Leuven is European Capital of Development 2020

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research Study, Culture, Education and Youth, stated:

Leuven is a mission-driven city that excels in ingenious governance designs. It offers its individuals an opportunity to get involved in crucial decision-making processes. But it’s an honour to recognise the efforts of all 6 winners. Their vibrant innovation environments are an inspiration to all European cities.

Mohamed Ridouani, the Mayor of Leuven, said:

I am honoured and thankful for this award, which is a symbol of wish for a much better common future, particularly in these challenging times. Innovation for the much better and for all is Leuven’s slogan. Cooperation and understanding leadership, translated systematically into an engaging governance design, is our method of getting it done.

Leuven is the sixth city to win the European Capital of Innovation award, and the 3rd non-capital city after Barcelona and Nantes. The city aims to turn into one of Europe’s Labs of the Future through a mission-oriented design that facilitates collective innovation. Various groups of stakeholders come together, with the common purpose of innovating around complicated obstacles from environment change and the shift to a circular economy to guaranteeing premium education and care. Leuven is not just supplying increased opportunities for innovating to its residents, but also actively involving them in testing their concepts in the city.

Leuven’s key innovative tasks and efforts include:

The 6th edition of European Capital of Innovation Awards was introduced in March 2020. Also known as iCapital Awards, the competition was open to cities with a minimum of 100,000 residents from the EU Member States and countries associated to Horizon 2020. This year, 35 cities from 20 nations applied to the competitors (30% more than in 2019).

A high-level jury of independent professionals with top competence in academia, organization and the general public sector chose the winner and the five runner-up cities. The jury examined how the applicant cities are pressing the limits of innovation by looking at the four requirements: experimenting, engaging, broadening, empowering.

The competition initially occurred in 2014. Previous winners consist of Barcelona (2014 ), Amsterdam (2016 ), Paris (2017 ), Athens (2018) and Nantes (2019 ). The awards are granted under Horizon 2020, the EU’s research and innovation structure programme.