The Memorandum of Understanding will launch the MT Regional Innovation Booster.
Xjenza Malta, the government agency responsible for research, innovation and Space funding, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) to launch the Malta edition of the Regional Innovation Booster (RIB).
This milestone agreement marks a major step forward in strengthening Malta’s innovation ecosystem. It will support local startups and scaleups in accessing European markets and investment opportunities.
The MOU was signed on the 25 November 2025 at the EIT Innovation Awards event in Budapest.
Through this collaboration, Malta will be linked into the wider EIT network, one of Europe’s strongest institutes for innovation, unlocking access to expertise, strategic partners and funding that can significantly accelerate the capabilities of Maltese innovators.
The new partnership will provide researchers and entrepreneurs with a clearer and more interconnected path to business growth and success.
The EIT RIB programme will help transform the most promising research into successful businesses, while also giving existing startups a smooth pathway to commercial growth and international expansion.
Malta’s participation ensures that local innovators can access these streamlined opportunities and benefit from more robust and coordinated support.
Set for launch in the first quarter of 2026, the Malta version of the Regional Innovation Booster will introduce a first-of-its-kind dual-track model within the EIT RIB community, tailored to the specific needs of Malta’s research and innovation environment.
The programme will help both researchers and startups move from concept to market readiness, providing targeted commercialisation support, and access to early-stage, risk-tolerant funding.
By connecting researchers, innovators and businesses, the initiative ensures that support remains practical, relevant and aligned to real-world challenges.
It aims to turn high-quality research into viable ventures and transform prototypes into scalable businesses, unlocking meaningful economic value for Malta and beyond.
Xjenza Malta’s Chief Executive Offer, Silvio Scerri, was also invited to discuss and provide his opinion in a panel, on the benefits that Malta will gain from this programme specifically dedicated to the industry.
Speaking about the initiative, Scerri remarked, “This new Xjenza Malta initiative is very important for Malta as it will offer guidance, funding and expert advice to make ideas commercially viable and ready for internationalisation. Overall, it’s about helping Malta’s innovators go from lab results to commercialisation.”
Martin Kern, director of the EIT said “We are delighted that Malta joined the EIT Regional Innovation Booster pilot. We appreciate this recognition of the value of the EIT’s innovation ecosystem in accelerating the growth of start-ups with high innovation potential. It gives Maltese innovators a tool to expand internationally and receive the support of the whole EIT Community, ensuring innovative solutions can scale and make an impact.”
