Tallinn has advanced to the semifinals of the 10th European Innovation Capital (iCapital) competition, being the only capital city to make it this far. The winner of the competition will receive a prestigious title along with a €1 million prize to further develop innovation.

Deputy Mayor Margot Roose, responsible for the city's entrepreneurship sector, highlighted Tallinn's commitment to integrating innovation across its urban systems. "Our aim is to grow and manage the city efficiently, and innovative solutions are key to achieving these goals," Roose stated, adding that Tallinn has opened its infrastructure to new ideas. "Through the 'Test in Tallinn' project, we invite both international and local innovation projects to test their solutions in real-world scenarios. Currently, we're exploring the use of AI to monitor the correct use of bus lanes and parking spots and enhancing accessibility for visually impaired individuals in the urban space."

The six semifinalists for the 2024 European Innovation Capital, listed alphabetically, are Bristol (United Kingdom), Espoo (Finland), Tallinn (Estonia), Tampere (Finland), Turin (Italy), and the West Midlands Combined Authority (United Kingdom).

In September, all six semifinalists will present their vision and answer questions from a jury in a virtual meeting, after which three finalists will be selected.

The iCapital award is one of four EIC prizes given under the "Horizon Europe" program, the EU’s framework for research and innovation. The award is managed by the European Innovation Council and the SME Executive Agency, with winners selected based on evaluations by two high-level independent expert juries.

Since its inception in 2014, the European Innovation Capital title has been awarded to cities such as Barcelona, Amsterdam, Paris, Athens, Nantes, Leuven, Dortmund, Aix-Marseille Provence Metropolis, and Lisbon.