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€1.7 million in new thematic funding opportunities for research and innovation

Strengthening its commitment to intensifying Malta's research and innovation ecosystem, has launched an investment of €1.7 million, addressing national priorities and emerging sectoral needs. 

This was announced recently by the Minister for Justice, Research and Innovation, Clifton Grima, during an event that brought together representatives from government, research, industry and innovation. The event highlighted how targeted funding for research and innovation can address national challenges and market needs, while demonstrating the value of interministerial and cross-sectoral collaboration in jointly creating and implementing funding opportunities.

In total, €1.7 million is being allocated to three key thematic research and innovation funding initiatives.

The programme focuses on three main thematic research and innovation funding initiatives. The first is the Third Cancer Research Programme, developed in collaboration with the Cancer Research Innovation Hub Malta (CRIHM). During today’s session, the latest Cancer Research Call was presented, highlighting the evolution and impact of the programme, including success stories from previous initiatives.

The second initiative focused on the Digital Voucher Programme, developed in collaboration with the Malta Digital Innovation Authority (MDIA). The event marked the continuation of a successful three-year collaboration between Xjenza Malta and the MDIA and introduced the new Digital Innovation Programme and Digital Voucher Programme.

The event also launched the Water Innovation Research Programme for Sustainable Agriculture, developed in collaboration with Riżorsi Agrikoli Malta (RAM). The initiative aims to support research and innovation addressing water-related challenges in Malta’s agricultural sector and to encourage collaboration among relevant stakeholders.

Through these initiatives, Xjenza Malta continues to foster collaboration between researchers, entrepreneurs, public entities and policymakers, while supporting the development of innovative solutions that can contribute to sustainable economic and social growth.

“We cannot emphasise enough how essential a collaborative approach is if we want to build a stronger research and innovation ecosystem in Malta. However, while we must continue creating opportunities for researchers and scientists to develop their ideas, we must also create pathways that enable these ideas to go beyond research itself and deliver significant impact. This means encouraging greater engagement between academia, entrepreneurs, start-ups, industry, public entities and policymakers, as well as creating an environment where knowledge can be translated into solutions,” Minister Grima said.

Silvio Scerri, Chief Executive Officer of Xjenza Malta, emphasised the importance of ensuring that research and innovation funding remains closely aligned with Malta’s national priorities. Scerri said:

“Through our Thematic Programmes, Xjenza Malta is committed to supporting research and innovation that responds to Malta’s real priorities and challenges. By strengthening collaboration between Government, research and industry, we can help drive innovative solutions that create long-term economic and social value.”

For his part, Professor Christian Scerri, Chairman of the CRIHM, said:

“With the launch of this third funding cycle, the CRIHM is building on almost €3 million already invested in ten cancer research projects, strengthening Malta’s capacity to transform scientific discovery into better prevention, diagnosis and treatment.”