Medical Cannabiz World Summit keynotes and panel debates discussed topics such as regulation in different territories around the world and patient charters to ensure best practice in healthcare when prescribing medical cannabis.

“The quality of medical cannabis preparations is of primary concern and advances in chemistry and tech as well as in-depth study of endocannabinoid systems are mitigating some of the challenges in the field, including standardisation concerns,” said Maltese MP Deo Debattista during the first day of the event.

“Regulation of cannabis for medicinal and research purposes in Malta follows a route comparable to that implemented for the pharmaceutical industry and controlled medicines,” the MP added.

“Everyone is talking about cannabis regulation, but what will the industry look like post-regulation? One thing is clear: the big whales will enter and dominate,” said CMTREX Founder-CEO Saul Singer in a different speech.

Malta Enterprise’s Marion Zammit said that “the process for obtaining a licence has been kept clear and transparent and the evaluation process is rigorous and scrutinous.”

CannaKids CEO Tracy Ryan said the pursuit of medical cannabis as a treatment for her daughter had played a huge role in what she calls a miracle story. “The doctors said we cannot explain what we are seeing, we would like to give the credit to medical cannabis,” she described.

While medical cannabis is gaining ground internationally, Europe has traditionally been seen as a slow-adopter: in some countries talking about cannabis is still stigmatised. “We are living in a schizophrenic situation where the industry in medical cannabis is growing very fast, while in Europe, research in cannabinoids has really been slowed down by stigma,” said Professor of Psychology at the University of Malta Giuseppe di Giovanni.

As part of Malta Week, the AIBC Summit Malta is taking place on 7-8 November, exploring emerging technologies such as distributed ledger technologies (DLT) and artificial intelligence (AI) to provide unique solutions to any industry.

“We made it our intention to be at the forefront of this exciting new success story for medical cannabis and to create an environment where deals can be made and the global industry can flourish,” said Eman Pulis, Founder and CEO of organiser SiGMA Group.

“We are proud to play an integral role, planting the seeds of growth for so many diverse contributors to the medical cannabis sector. We’re not just part of the conversation—we’re starting the conversation,” he added.

SiGMA Group is now taking the medical cannabis expo to South East Asia in June 2020. The event will be closely linked to SiGMA Group’s sister show—AIBC Summit—bringing blockchain and medical cannabis together, as well as bridging continents between east and west.

The post Malta’s Cannabiz World Summit brings international reps together first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The event featured a panel of FinanceMalta members sharing their views and Malta’s strategy in this area. FinanceMalta is a non-profit public-private initiative that was set up to promote Malta as an international business and financial centre within in and out of Malta.

FinanceMalta says it played a “prominent role” at the summit by hosting the two-day event’s first panel discussion: “Putting DLT and Legal on the same page”. FinanceMalta also had an exhibition stand throughout the summit.

“We are proud to have played an important role in this event in Amsterdam. Throughout the year, FinanceMalta promotes Malta’s thought-leadership and experience in various financial services forums, including the areas of Fintech and Blockchain. Through such FinanceMalta-sponsored events, our members can gain exposure, share their views and connect effectively with other players from all around the world,” said Ivan Grech, Chief Operations Officer of FinanceMalta.

“It was an informative panel session about bringing together DLT and Legal on the same page, whilst focusing on Malta as a jurisdiction for such innovation,” he added.

FinanceMalta works on bringing together and harnessing the resources of the industry and government to ensure Malta maintains a modern and effective legal, regulatory and fiscal framework in which the “financial services sector can continue to grow and prosper”.

The FinanceMalta panel speakers were Ian Gauci, Managing Partner at Caleda, GTG Advocates & Afilexion Alliace; Diane Bugeja, Senior Associate at Camilleri Preziosi Advocates; Nicholas Warren, Head of Regulatory at Francis J. Vassallo & Associates; and Joseph Woods, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Creolabs Ltd, who moderated the panel.

FinanceMalta founding associations: the Malta Funds Industry Association, the College of Stockbroking Firms, the Malta Bankers’ Association, the Malta Insurance Association, the Association of Insurance Brokers, the Institute of Financial Services Practitioners, and the Malta Insurance Management Association.

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MACE aspires to create an environment of collaboration and cooperation in which aviation leaders can come together to help each other succeed, profit and thrive, according to the mission statement on the event’s official page.

With the Maltese aircraft register having exceeded 300 aircraft registrations and more than 35 airlines calling Malta home, the island nation is optimistic about becoming determining voice aviation jurisdiction of Europe.

“With a fast-growing aviation sector that is gaining momentum as we speak, Malta is well on its way to establishing itself as a hub for all things aviation. MACE is an excellent opportunity to foster healthy dialogue, collaboration and the sharing of best practices in such an important sector,” said Ian Borg, Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects, Government of Malta, according to the event’s website.

Minister Borg, as well as Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, will address the conference and expo, in reference to the vertical’s current sentiment in the island nation.

“Malta has been slowly but surely making a name for itself in the aviation industry; today the Maltese Aircraft Register has more than 350 aircraft listed and more airlines and leasing companies are calling this aviation-friendly jurisdiction their home,” said Charles Pace, Director-General for Civil Aviation at Transport Malta.

The list of speakers includes:

• Eamonn Brennan, Director General of Eurocontrol, will give an overview of the aviation industry,
• Captain Charles Pace, Director-General Civil Aviation Directorate at Transport Malta, will speak about the Maltese aviation cluster,
• Anita Sengupta, Chief Product Officer at Airspace Experience Technologies (ASX), will propose a possible future of urban air transport,
• James Hogan, Knighthood Capital, will focus on the financing and leasing of aircraft,
• Professor Alexei Dingli will speak about artificial intelligence (AI) and real applications of blockchain in aviation,
• Andrew Nicholson, CEO Osprey Flight Solutions, will speak about innovation in risk management,
• Diarmuid O’Conghaile, Ryanair’s Director of Public Affairs, will concentrate on the aviation industry of the future.

MACE will see the participation of Malta’s Ministry of Transport, Transport Malta’s Civil Aviation Directorate, European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) and its ‘Expanding Horizon’s Campaign’, and with the support of the Malta Business Aviation Association (MBAA).

The post Malta to host aviation conference and expo first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

SiGMA is taking the B2B event open for the iGaming sector’s online suppliers, operators, affiliates, regulators and blockchain businesses to Manila, expanding the Maltese event overseas.

The Manila expo will concentrate on the importance of bridging the business division between East and West, addressing topics such as the regulatory environments in different territories, the integration of blockchain and new emerging technologies and the bandwidth problems for mobile gaming, among others, the group says.

Furthermore, figures from Global Gambling Statistics 2019 show that seven of the top ten locations for gambling revenue based on visitors are in Asia (including Australia). For instance, in Macau, revenue is expected to reach as high as US$53b by 2022, according to the press release sent to BM. 

“The opportunities for growth in Asia are increasing exponentially year on year, and the time is right to cement new and existing relationships between the gambling industries in both East and West,” said Kate Chambers, MD Clarion Gaming.  

“To combine the expertise of Clarion courtesy of the world-famous ICE brand and SiGMA ensures both the land-based and iGaming sectors will find synergy in Manila in 2020. This is an exciting time as we extend the reach of the ICE brand following the launch of ICE Africa in 2018 and ICE North America in May 2019,” Mr Chambers added. 

“As we take the SiGMA brand to global markets, we are proud to facilitate the biggest gaming expo to bring East and West together. It is unprecedented for two such established events to join forces in Asia this way, so this will be an unmissable calendar event amongst C-level gaming executives, whether they have existing business activity in Asia or are looking to expand their operations in the Far East,” said Eman Pulis, Founder and CEO of SiGMA Group.

The post SiGMA teams up with Clarion Gaming for Manila show in 2020 first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The aim of this event is to provide a platform for Level 2 and Level 6 students within the ICT institute to showcase their work and highlight the emerging technologies that are researched within the institute. 

The research topics are about Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Games Development, Blockchain enabled applications, AI, Computer Networks and others. 

All prospective students, parents and guidance teachers are encouraged to attend to get more familiar with the process behind these academic projects.

The post MCAST hosts one-day EXPO for ICT students first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The appointment comes in a time when SiGMA is growing not only in terms of shows they organise in Malta on a yearly basis, but also expanding overseas, looking to build new opportunities and bring the business to a global scale.

Rick Goddard joined the company at the beginning of April, tasked with reviewing procedures and setting new targets for each of the event verticals in 2019. His has commercial experience from a variety of sectors, most recently focussed on blockchain, cryptocurrencies and the ICO market, according to the press announcement.

“I am delighted to take on the role of CCO and support Eman and the group as global success appears on the horizon,” Mr Goddard said. “The company has grown quickly and I look forward to being central to the next stages of its global evolution,” he added.

“We are delighted to appoint Rick to the position of Chief Commercial Officer, adding to our C-level talent as we take the SiGMA Group to new heights around the world,” Mr Pulis said. “With SiGMA Manila 2020 set to be as big as our SiGMA show in Malta, and with the Emirates Blockchain Summit just around the corner, Rick will be crucial to the continued success of the group in meeting commercial objectives over coming years,” the founder CEO added.

SiGMA stands before a busy year, with the spring edition of the Malta A.I. & Blockchain Summit right at the corner. In addition to another blockchain venue scheduled for November, the iGaming SiGMA event and the first Medical Cannabiz World in Malta, the company is expanding into the Middle East and eyes Asia for further events.

The post SiGMA welcomes new commercial chief first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The move will take advantage of expanding interest in the Middle East for the emerging technology of online gaming due to “its potential to invigorate the economy and shake up governance,” the event organisers say. While Malta continues its focus on regulation, the Emirates and its neighbouring states are looking at blockchain with fresh eyes which SiGMA hopes will help its operations flourish.

The company says that its move to the Middle East coincides with “other major companies looking to get a finger in the blockchain pie, with industry players instead eyeing the United States as their base for business,” according to the press statement sent to BM.

“As part of the company’s strategic growth, the plan for 2020 will focus on strengthening core events in Malta and on the smooth running of the inaugural opening of the Emirates A.I. & Blockchain Summit. Rounding off an ambitious expansion plan, 2020 will also set the stage for the launch of SiGMA in the Philippines, with the event making its Asian debut in Manila,” says Eman Pulis, CEO if SiGMA.

Quick evolution

SiGMA — which is used interchangeably for the organising firm and the iGaming event — has gone through a rapid transformation since the first event was held in 2014. That year the firm says it moved into an untapped niche of opportunity within the local iGaming market. By 2015, SiGMA expanded operations and doubled its numbers. With attendance figures on the rise, 2017 marked entry to Europe, however, organisers say the plunge for becoming a world-class event came in 2018, “with an elite selection of delegates, policymakers and thought leaders pouring in from across the globe,” according to the press statement.

“It is this kind of international support and interest that has helped propel SiGMA into truly becoming the world’s iGaming village. Through a commitment to quality and years of successful operations, SiGMA has nurtured the development of a strong brand, allowing for its evolution into a global influencer on the iGaming world stage,” the press statement says.

Expanding operations

In 2018, the company expanded operations and launched a show dedicated to the emerging blockchain sphere; the Malta Blockchain Summit, which received positive feedback from the players in the industry. The show was also the launchpad for three pieces of Maltese government regulation; on blockchain and distributed ledger technologies (DLTs), and the initiation of a government Artificial Intelligence Task Force.

The blockchain summit in November 2018 attracted 8,500 participants and brought speakers such as W. Scott Stornetta, John McAfee, the Winklevoss Twins and Sophia the Robot to Malta’s stage. The organisers say that their summit took the scene by storm and has secured its place as the “leading event in blockchain tech”.

As of 2019, the show has expanded focus into exploring more niches and today runs rebranded as the Malta AI & Blockchain Summit. This year, two blockchain shows will be held in Malta — in addition to SiGMA’s iGaming summit and the first Cannabiz Summit World—; one in May and another one in November. The shows aim to attract a global crowd of exhibitors by boosting its offering to include artificial intelligence, quantum tech, internet of things and big data.

Cannabiz Summit World

The company will also host a medical cannabis summit; Cannabiz Summit World, where it hopes to offer a platform for leading researchers and regulators to explore the revolutionary cannabis industry to boost economic growth and revitalise the health industry.

Organisers hope that the event will lay the foundations for an evolutionary leap into medical cannabis as the worlds of science, technology, and agribusiness converge.

“The summit is a reflection not only of Malta’s efforts through Malta Enterprise and the Medicines Authority in attracting the most reputable firms to the islands but is also a reflection of the direction many states worldwide are taking in creating the right legislative framework for medical cannabis research, production and/or consumption,” the press statement says.

The post Malta’s SiGMA expands operations into Middle East, Asia first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

MRO19 was previously known as the Malta Robotics Olympiad — hence the abbreviation MRO — and will feature six competitions including the Robo Sumo, the Malta Robo League, DiY Bots and the E-Sports festival. These events are aimed at giving students, their families and gamers the opportunity to showcase their skills against international competitors, says the press release.

The Digital Careers Expo and the Gadgets Expo are two new expos which will be featured in MRO19. The Digital Careers Expo aims at bridging the gap between digital education and digital recruitment and will feature information about employment opportunities from large digital industry recruitment agencies. The Gadgets Expo will feature the MRO19 in the consumer digital world.

Entrance to this event is free and their opening times are as follows; Friday, 10 May, from 16:00 to 22:00, Saturday, 11 May, from 9:00 to 22:00 and Sunday, 12 May, from 9:00 to 18:00. The MRO19 will be helping raise funds for the Alive Charity Foundation and the visitors who make a donation will be able to try out an electric car or a Segway.

The post Malta’s renamed tech and gadgets expo opens today first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.