Rock in Rio Lisboa has opened a global call for startups and scaleups to participate in the Smart City of Rock, an innovation program taking place inside the 2026 edition of the festival.
The initiative is a partnership between Rock in Rio Lisboa, Liquid Innovation Co, Unicorn Factory Lisboa, and Câmara Municipal de Lisboa, supported by an international network of investors, accelerators, and innovation hubs.
A live testing ground inside a 100,000-person city
The Smart City of Rock is described as “a collaborative ecosystem where technology, creativity, and purpose meet.”
During Rock in Rio Lisboa 2026, the City of Rock functions as a temporary city of 100,000 people per day, offering a real-world environment for startups, companies, and public entities to deploy and test their solutions live.
With more than 300,000 visitors expected across four days and millions reached online, the setting provides continuous user interaction and extensive global visibility.
Organizers describe the initiative as a way to accelerate smart tech adoption worldwide.
The 20 startups selected for the program will run their solutions during the festival and later present their impact results to investors at the Smart Rock Tank, a dedicated investment-focused session held one week after the event.
A larger, renewed festival experience in 2026
The innovation program will take place alongside what organizers say will be one of the most ambitious editions of Rock in Rio Lisboa to date.
The festival returns on June 20, 21, 27, and 28, 2026, for its 11th edition at Parque Tejo, with expanded space, improved comfort, and a refreshed experience from entry to closing.
The 2026 lineup already includes Katy Perry, Pedro Sampaio, Calema, NAPA, Linkin Park, Cypress Hill, Grandson, Kaiser Chiefs, Rod Stewart, Xutos & Pontapés, GNR, UHF, TAXI, and SYRO, with more artists to be announced.
Since its first edition in 2004, Rock in Rio Lisboa has positioned itself as a major global music event. The upcoming edition will introduce a new audiovisual main-stage show, a HalfTime Show in the clearing, expanded fireworks, and new interactive and immersive attractions.
What organizers are looking for
The Smart City of Rock is open to startups and scaleups worldwide, with no requirement to be based in Lisbon.
Applicants must have a validated solution, such as a proof of concept or MVP, and be prepared to deploy and operate it live during the festival.
They should also demonstrate responsible environmental, social, and governance practices (ESG), have market traction or clear potential, and show that their team is ready to scale.
According to organizers, the program is designed for solutions that address global urban challenges and can deliver measurable impact inside the City of Rock. Selection will consider factors such as smart concept fit, global relevance, disruptive innovation, and the team’s ability to execute in a demanding real-world setting.
There is no participation fee, but selected teams must cover the operational and marketing resources required to activate their solution on-site.
Eligible proposals can fall within several verticals, including infrastructure, connectivity, clean energy, data management, safety, event operations, mobility, tourism, security, customer experience, health, wellness, ESG, education, and media and content.
Program benefits
In addition to exposure to a large in-person and online audience and the opportunity to test solutions in a real environment, the program provides access to a global network of investors, accelerators, innovation hubs, and hundreds of partner brands connected to the Rock in Rio ecosystem.
Startups receive official certification and direct interaction with public and private stakeholders, creating stronger opportunities for collaboration.
Cities and corporations benefit by accessing solutions tested for real city challenges and by engaging in collaboration for pilots and co-innovation.
Program timeline
Applications are open from November 12 to December 20, 2025, and will be reviewed by Rock in Rio, Liquid Innovation Co, and Unicorn Factory Lisboa. Shortlisted startups will then submit their projects in January 2026 and pitch online later that month.
The selected teams will also be announced in January. From February to May, participants will collaborate with festival partners on solution integrations, technical preparations, and final testing. Live deployment takes place during Rock in Rio Lisboa on June 20, 21, 27, and 28, 2026.
The Smart Rock Tank investor session will follow one week after the festival, gathering international investors and decision-makers from both B2B and B2G environments.
A global opportunity from Lisbon
Organizers emphasize that this is a global program open to teams with scalable solutions and measurable impact. Startups whose technologies require on-site activation must travel to Lisbon for the festival and the subsequent investor session.
Applications can be submitted through the official landing page provided by Rock in Rio Lisboa.
Featured image: Fonzie at Rock in Rio Lisboa in 2024 (Photo courtesy of Nuno Alberto on Unsplash)
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