A new generation of entrepreneurs from Malta and the United Kingdom is being given the opportunity to test ideas, collaborate internationally, and gain exposure to experienced business leaders through an initiative organised by the Malta Business Network in collaboration with King’s College London and the University of Malta.
The MBN International Entrepreneurship Prize (IEP) brings together postgraduate students studying entrepreneurship and innovation-related subjects at both universities, placing them in international teams tasked with developing business concepts that address real-world challenges.
The programme aims to immerse participants in the realities of entrepreneurial collaboration, innovation, and strategic thinking.
According to David Walsh, one of the directors of the MBN UK Chapter and organiser and lead on the initiative, the prize was born from a recognition that entrepreneurship education benefits enormously from practical application.
“In my voluntary work as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at King’s College (Business School) and together with my history of founding a tech business that had operations in Malta and where I subsequently supported inward investment there – I was struck by the similarities in the Masters in Entrepreneurship courses at King’s and at the University of Malta,” he explains.
In consultation with Professors Michael Etter (King’s College) and Russell Smith (University of Malta) it was agreed to put together an elective initiative where they could combine participants from the different universities and create an inspiring competition that would cement their learnings.
The competition is open to students enrolled in the MSc Strategic Entrepreneurship & Innovation programme at King’s College London and the Master in Knowledge-Based Entrepreneurship programme at the University of Malta.
Participants are grouped into mixed international teams and supported by mentors drawn from MBN’s extensive network of entrepreneurs and senior executives.
The structure reflects the increasingly international nature of modern business, where collaboration across borders, disciplines and cultures has become essential.
International collaboration as a driver of innovation
Walsh believes the cross-border nature of the programme is one of its defining strengths.
“Cross-border collaboration is truly a catalyst for innovation,” he says. “The process is really energised by providing different views, harnessing new knowledge and new perspectives.”
The initiative also mirrors the realities of today’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, where geographically dispersed teams and international partnerships are commonplace.
“It has also become more the norm to work not just in multidisciplinary teams but also across different geographies and experiences,” Walsh notes. “This initiative is designed to give the participants that international exposure that will resonate in their future career choices.”
Each team is paired with an experienced business mentor, allowing students to benefit from practical insights and industry guidance.
“There is a great opportunity to learn from that experience and to start building their network that will survive beyond this competition,” Walsh explains.
Among the mentors and judges involved are senior professionals from industries including technology, venture capital, finance, architecture, artificial intelligence and real estate.
The competition itself focuses strongly on sustainability, innovation and viability.
Teams are required to develop ideas that address one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals while demonstrating commercial feasibility and market relevance for both Malta and the UK.
Participants are encouraged to think carefully about the problems they are solving, the value proposition of their product or service, their market opportunity, and how their concept differs from competitors.
Moving beyond ideas toward entrepreneurial reality
While the competition centres primarily on ideation rather than launching fully operational businesses, Walsh says the initiative is designed to encourage participants to think realistically about what it takes to transform concepts into viable ventures.
“We are realistic in our expectations of what we can expect to achieve in the process, and we do ask the teams to focus on ‘ideation’,” he says. “So definitely there is a stage beyond that where there would be iterations around those ideas to test the market fit and to build a sustainable business.”
Importantly, the programme does not necessarily end when the competition itself concludes.
“Although outside the scope of what we can do, our mentors are available to support the teams, should they indeed decide they have something tangible and meaningful that they would like to pursue,” he says. “In fact last year this is exactly what our winners did and they are actively fund raising along with their mentor.”
The programme also reflects Malta’s growing positioning as a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship.
The Malta Business Network itself was established to strengthen business relationships between Malta and the UK and has grown into a substantial international professional network with nearly 400 members across its Malta and UK chapters.
The organisation hopes initiatives such as the IEP will further reinforce Malta’s attractiveness as a destination for startups and innovation-led businesses.
Showcasing entrepreneurial talent on an international stage
For Walsh, one of the long-term goals of the initiative is to spotlight the quality of entrepreneurial talent emerging from both institutions and create stronger links between academia and industry.
“We hope to shine a light on the many wonderful and talented young entrepreneurs and business people,” he says. “These Masters graduates are a very talented bunch and would be a great asset to many entrepreneurial businesses.”
At the same time, he sees the initiative as an opportunity to continue strengthening Malta’s international business profile.
“In addition, we do like to shine a light on the benefits of Malta, and we hope that we could collaborate with other European Universities and introduce them to the Malta advantage,” he adds.
The final pitch event, scheduled to take place virtually on Wednesday 10 June, 2026 at 5.30pm (CET), will see teams present their ideas before a judging panel, with a prize fund of £3,000 available.
Each team will present a five-minute pitch to the judging panel, followed by a five-minute question-and-answer session designed to test the strength, viability and originality of each concept.
Once all four teams have delivered their presentations, the judges will withdraw to deliberate on the awards.
During this interval, attendees will take part in a short panel discussion and will also have the opportunity to cast their votes for the ‘People’s Choice Award’, before the judges return to announce the winning teams.
