A key moment at the EIT Innovation Awards ceremony in Budapest was the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) and the Government of Malta. This agreement will enable the launch of the EIT Regional Innovation Booster (EIT RIB) pilot in Malta from 2026, strengthening cooperation and supporting the country’s growing innovation ecosystem.
Targeted Support for Startups and Scaleups
The EIT Regional Innovation Booster is a flagship initiative designed to bolster start-ups and scaleups in modest and moderate innovator countries. It provides tailored support to help promising ventures commercialise their ideas, access international markets, and attract investment.
Following Poland’s entry in May 2025, Malta will now join the initiative, with a three-stage pilot aligned with existing national support schemes. The programme will include dedicated funding, expert mentoring, and a structured pathway from early-stage idea development to internationalisation.
The EIT plans to allocate at least €30 million to the full EIT RIB pilot phase until 2028.
Leadership Perspectives
Martin Kern, Director of the EIT, welcomed Malta’s participation:
“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.”
Silvio Scerri, CEO at Xjenza Malta, emphasised the importance of the initiative for Malta’s innovation landscape:
“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.”
Results to Date
EIT activity in Malta has grown considerably in recent years. Since 2021:
- Over €3.4 million in EIT grants have been committed to Maltese entities across seven Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs).
- Around one-third of this funding directly supports Maltese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
- The EIT has helped create and support 31 ventures, launched three innovations to the market, and provided entrepreneurial and deep-tech training to 759 Maltese participants.
- Eleven Maltese partners are currently active in EIT KICs – the highest participation rate per capita across all participating countries.
- The EIT Community Hub Malta, launched in 2024, has become a central gateway connecting Maltese innovators and institutions with funding, training opportunities, and Europe-wide collaborations.
Malta’s engagement in EIT programmes is now estimated to be twice as high as its participation rate in Horizon Europe, highlighting the accessibility and relevance of EIT support for local innovation.
EIT-Backed Success: Greenroads
A strong example of the positive impact of EIT support is Greenroads, a Maltese start-up that uses AI and real-time data to improve road safety and urban traffic management.
Supported early by EIT Climate-KIC and EIT Urban Mobility, Greenroads expanded beyond Malta and implemented major projects, including the city of Ghent’s smart mobility pilot through the EIT Urban Mobility RAPTOR programme.
This trajectory demonstrates how EIT support can help Maltese innovators scale their technologies and compete at European level.
A Platform for Long-Term Impact
The new MoU provides Malta with long-term stability and direct access to Europe’s largest innovation networks. This strengthened cooperation is expected to bring lasting economic and societal benefits to Malta and contribute to a more innovative and competitive European community.