Winner - European Rising Innovative City 2026 - ICapital Awards
AALBORG
INNOVATESAalborg is European Rising Innovative City 2026, awarded by the European Commission at the iCapital Awards.
Following the win, Aalborg showcases ten projects to inspire cities across Europe.
FROM INNOVATION.
TO IMPACT.
The ten projects stretch from advanced green technologies to education and democratic values, showing how long‑term collaboration can drive meaningful urban change across Europe.
#2
UNICEF Child-Friendly City
What changes when we truly empower children in our cities?
“Aalborg is not just part of Europe, we are helping shape its future.”
“Once known for its smoking chimneys, Aalborg is today a city where advanced manufacturing stands alongside world-class research, a vibrant cultural scene and green innovation – all grounded in strong values of social inclusion, democracy and children’s rights.
We bring together craftsmanship and high technology, heavy industry and creativity. Not as opposites, but as a shared strength. Aalborg shows that cities can transform without losing sight of where they come from.”
- Mayor of Aalborg, Lasse Frimand Jensen
From Left: Momchil Sabev - EISMEA Director, Jon Insausti Maisterrena - Mayor of San Sebastián, Representative from Nicosia and Lasse Frimand Jensen - Mayor of Aalborg.
Get a feeling for Aalborg
A tiny metropolis with so much to offer
Let's introduce you to the very special Aalborg feeling and how life is among some of the happiest people in Europe.
#care
#8
Nursing Home of the Future
How do we scale care, without losing what makes it human?
We did not win as a capital.
We won as a mid-sized post-industrial city that rebuilt itself - systematically, with our citizens, and without losing identity.
That is precisely what makes the lessons transferable.
We are not there yet. And we don’t intend to get there alone. We want to learn, contribute where we can, and play our part in building a stronger, more resilient Europe.
- Catharina Vinther Engqvist - Head of Foreign Direct Investment, Invest in Aalborg
Aalborg was named European Rising Innovative City 2026 in Torino.
The projects presented here are part of the foundation behind the award. Each one represents a different way Aalborg innovates:
- transforming industries
- building new ecosystems
- collaborating across sectors
- and putting people at the center
The projects show how Aalborg turns ambition into action and how innovation becomes something tangible, scalable, and real.
Meet Catharina Vinter Engqvist
Head of Foreign Direct Investments, Invest in AalborgCatharina and the team at Invest in Aalborg are your single point of contact to the City of Aalborg.
We connect you with the right people, the right insights and the local facts you need to build a strong business case.
Let’s talk.
AALBORG INNOVATES
From Innovation to Impact. A campaign by Invest in Aalborg celebrating Aalborg as European Rising Innovative City 2026.
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