The third edition of the Start Up Festival 2023 is taking place this week, on Thursday 5th and Friday 6th October at the Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre (MFCC) in Ta’ Qali.

The Start Up Festival is the culmination of Malta Enterprise’s efforts to support startups, as it brings together various experts in different workshops, focusing on innovation, internationalisation and growth.

The event will facilitate next-level networking through partners Deal Room Events, who will offer curated matchmaking services.

This year’s festival will also offer an opportunity to:  

• Inspiring insights: Learn from industry-leading speakers.
• Networking: Connect with like-minded professionals and potential investors.
• Cutting-edge trends: Discover the latest business innovations.
• Product Showcase: Explore innovative products and services.

Malta Enterprise remarked in a statement that, following the success of the first two editions, the Festival has established itself “as one of the most popular events for entrepreneurs and innovators as they come together to share knowledge and experiences about different startups.”

It attracts hundreds of local and foreign startups varying from FinTech, digital games, VR/AR, Metaverse, medical cannabis, BioTech, MedTEch and the blue economy.

In conjunction with the Start Up Festival, on 4th October, there will also be a special fundraising event to support the SOAR Foundation. SOAR empowers survivors of domestic violence through education and support, offering a brighter future to those in need.

Larger expo space, Workshops and Startup-Investor Matchmaking

Apart from keynote talks by headline international guests and thought-provoking panels this year the event shall see the addition of tailor-made practical workshops.

An expanded exhibition space will embody the vision for an event which is coming of age, while a mindfulness area shall seek to offer an experience that appeals to both mind and body.

The festival will once more offer a matchmaking opportunity for startups and scaleups looking at raising funds via local and international business angels and VCs. Last year, the curated service via Deal Room Events saw around 300 such meetings taking place in a 10-hour window.

Pitch Black competition – 41 applicants and 10 finalists revealed

For the first time the event will also have its own pitching competition – named ‘Pitch Black’ in reference to pitching to an audience with lights-out and no extra visual tools. Founders will present their accomplishments and vision to a professional panel of judges and compete for two final awards worth around €200,000 in professional services.  Out of the 41 applications received by Malta Enterprise for this competition 25 were female led start-ups. Amongst the 10 finalists selected – three are locally based and seven are international companies.

The Pitch Black competition is being organised in collaboration with AIM and supported by Atlas Insurance, Melita Business, De Marco and Associates, Trident Park, RSM, Castille Resources, Moneybase, Steve’s and Co, Plug n Play, Andaria, Founders Taboo, Residency Malta Agency and EU Startups Summit.

Fundraiser in aid of SOAR – fully booked!

Start Up Festival will also be hosting a special fundraising event on 4th October at the Casino Maltese in Valletta. This event is dedicated to supporting the remarkable work of the Jean Antide SOAR Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to empowering survivors of Domestic Violence through education and support.

Startup Festival Malta is supported by Melita Business, Enemed, Circular Economy Malta, Residency Malta Agency, Malta Film Commission, Bank of Valletta, ERA, Wasteserve, Air Malta, WSC and MCST.