7 Dec 2023
Cork City 3rd in Europe for Innovative cities
In a major endorsement of its reputation for innovation, Cork City awarded third place in the European Rising Innovative City category at the European Capital of Innovation Awards.
Cork City’s excellent innovation ecosystem, the key roles played by its various stakeholders, including Cork City Council, UCC, MTU, Tyndall and Cork BIC, and how they all interact, collaborate and create impact, was recognised at a European Commission ceremony in Marseille, France.
The ‘iCapital’ awards are an annual celebration of the European cities that best promote and shape innovation locally, by bringing individuals and organisations together to work towards improving quality of life and wellbeing for residents and communities.
Having originally been shortlisted from among thirty entrants and having then satisfied a European Innovation Council (EIC) ‘semi-final’ expert jury hearing in September, Cork’s bid – led by the City Council- progressed to the final , ultimately placing behind winner Linkoping (Sweden) and runner up Padova (Italy), in the category for cities of fewer than 250,000 residents.
In addition to the recognition for excelling in collaborative and sustainable innovation, Cork City has been awarded a prize of €50,000 which will support continued efforts to foster systemic innovation in the Cork region.
The judge panelling commended Cork as Ireland’s second city, “the home of the ‘Rebels’, as Corkonians are known, is a place that does not settle for second-best, nor necessarily for the status quo, but instead seeks to disruptively explore what’s possible.”
Accepting the award in Marseille, Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Mick Finn acknowledged the ‘’significant achievement of ranking third across Europe in this highly competitive sector.”
Cllr. Finn, pictured above, paid tribute to “all the actors that play their part in the innovation ecosystem which contributes to the recognised attractiveness of Cork as a city in which to live, work and visit”.