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The 2026 PBI Prize for outstanding research was awarded in Turku

The PBI Foundation has awarded the 2026 PBI Prize to Anastasia Tsvetkova, Irina Wahlström, Kristel Edelman, Riikka Franzén, Yiran Chen Zhou, and Magnus Hellström for their outstanding research on the development of smarter and more sustainable port cities.


The award recognizes their scientific publication, Smart port city: Digital interfaces for enhancing RoPax port and city co-existence, published in the international peer-reviewed journal Cities. The study explores how digital solutions can strengthen the integration of ports and cities, bringing together perspectives on urban development, mobility, governance, and environmental sustainability.

The PBI Prize is awarded annually to recognize high-quality, peer-reviewed research in management and organizational studies. Each year, the Foundation highlights a specific theme, and the award is given to the most outstanding recent publication addressing that theme. Eligible authors are affiliated with Åbo Akademi University, the University of Turku, or other Turku-based research institutes. From the left: Magnus Hellström, Riikka Franzén, Irina Wahlström och Anastasia Tsvetkova

By combining scientific rigor with practical relevance, the research offers new insights into how ports can evolve from traditional transport hubs into integral parts of smart and sustainable urban environments.

“When we talk about smart cities, we rarely think about ports, even though ports can have a major influence on urban mobility, environmental performance and economic activity. Our paper argues that ports deserve a more prominent place in how we understand and develop smart cities,” says Anastasia Tsvetkova, professor at Åbo Akademi University.

The PBI Prize includes a €5,000 award and is presented in collaboration with Åbo Akademi University. As part of the award, the laureates delivered a public lecture on their research at PBI`s 25th anniversary seminar hold in Turku on October 8th, 2026.

“The PBI Prize recognizes research that combines scientific excellence with the ability to address important challenges facing industry and society. This year’s winning publication is an excellent example of how research can bring new perspectives to the development of smarter and more sustainable port cities. It also demonstrates the value of bringing together different disciplines to create knowledge that can make a real difference,” says Professor Kim Wikström, CEO of the PBI Foundation.

Further information:
professor Kim Wikström, PBI Foundation
E-mail: kim.wikstrom@pbi.fi
Telephone: +358 40 55 33 289


The PBI Foundation is a non-profit organization that promotes scientific research in management and organization, with a particular emphasis on international project activities. For more information about the PBI Prize and past laureates, please visit PBI Prize – PBI Foundation

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