Innovation Village Naples – Innovation Village Award 2026
The Innovation Village Award is run alongside Innovation Village in Naples and is open to innovators, professionals, makers and researchers, individually or in groups, as well as associations, foundations, innovative startups, spin-offs and SMEs.
Entries must present innovations that contribute to the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals, across eight thematic sections covering cultural heritage and digital education, aerospace and sustainable mobility, environment and energy, ICT, IoT, AI and robotics, agritech, digital manufacturing and materials, life sciences and sports tech, plus a special Start Cup section.
Twenty-four finalists receive coaching and training in entrepreneurship, finance and communication and pitch before juries and innovation stakeholders at Innovation Village. The grand prize is EUR 5,000, alongside special partner prizes worth between EUR 1,500 and EUR 5,000 from Optima Italia, Guerri Group, Flex Packaging and others. No equity is taken. The 2026 call opened in July 2026 with a deadline extended to 31 August 2026 and has now closed; the finalists compete in the Optima Italia Tournament with the final and ceremony in Naples in November 2026.
What it actually costs you
Naples hosts this award for innovators, professionals, makers and researchers, individually or in groups, plus associations, foundations, innovative startups, spin-offs and SMEs, presenting innovations tied to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals across eight thematic sections. Twenty-four finalists receive coaching in entrepreneurship, finance and communication and pitch before juries and innovation stakeholders. The grand prize is EUR 5,000, with partner prizes of EUR 1,500 to EUR 5,000. Nothing is given up in equity.