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Liverpool has been named as one of the 15 finalists for the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) first-ever ‘City of Innovation’ award. This new accolade, introduced in 2026, seeks to highlight cities not only for their past achievements in innovation but also for the ambitious commitments they make to cultivate creativity and forward-thinking projects in the upcoming year.
The competition is open to cities from all 194 WIPO Member States, and Liverpool’s inclusion underscores its reputation as a hub of innovation and creativity on a global scale. The city and its surrounding region have been recognised for driving economic progress by harnessing the inventive potential of its residents, actively engaging the community in shaping its future, and setting an example for other cities worldwide. Key local organisations such as the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, Liverpool City Council, Knowledge Quarter Liverpool, and Sci-Tech Daresbury have collaborated to develop the city’s bid, which focuses on a “smart specialisation” strategy. This approach aims to leverage Liverpool’s unique strengths to address social challenges both locally and internationally.
Liverpool City Council’s Leader and Cabinet Member for Public Service Innovation, Cllr Liam Robinson, highlighted the city’s distinctiveness by saying, “Liverpool does things differently and is known across the world for being a city of firsts. Thanks to the vast amount of research and development undertaken within the Liverpool city region by university academics, entrepreneurial spinouts, and large multinationals, the levels of innovation and intellectual property generated here has resulted in the region becoming a powerhouse for global solutions, driving high-value economic growth, and establishing Liverpool as a premier international hub for health and life sciences, digital technology, and advanced manufacturing.” Meanwhile, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram expressed pride in Liverpool’s growing recognition, stating, “I’ve long said that we’re the UK’s innovation capital – and being named as one of just 15 finalists for WIPO’s first ever City of Innovation award goes to show that we’re recognised for that on a global stage too.”
This announcement follows Liverpool’s recent achievement of being ranked the third most innovative city in Europe, after reaching the finals of the iCapital ‘European Capital of Innovation’ awards in December 2025. Colin Sinclair, Chair of Invest Liverpool City Region Partnership Taskforce and Knowledge Quarter Liverpool, emphasised the importance of innovation for the region’s growth: “Innovation-led growth is central to the Liverpool City Region (LCR) Local Growth Plan, with key clusters like the Knowledge Quarter Liverpool (KQ Liverpool) innovation district and Sci-Tech Daresbury spearheading the region’s capacity to generate, commercialise, and scale high-value IP. Being named as a finalist in the WIPO awards will further enhance Liverpool’s international reputation as a place for innovation, which in turn will attract more inward investment, encourage entrepreneurialism, and boost opportunities for the entire city region.” The chosen finalists for this WIPO award were selected by a diverse international jury comprising experts in culture, creativity, and urban planning, all experienced in community engagement and innovation-driven development. The winner will be announced on October 12, 2026, at an awards ceremony held at WIPO headquarters in Geneva
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