Kazakhstan's capital has been named one of 15 finalists for the international WIPO Innovative City Award 2026. The Kazakh Ministry of Justice announced the news, citing the World Intellectual Property Organization, according to infohub.kz.
The award, designed for cities that are building innovative and creative ecosystems, is being held for the first time. An independent international jury evaluated the initiatives submitted by cities, along with their plans to implement them over the coming year.
Astana's bid includes developing a Smart City platform using artificial intelligence and data analytics, creating a single digital portal for personalized government services, strengthening the city's innovation ecosystem, and using technology to make the urban environment more sustainable and accessible.
Applications came from cities of all sizes around the world. Alongside Astana, finalists include cities from Belgium, China, India, Jordan, Morocco, the Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Thailand and the United Kingdom.
Up to three winners will be announced on October 12, 2026, at WIPO headquarters in Geneva. The ceremony will be held on the sidelines of the sixth UN Mayors Forum meeting.
Earlier, Kursiv reported that Astana ranked 281st among the world's 1,000 largest cities in the Global Cities Index 2026, falling five places over the year. The capital placed 98th for human capital and 264th for economic performance.