Today, the European Commission awarded the 2017 European Capital of Innovation (iCapital) prize of €1,000,000 to Paris.
The award, granted under the EU’s research and innovation programme Horizon 2020, recognises Paris for its inclusive innovation strategy. Tel Aviv and Tallinn were selected as runners-up, and were both awarded €100,000.
Innovation Commissioner Carlos Moedas announced the results at the Web Summit in Lisbon. He said: “Cities are not defined by their size and population, but by the breadth of their vision and the power bestowed upon their citizens. Some cities are not afraid to experiment. They are not afraid to involve their citizens in developing and testing out new ideas. These are the cities that empower their citizens. Today we are here to acknowledge these cities.”
Over the last decade, Paris has built more than 100, 000 square meters of incubators, and hosts now the world’s largest start-up campus. Tallinn has been awarded for its initiative to act as a testing ground for potential breakthrough technologies such as self-driving cars or parcel delivery robots. Tel Aviv has set up a Smart City Urban Lab that links up innovative start-ups with leading technology companies.
During their participation at the Web Summit, Commissioner Moedas and Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager took the opportunity to promote another Commission award in a Facebook Live chat: the EU Prize for Women Innovators 2018. It supports gender equality in innovation and emphasizes the importance of creating positive role models for women innovators and entrepreneurs. Applications are still open until 15 November.
