A Springboard for Digital Innovation - Mr Francois Piccione, COO at MDIA

A Springboard for

Digital Innovation

Digital Innovation is a fast-growing sector that has already proven invaluable to the Maltese Islands, and its future looks ever brighter. Francois Piccione weighs in on how the Malta Digital Innovation Authority is helping Malta become a global leader in this field.

BY CARLA ZAHRA

Established in 2018, the Malta Digital Innovation Authority (MDIA) has achieved a great deal in a relatively short timeframe. But things do move fast in the world of technology and, being the first authority of its kind, the MDIA needed to pave the way for a regulatory framework that would build trust in digital innovation. Essentially, the MDIA was tasked with creating a vision for Malta’s digital future. Guided by expert advisors within the field, Malta is being put on the digital map by focusing on upskilling the current workforce, attracting international talent and inspiring future entrepreneurs. To date, the MDIA has already achieved several milestones, including the launch of its technology certification programme (supported by the Technology Assurance Sandbox) and Malta’s pioneering Artificial Intelligence strategy. “Over the past three years, Malta has been one of the leading countries with regards to the EU Tech Policy,” says Mr Francois Piccione, COO at the MDIA. “We have built an ecosystem that can support innovative companies and startups within the fields of Game Development, Medical Tech, Artificial Intelligence and Distributed Ledger Technology (commonly known as Blockchain). By providing the right environment for these companies to develop their ideas, Malta acts as a springboard to the world. We even had a Malta-based start-up company enlist on the New York Stock Exchange last February.” Indeed, technological progress can only go as far as its environment allows. Malta has proven to be a strong contender in this respect, nurturing talent through its longstanding focus on research and innovation. The island provides a fertile ecosystem for the development of new ideas, with dedicated entities set up to assist in the planning and financial aspects of start-up companies. Now, Francois is leading the MDIA in launching a Digital Innovation Hub (DIH), which will provide the tools, equipment and expertise needed by budding start-ups, under one roof. The DIH will host a High-Performance Computer (HPC), 3D printer, drones and a maker’s workbench, while offering an entrepreneurship programme complete with mentorship from local and international entrepreneurs. “From an entrepreneurship aspect, we believe that there needs to be more investment via accelerator programs and VC funding. The MDIA will soon establish its accelerator and incubator hub and supporting programmes, while assisting the government in establishing its VC fund to sustain our local entrepreneurs,” says Francois. With all the necessary resources ready in place, Francois recognises that, without a skilled workforce, Malta would risk losing out on the benefits of digital innovation. With 6% of the Maltese population identifying as ICT graduates (more than the EU average), only 4.4% are considered to be ICT specialists. Working towards improving these numbers, the MDIA has set out to enhance the digital skills of current and future workers. This is being achieved through educational campaigns that encourage students to pursue STEM subjects and initiatives such as the Path-

finder Digital Scholarship Fund to financially support Masters and PhD students. While youths are being encouraged to develop their skills in digital innovation, do older generations and workers lacking digital skills risk being left behind? On a global scale, the gap between individuals who have access to the Internet and digital devices and those who don’t continues to widen, resulting in growing inequality between these two groups. This ‘Digital Divide’ is also present in Malta, where 56% of the population possesses a minimum of basic digital skills and only 38% exhibit above basic digital skills, according to the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) 2021. “Although these figures are comparable to the EU average, we believe that no one should Our lives are becoming be left behind. Our lives are becoming highly highly dependent on dependent on technology, and it is a must that everyone enjoys its benefits, especially in a technology, and it is a must that everyone small country like ours,” says Francois. To address this, the MDIA formed an integral part of the Digital Connect scheme enjoys its benefits, launched in 2021, which supplied free laptops and one-year internet subscriptions to over especially in a small 1,700 low-income households, together with country like ours,” computer training courses for them to learn how to use the devices. Looking ahead, Francois envisages a country that will reap the benefits resulting from its culture of technological innovation. “I want Malta’s local businesses to implement the innovative technologies that are being developed on our island within their modus operandi. This will help them achieve their business goals while providing a better and more efficient service or product to their customers. On the other side of the spectrum, consumers will be making use of the various services and products with the peace of mind that comes with knowing they are truly secure and fit for purpose!” n

“I want Malta’s local businesses to implement the innovative technologies that are being developed on our island within their modus operandi.”