The eight awards organisers are expecting applications for are as follows:

• Award for Best Tech Startup,
• Award for Creative Innovation,
• Award for Scientific Innovation,
• Award for Technological  Innovation,
• Award for Top Investor,
• Award for Digital Disruptor,
• Award for the Best Service Provider,
• Award for Tech for a Better World.  

For the first time, the awards have the scope to give exposure and credit to all the “hard-working companies and individuals in the tech sphere” in Malta, according to the press release. 

“The awards will shed a spotlight on the ongoing tech activity in Malta, the innovative projects, and the solutions created which will give back to the community but most of all the awards will boost the creative thinking and tech talent which is part and parcel of the growth of the digital economy of our islands,” said parliamentary secretary Silvio Schembri. 

A judging panel will decide on the awardees, while in the case of the Best Tech Startup, a specific judging panel will be set up to rank all applications and determine the three finalists and award winner. The three finalists will be invited to the MCA eBusiness Awards Event.  

Nominations can be placed through the official website of the summit by noon on 18 September.

The post Applications open for eight awards at DELTA Summit first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The festival concentrates this year on the theme of “The Science of YOU”, including the expression of creativity in jazz jamming sessions, dances to raise awareness about neurodiversity and setting up a digital area full of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) experiences. 

The Manager for Diagnostic Science Laboratories at the National Museum of Fine Arts (MUŻA) Matthew Grima introduced the activity “Art Detectives” organised by Heritage Malta (HM), where the audience will learn about non-invasive analysis, pigment analysis, and dating for purposes of authentication to reveal hidden information.  

“This year’s theme, The Science of YOU, resonates with the time we are living in. In view of the changes happening and the circumstances befalling before our own eyes, we, as individuals are becoming more conscious of doing our part, and as little as that might be, we can still make a difference. Since research is important, as a Government we have sought to allocate €2.4m to further enhance research and innovation,” said Silvio Schembri, Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation.

“This is the first time when as a country we’re delving into the commercial aspect of space thus the SpaceMalta Taskforce was set up and is now responsible for the drafting of a National Strategy on this new economic sector,” added Mr Schembri.

Furthermore, Festival Manager Edward Duca spoke about the increasing importance of science communication and how each activity at the festival has evolved around the concept of breaking the age-old tradition of the elite male scientist, imparting knowledge to the layperson. 

The post ‘Science in the City’ festival announces programme first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The MoU discusses the strategic themes of the National Digital Strategy 2014-2020 of Malta, which aims to increase awareness of the latest technologies, implement the pilot projects of these technologies with a commitment to realise at least one pilot/proof of concept on IoT and enhance digital literacy among the Maltese population.

On the one hand, Vodafone will be assisting with the transfer of international expertise and know-how. The company will also provide internship opportunities for students and startups.

“This MoU, therefore, cements our commitment toward driving innovation in Malta by leveraging on our international expertise and resources, and stands testament to our commitment to playing a strategic role in being part of Malta’s national digital and innovation strategy,” said Sonia Hernandez, Vodafone Malta CEO.

“I would also like to see more of Vodafone Malta as a house of talent, with more inflow and outflow of talent coming to Malta to learn and experiment, and also to take Maltese talent abroad,” said Serpil Timuray, Vodafone Europe Cluster CEO.

On the other hand, the government will assist with the promotion of training programmes among public sector employees, in addition to upgrading educational content to reflect more current technologies, the press statement says. 

In addition, the government will carry out digital promotional activities, as well as assist with the organisation of awareness campaigns and training programmes for the benefit of citizens and the business community. The government says it will also help identify business areas and use cases within the government where emerging technologies may be piloted, according to the press release. 

“Smart parking in Luqa will be the first such project, which will seek to improve energy efficiency in transport, improve travel awareness among road users, as well as reduce journey times,” said Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation Silvio Schembri. “The installation of sensors in parking spaces will be connected to an app and will be accessible for everyone through their phones,” he added

“Vodafone is the ideal partner to launch such ambitious plans with. The company thrives to bring its customers the best possible services. This MOU is not just about pilot projects, but also about increasing awareness of disruptive technologies. This country prides itself on embracing innovation,” added Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. 

The post Vodafone Malta vows to promote latest technologies first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

“This year the government has once again increased the allocated budget by 30% to the tune of €800,000 for the Student Placement Programme,” said Mr Schembri. “This is proof of the government’s commitment to give an opportunity to our youths to have hands-on working experience in the industry of the future. This preparedness can only be achieved however if we are able to build on the academic prowess of our youth and provide them with opportunities such as these,” the minister said.

“The number of companies requiring employees having knowledge of emerging technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, internet of things, and virtual reality is always on the increase,” Mr Schembri added. “This is an opportunity for you all and focusing your studies in these areas will surely contribute for you to have a successful career.”   

In addition, MITA’s Head of Strategy and Business Emmanuel Darmanin underlined that MITA, together with employer partners, has been able in the last five years to offer over 1,600 placements in all sectors which have provided exposure to the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and ICT using industry, as the press release says. 

“In line with the various initiatives related to emerging technologies, this year’s event has been created with a direct focus on some of these technologies. I encourage to also make use of MITA’s New Emerging Technologies Lab, experience the practical use of these technologies, and above all make the most out of your Student Placement Programme,” said Mr Darmanin. 

Moreover, the students took part in workshops related to virtual reality, artificial intelligence (AI), and blockchain amongst others through which the winners were awarded Delta Tech Week. 

During the event, it was also announced that the government official blockchain event Delta Summit will be transformed into the Government Tech Week between 30 of September and 6 of October 2019 and will cover different areas such as AI, IoT, blockchain, eSports, game development and space research.

The post MITA student placement to host 380 students in 2019 first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

Minister Cardona said that he believes that the productivity of innovative companies will increase who will be able to grow and provide new jobs. This might drive change to established businesses, health and care, transport, energy, built environment and creative industries.

HandsOn mainly develops software that allows GPS tracking of vehicles and fleet management. The company has strengthened and diversified its business through government grants and incentives and made international contacts through Trade Missions organised by Trade Malta and Malta Enterprise, according to the DOI.

Between 2014 and 2017 the company has experienced a 57% growth increase. It has recently moved to a new facility within the Mosta TechnoPark that allowed for more workspace to research and develop their products, as the press release says.

“Our economy has grown steadily and has reached unprecedented levels. Our next challenge is to aim for better, not bigger. To move away from mere economic growth and toward equitable and sustainable well-being. Success will be judged in new ways and the government acknowledges the importance of innovation and technology in the shaping of that future,” said Mr Cardona.

The post Maltese gov’t vows further support to innovative firms first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation Silvio Schembri launched the initiative, which is done through a collaboration with Malta Business Network, with the involvement of stakeholders active in the industry.

Since the lack of female participation in the sector is a challenge across Europe, with this move, Malta is hoping to strengthen its position on a global scale further. Despite comprising 52% of Europe’s population, women only hold 15% of ICT-related jobs in the continent, which figure is even lower for Malta: 2.7%.

“The past few years have seen an unprecedented rise in digital and communications technologies, which, together with the digital economy, have dramatically changed every aspect of life as we know it,” Mr Schembri said. At the same time, the skills and competency levels of ICT professionals have undergone a substantial deficit, which issue the government hopes to remedy through higher female participation in this industry, the parliamentary secretary added.

Mr Schembri also noted that Malta was the first European Union member state who launched a National eSkills Strategy, aspiring to address the need for continuous professional development and upskilling specialisation of the workforce in the sector.

The parliamentary secretary also underscored the importance of making existing initiatives more accessible to young women. “We need to collectively strive to end gender stereotyping and cultural discouragement which negatively affects our young women and their opportunities in the digital labour market,” Mr Schembri concluded.

Efforts to include women to a higher ratio in the IT industry appear to come in time. On the one hand, women have traditionally been discouraged from choosing a career related to engineering or information and communications technology globally. On the other hand, the pay gap has been significant between men and women internationally, favouring men over women in the same positions; an issue that is recently being addressed on a broader scale by companies and legislators.

The post Maltese initiative aims to attract more women to IT jobs first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.

The government aims to develop a strategy through an international consultation process. “This is the first time ever that Malta is looking at seriously exploring the commercial potential related to space,” said Silvio Schembri, Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation.

The strategy is anticipated to stand on three main objectives, the parliamentary secretary said. The first objective is to create a competitive legal framework accommodating the development of a commercial space sector. The second objective is research and innovation through space-generated data. The third objective is job creation and economic growth.

“This will strengthen Malta’s appeal as a hub for foreign investment in this sector, attract foreign direct investment for space satellite and space mining companies, develop tailor-made incentive packages for space start-ups registration in Malta and satellite companies to register their operations in Malta,” Mr Schembri said.

The Space Malta Taskforce will be set up soon and will be responsible for overseeing the development of a Maltese policy framework which enables commercial activities related to outer space, to identify and develop key policy directives, the DOI press statement says. The task force is also expected to complement Malta’s overall goal of pursuing specialisation in its economy.

Mr Schembri said he believes space provides capabilities to solve challenges such as the monitoring of climate change, agriculture, maritime, epidemics and disaster resilience.

“Space can be a strong contributor to Malta’s economic growth. I look forward to working hand in hand with all stakeholders including European institutions, agencies, and international organisations, to seek cooperation with other countries and study the requisite policy and programming synergies and funding,” Mr Schembri added.

Omar Cutajar will chair the Space Malta Taskforce, and its members will be Dr Ing Kenneth Chircop, Matt Prusak, Prof Aaron Casha, Dr Ing Richard Blundell, Prof Kristian Zarb Adami, Dr Jean Marie Mifsud, Charles Pace, Roberto Cassar, and Roberta Albanese Dalli.

Malta’s vision for the National Space Strategy is available on its official website.

The post Malta envisages setting up national space strategy first appeared on The Malta Business Weekly.