Oulu has been selected as a semi-finalist in the European Rising Innovative City 2027 category of the European Capital of Innovation Awards (iCapital). The six semi-finalists in the category are Galway, Kranj, Leiden, Oulu, Regensburg and Taranto. The category winner will receive €500,000, and the winners will be announced in Grenoble on 3 December 2026.
What Oulu put forward
The city lists its strengths as technological leadership combined with resident-centred development, safety and smooth everyday life, and strong regional innovation collaboration. Its new application places particular emphasis on resilience, sustainable growth, Europe’s competitiveness and strategic autonomy. It also highlights development activities that combine culture and technology and strengthen community spirit. In 2024, Oulu placed third in the same category, and the city says the goal this year is to improve on that result.
Next steps and prizes
Each semi-finalist city will be invited to a remote jury hearing, where its representatives present the application and answer questions on the evaluation criteria. The jury will then select three finalists in each category at the end of October.
- European Rising Innovative City winner: €500,000
- Each of the two other finalists: €50,000
In the main European Capital of Innovation category, the winner will receive €1 million. All finalists will also be invited to join the iCapital Alumni Network.
Oulu used its 2024–2025 prize money in 2026 for the local Oulu Oivallus innovation competition. City employees, children and young people were invited to develop ideas for innovations that improve the city’s operations and services.
About the awards
This is the 12th edition of the European Capital of Innovation Awards, which are supported by the European Innovation Council under Horizon Europe. The semi-finalists were chosen after an assessment by two panels of independent experts. In total, twelve cities are now competing across the two categories. Past winners in the Rising Innovative City category include Vantaa (2021), Haarlem (2022), Linköping (2023), Braga (2024-2025) and Alborg (2026).