Here are some highlights from the iCapital Awards and Web Summit
A delegation from Birmingham-West Midlands, led by Mayor Richard Parker, visited Lisbon to take part in the prestigious iCapital Awards. Celebrating its 10th anniversary, the event brought together past winners such as Aix Marseille Provence Metropole, Espoo, Lisbon, Cascais, Linkoping, and Warsaw to discuss how cities can serve as living labs for innovation and how the Award helped them to strengthen their innovation capacity.
This year’s finalists both from the iCapital and the Rising Innovator categories were invited to a panel discussion titled “Building the cities of tomorrow,” exploring how technology is shaping urban environments. This session featured mayors from West Midlands, Braga, Espoo, Oulu, Torino, and Linz, and was moderated by journalist Bruno Contreiras Mateus. Following this, the delegation met the UK Ambassador to Portugal, Lisa Bandari, who praised the significant contributions of the West Midlands to technological advancements and innovation. The Ambassador also visited several West Midlands startup stands, highlighting the region’s vibrant tech community.
At lunchtime, the Mayor of Lisbon hosted a gathering for the finalist city mayors, fostering further collaboration and exchange of ideas. The highlight of the day was the iCapital Awards Ceremony, attended by European Commission Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva. Braga was named the Rising Innovative City, while Torino won the European Capital of Innovation, with Espoo and West Midlands on the podium in the second and third place respectively. The day ended with a video interview and reception, celebrating the achievements and future aspirations of the participating cities.
The programme continued the next day with the meeting of the European Innovation Council Forum. This included discussions on recent policy developments, such as the political guidelines of PresidentUrsula Von der Leyen and a report by Mario Draghi on the future of European competitiveness. The forum also explored the successes and challenges faced by Member States and Associated Countries in implementing the New European Innovation Agenda. The day concluded with a short presentation and tour of the Unicorn Factory, showcasing innovative startups and their contributions to the European tech ecosystem.
The programme of the delegation also included side-events such as a networking reception at the UK Ambassador’s residence, providing a valuable opportunity for UK health policy colleagues, British researchers, and Portuguese policymakers to connect and share insights and a visit to Braga to establish new relations and exchange good practices particularly around social innovation.
The event provided a platform for the West Midlands to showcase its achievements and connect with other leading cities in Europe. The discussions on AI, digital governance, and sustainable urban development underscored the importance of collaboration and knowledge exchange in addressing future challenges. The delegation’s participation in the iCapital Awards and related events demonstrated our dedication to fostering a more equitable, sustainable, and resilient urban environment.
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