Six outstanding EU-funded projects, and the people behind them, were honored last night in Brussels at the 2026 REGIOSTARS Awards , held as part of the 24th European Week of Regions and Cities .
Presented by representatives of the European institutions and the Member States, the awards recognised excellence in projects supported by EU cohesion policy, the EU's main investment policy for regions, cities and communities. From innovation and research to environmental restoration and social inclusion, this year's winners show how cohesion policy delivers concrete results where people live.
The 2026 REGIOSTARS Award Winners are:
Category 1 - A Competitive and Smart Europe: AI Holopresence from Slovakia won the prize in this category.
The project is a generative artificial intelligence (AI) solution for photorealistic 3D human reconstruction, enabling people to meet in Immersive Extended Reality as their real selves rather than as avatars or flat video tiles. Developed in eastern Slovakia by MATSUKO, a company, together with Pavol Jozef Šafárik University and supported with €61,245 from the European Regional and Development Fund (ERDF), the project led to three patent applications and a market-ready product now used in industrial training, education, remote collaboration and the research EU 6GXR project, which also concerns extended reality.
Category 2 - A Green Europe: The prize in this category was awarded to eLiRec – Greener Battery Recycling from Germany.
As demand for batteries continues to grow, the Commission supported the eLiRec – Greener Battery Recycling project with around €329,000 from the ERDF to tackle one of the green transition's key challenges: how to recover valuable raw materials in a cleaner and more efficient way. The project develops innovative recycling solutions that reduce environmental impact and support the circular economy, while also contributing to Europe's strategic autonomy in critical materials. It is a strong example of how green innovation can advance both sustainability and industrial competitiveness.
Category 3 - A Connected Europe: The project Alexandroupolis Independent Natural Gas System from Greece was awarded the prize in this category.
The Alexandroupolis Independent Natural Gas System has been developed with more than €178 million funding from the ERDF. It strengthens energy connectivity and security of supply in south-eastern Europe through the development of a new floating liquefied natural gas terminal near Alexandroupolis, in Northern Greece. The project enables the import, storage and regasification of natural gas, improving diversification of energy sources and reducing dependence on single suppliers. By enhancing interconnection with regional gas networks, it supports a more resilient and integrated European energy market.
Category 4 - A Social and Inclusive Europe: The project BROTHERS from Germany received the prize in this category.
BROTHERS is a project aiming to prevent violence against women, in particular for young men, school classes and professionals. Supported with more than €193,000 from the European Social Fund (ESF), it creates spaces for discussion on women's rights and respect, using a peer-to-peer approach in which participants help design and lead workshops to promote gender equality.
Category 5 - A Europe closer to the citizens: The prize in this category went to Together in Žďár from Czechia.
Žďár nad Sázavou, a town of 20,000 inhabitants in the Czech inland periphery, used EU funding of almost €813,000 to renovate its public library and transform it into the town's civic heart. The library now hosts more than 900 events every year for all generations, from early literacy programmes for toddlers, to AI courses for seniors. It also serves as a platform where NGOs, volunteers and community groups organise their own activities. The library received Czechia's City Library of the Year 2025 award and supports 106 smaller libraries across the country.
As happens every year, the public were invited to vote for their favourite project amongst the shortlisted finalists.
The People's Choice Award winner this year was Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (Porto.CCC – TeamUp4Cancer (TU4C)) from Portugal.
The project transformed northern Portugal into a precision oncology hub supported with almost €15 million from the ERDF. By bringing together IPO Porto and i3S, two of the biggest oncological and health research institutes in the country, it created Portugal's first Precision Oncology Programme, giving more than 1,500 patients access to cutting-edge diagnostics and enabling hundreds to participate in clinical trials, including early-phase studies, while strengthening regional competitiveness. With 53 publications and five international patents, TU4C shows how cohesion policy can help transform emerging regions into European research leaders.
Background
Organised by the European Commission since 2008, REGIOSTARS Awards recognise outstanding projects supported by EU cohesion policy. They showcase the impact and inclusiveness of regional development with solutions to common challenges across EU regions. The awards are a powerful reminder that cohesion policy is not an abstract funding instrument, but a driving force for positive change in Europe's regions, helping turn local ambition into lasting impact.
Cohesion policy delivers visible improvements to people's daily lives by reducing regional disparities and unlocking local potential. The REGIOSTARS Awards have become Europe's label of excellence for EU-funded initiatives that best reflect the impact and inclusiveness of regional development.
A jury consisting of experts from all over Europe selected 25 finalists across five key areas, each representing a priority for the EU's cohesion policy. There was a total of 274 applications from across the EU. Those shortlisted presented their final pitch before a jury during the 2026 European Week of Regions and Cities, which took place in Brussels from 12 to 14 October.
Though different in focus, the projects share a common goal of building stronger, more resilient and more inclusive communities across Europe.
