The jury of the European Capital of Innovative Awards today announced that this year’s most innovative cities are: Antwerp, Bristol, Espoo, Glasgow, Nantes and Rotterdam.
This now means that Glasgow is one of the six winning cities competing to receive up to €1 million to scale up their local innovation activities.
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The European Capital of Innovation 2019 will be announced in September during the EU Research and Innovation days event in Brussels. The overall winner will recieve €1 million with the other five cities recieving €100,000 each.
Glasgow was described in the announcement as: ” The Scottish city is a ‘twin-track’ city of contrasts. A world leader in new economies within digital, science and technology with striking poverty and health inequality. In response, Glasgow is building an ecosystem of civic innovation, such as the Centre for Civic Innovation, to drive an inclusive growth agenda that catalyses business, universities and communities.”
The European Capital of Innovation Award is an annual cash prize “awarded to the European city that is best able to demonstrate its ability to harness innovation to improve the lives of its citizens.”
Cities are judged on factors like involving citizens in decision-making and using innovation to improve sustainability.
Other finalists acknowledged for their efforts include Lyon, Hamburg, Bologna and London.
Applications are judged by a panel of independent experts from across Europe. A city can apply if it has at least 100,000 inhabitants and is in an EU country.