Deadline: November 18, 2015 | Apply here
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Funding: 1^st prize: EUR 950,000; 2^nd prize: EUR 100,000; 3^rd prize: EUR 50,000.

European Commission is accepting applications from the cities with populations above 100,000 inhabitants, or established in an EU member, or in an associated country for its European Capital Innovation Awards 2016.

The 2016 contest is on!

It will aim to provide European level recognition to those cities that make the most to promote innovation within their communities and thereby improve the quality of their citizens’ lives. It will address the challenge of fostering innovation through actions at city level, by acknowledging innovative solutions to build up an innovation ecosystem and ideas to further expand and scale up these initiatives, thereby leveraging and inducing further systemic innovation in cities.

Funding

• 1st prize EUR 950,000
• 2nd prize EUR 100,000
• 3rd prize EUR 50,000

Award Criteria

• Innovative – in terms of concepts, processes and tools;
• Inspiring – attracting talent, resources, funding,  investment.
• Integrated – covering the entire innovation ecosystem and its links with Europe 2020.
• Interactive – facilitating the interactions within the innovation ecosystem, particularly ensuring citizens’ involvement and engagement.
• Impactful – outlining the city’s potential to realize the expected impacts of the prize and its current commitment towards future, sustainable plans based on the above mentioned achievements.

Eligibility Criteria

Contestants for the “European Capital of Innovation Award 2016” shall comply with the following eligibility criteria to participate:

• The candidate cities must be established in an EU Member or in Associated Country and have a population above 100,000 inhabitants
• The submission consists of a complete application.
• The achievements must relate to completed or on-going initiatives started after 1st January 2012.
• The achievements have not been previously awarded with a monetary prize by an EU institution.

 Application Process

Applicants should read the application guide and then submit their application on the participant portal. For detailed information, please visit the following link.

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