Malta’s innovation ecosystem takes centre stage at launch of new community hub

The importance of nurturing talent and keeping that talent in Malta was one of several topics discussed at the recent launch of the EIT Community RIS Hub Malta.

The event, titled ‘Making Innovation happen in Malta’, looked at many of the strengths and challenges the country faces, if it is to become a leading centre of innovation. These include the fact that its small geographic size and proximity to water make it an ideal location to test new technologies in the marine and maritime economies, where many long-standing global challenges exist.

The launch event also served to highlight the opportunities being made available to Malta-based entrepreneurs and innovators through the Hub, set up by the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT), a body of the EU, across various economic sectors.

As part of a network of similar hubs established by the European Union to tackle Europe’s persistent geographic innovation divide, the EIT Community RIS Hub Malta aims to strengthen cooperation among leading business, education and research organisations. Through this increased collaboration, the hub will play a pivotal role in increasing Malta’s and the region’s competitiveness and contributing to sustainable economic growth.

The hub will also represent all the EIT’s Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) and prioritise the attraction and involvement of local participants in EIT Community activities.

The launch event which took place at the Hub’s base, located at BUSINESSLABS in Birkirkara, featured a range of speakers from across industry and academia as well as politics and policy making. These included the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, who addressed the event via video, Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Research & Innovation Keith Azzopardi Tanti,, as well as MEPs Thomas Bajada and Peter Agius. The event was also addressed by EIT Director, Martin Kern.

Diana Miceli, EIT Community Officer for Malta, said, “This launch event was a great example of how broad and deep the innovation community in Malta is. To have innovation startups, CEOs from established businesses, politicians and policy makers and academics all in one room really made everyone present realise how much potential Malta has to become a leading innovator. With the support of the Hub and the EIT’s huge network, this innovation ecosystem can become even stronger in the years ahead.”

Among the highlights of the panel discussions which took place during the launch, a debate featuring innovation startup founders, investors and policy makers took a deep dive into the practical experience of trying to set up an innovation startup in Malta which highlighted both the areas where all three stakeholders are aligned and where differences remain, potentially stifling the full emergence of Malta’s innovation potential. Following the discussions, attendees also had the opportunity to network with representatives from the EIT’s KICs, which cover areas including Health, Food, Digitalisation, Mobility, Cultural Heritage, Sustainable Energy and Manufacturing.

For more information about the EIT’s activities in Malta, follow the LinkedIn page.