Barcelona wins European Capital of Innovation

Barcelona has been named as Europe's first ever Capital of Innovation. Beating out Grenoble and Groningen, the city was awarded with the €500.000,- iCapital prize at the closing ceremony of the Innovation Convention 2014 in Brussels.

"Barcelona is a deserving winner of the first iCapital award, for its dedication to using new technology for the benefit of its inhabitants" explained European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Máire Geoghegan-Quinn. "Outstanding initiatives at the local level will contribute to keep turning the European Union into an Innovation Union."

At the heart of Barcelona's success in the competition is 'Barcelona as a people city', launched in 2011. The local government project encourages the use of new technologies for growth and welfare through a range of initiatives, including the promotion of open data, smart mobility and energy (Smart City), and public/private partnerships.