Liverpool has been chosen as the first-ever winner of the United Nations World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) 'City of Innovation' award, the organization announced on 12 October 2026.
The city shares the honour with Shanghai and Charleroi in Belgium. A nine-strong international independent jury selected Liverpool for its bold, inclusive vision of "innovating for tomorrow".
The winning bid was led by Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Knowledge Quarter Liverpool, with support from Liverpool City Council and Sci-Tech Daresbury. It pledged to scale up activities to unlock the creative and growth potential of Liverpool's diverse communities and business base, with the aim of transforming the entire city region.
What the award recognises
The award comes less than a year after Liverpool was named runner-up in the European Capital of Innovation awards. It builds on the City Region's role at the forefront of UK place-based innovation policy and practice, drawing on world-leading capabilities and distinctive science, technology, people, and place assets to solve societal challenges and drive economic growth.
As winners, Liverpool will receive enhanced worldwide recognition as a collaborative, trailblazing, innovation-driven city region. The city will also gain the opportunity to expand its network with global innovation policymakers and the international intellectual property community. WIPO will present an official commemorative plaque and specially crafted trophy.
Local leadership response
Cllr Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Cabinet Member for Public Service Innovation, said: "Having been a finalist in the European Capital of Innovation awards last year, I am delighted that Liverpool has continued to strive for excellence winning this new, globally renowned City of Innovation title today."
He added: "I look forward to working with city region stakeholders in the coming months to deliver the standout pledges included within our winning bid, which will set the tone for future Cities of Innovation to strive towards."
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said: "I've long said that we're the UK's innovation capital, and now we've got a global award to back it up. This award genuinely puts us on the world stage."
Rotheram continued: "It recognises what many of us have known for a long time: there's something special happening here, with world-class science, brilliant businesses and people who aren't afraid to do things differently. But we're not doing all this so we can pick up a trophy and put it on a shelf. It's about what innovation can do for the lives of ordinary people, creating good, high-value jobs, bringing investment into our communities and finding solutions to some of the biggest challenges we face."
Related recognition and partnership
Liverpool was also recognised by the United Nations in 2024 as the world's first 'Accelerator City' for climate action, under the UN Climate Change's Entertainment and Culture for Climate Action programme.
The award was presented at an awards ceremony held at WIPO's headquarters in Geneva on the margins of the Sixth meeting of the UN Forum of Mayors. Cllr Graham Morgan, Deputy Mayor of the Liverpool City Region and Leader of Knowsley Council, accepted the award on behalf of Liverpool.
At the same event, the World Intellectual Property Organization, the UN Forum of Mayors, and the University of Liverpool signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of intellectual property education. This paves the way for a new LL.M. in IP, Innovation and Sustainable Creative Industries — the first joint master's programme between WIPO and a UK university.
Colin Sinclair, Chair of Invest Liverpool City Region Partnership Taskforce and KQ Liverpool, said: "Being named as the first WIPO City of Innovation is testament to the collaborative efforts of our quadruple helix partnerships across the Liverpool City Region, who are using inclusive innovation mechanisms to democratise R&D, and ensure genuine co-creation with direct, hyper-local benefits. Coupled with the new MOU, winning this award will now accelerate Liverpool's actions, by galvanising investors, innovators, government, academia, health bodies and communities to focus concerted efforts on invention and commercialisation."