our Innovation Zone, we’re making sure local people and businesses are right at the heart of that ambition.
“Winning this title would be yet another step towards cementing our reputation as a global leader in science and innovation – and making sure that our region gets the recognition it deserves.”
Councillor Liam Robinson, leader of Liverpool City Council, said:
“Liverpool is blessed with an abundance of innovation assets and organisations pushing the boundaries of our collective knowledge to the betterment of all. The city is renowned for the way we innovate in delivering mass events of global significance, how we deliver our public services and ensure opportunities are accessible to all people regardless of their background.
“Our mission is to innovate to positively impact the whole world, lending itself to our project title and LIFE acronym. Being named European Capital of Innovation would reinforce our status as a beacon of best practice and give us further opportunity to both share our knowledge, and also learn from others.”
Colin Sinclair, chief executive of Knowledge Quarter Liverpool, said:
“We are delighted that Liverpool has been recognised on the international stage for its commitment to inclusive innovation.
“As home to many of the city’s key leaders in innovation, we are proud to have played our part in the wider efforts of Team Liverpool to reach this stage and we look forward to working together to hopefully bring this title home and use it as a springboard for future success.”
