Liverpool City Region has a world of reasons to bid for the title of European Capital of Innovation in 2028.
CEO, Colin Sinclair and Assistant Chief Executive, Emily Robson at European Innovation Capital Summit 2026
After narrowly missing out on the 2026 award, and with previous finalists unable to apply in consecutive years, ‘Team Liverpool’ is rightly gearing up to go one better and be named European Capital of Innovation 2028, an accolade which would place our city region squarely on the global innovation map.
The iCapital awards are part of the EU’s Horizon programme, which is fully funded up to 2027. Once funding for 2028 onwards is hopefully confirmed, the city region will be in pole position to make its move.
The awards recognise cities which are innovating for a better future, reinforcing democracy and citizens’ rights by finding solutions to societal challenges, such as climate change, digitalisation, sustainable growth, or social cohesion.
Liverpool meets and exceeds every criterion.
KQ Liverpool played an important role in the city’s application for the 2026 title and we are firmly behind plans for a new bid, which would further elevate Liverpool’s status as a global innovation leader.
As a result of reaching this year’s final, Liverpool has joined the prestigious iCapital alumni network, allowing us to access enhanced knowledge exchange and partnerships across Europe, pursue jointly-funded projects via the Horizon programme, and increase trade and investment opportunities with fellow innovation-focussed cities within the network.
Indeed, we were pleased to attend the launch of the 2027 edition, which took place in Aalborg, Denmark. The event attracted colleagues from various fields of innovation and civic leadership from across Europe and was another chance for us to expand relationships, share ideas and spotlight Liverpool’s enormous attributes as a place to invest, collaborate and grow.
Alongside our colleagues from the Global Institute on Innovation Districts (GIID), we visited Brussels to take part in the European Innovation Council Summit 2026, connecting with Europe’s innovation community at the impressive Tour & Taxis venue, a phenomenal example of regeneration, retrofit and placemaking in a former industrial location.
These events led us seamlessly into LCR Innovation & Investment Fortnight, when we were honoured to welcome the UK Innovation Districts Group (UKIDG) to Liverpool for its annual summit, the first-ever held outside of London.
Collaboration with like-minded organisations, across borders. The possibilities are endless.
Our quadruple helix of public sector, private sector, academia and civic society speaks with a collective voice and this approach will maximise the strength of Liverpool’s bid, notably through the creation of a cross-agency steering group to support its curation, underpinned by a citizens panel.
We can be confident that our bid will be for the whole of the city region and we want it to be as representative and authentic as possible. Ultimately, it must help us to create a sustainable innovation economy for future generations.
As we celebrate our 10th anniversary at KQ Liverpool this year and look ahead to next year’s Tour de France, the hosting of the European Football Championships in 2028, not to mention the 20th Anniversary of European Capital of Culture status, this feels like the perfect moment to capitalise on the continued momentum of brand Liverpool.
If we truly want the world to see and hear us, we must keep standing proudly on the world stage.
