Assessing the Impact of a Quintuple Helix Framework on Smart City Performance: A Country-Level Analysis of EU Capitals

Although Smart City transitions are typically assessed using technological and financial indicators, the underlying structural correlates remain insufficiently explored. This study examines how different forms of capital within the Quintuple Helix model—natural, social, intellectual, economic and institutional (governance)—are associated with a country’s position in the Global Smart Cities Index and the Eco-Innovation Index. The methodology is based on data from 26 EU Member States. Correlation analysis was used to identify key factors of city performance, cluster analysis was applied to categorize countries/capitals based on their capital profiles and the impact of Smart Cities and eco-innovation. This study identifies three distinct clusters of EU countries/capitals, ranging from leaders to economies in transition. The results show that intellectual capital and institutional governance are the most significant correlates of Smart City success. In addition, governance emerged as a primary association of eco-innovation. These results provide a roadmap for lagging regions to optimize their Quintuple Helix synergies to achieve higher smart city rankings and environmental sustainability.