The EIT Community Hub Malta, which is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, has launched ‘Brain & Bites: The Innovation Series’, a new initiative designed to transform innovation conversations into practical action by bringing together entrepreneurs, researchers, businesses, public entities and ecosystem partners around themes that matter to Malta's future.

The first Brain & Bites session, held at BusinessLabs Flexible Workspace, focused on ‘Soil, Growth & Funding Opportunities’ and attracted around 30 participants from across Malta's innovation landscape, including start-ups, SMEs, sustainable agriculture practitioners, business support organisations, tourism operators and public sector stakeholders.

The session explored how innovation can support sustainable food production, climate resilience and entrepreneurship while creating new opportunities for business growth. Participants heard how European innovation priorities are creating funding and collaboration opportunities that Maltese innovators can access through the EIT Community and its Knowledge and Innovation Communities.

Opening the event, EIT Community Officer Malta Diana Miceli highlighted the importance of creating practical opportunities for collaboration. "Malta has no shortage of talent, creativity or ambition. What we need are more opportunities for people from different sectors to come together, share experiences and identify ways to collaborate. Brain & Bites was created to provide exactly that, a practical and accessible space where innovation can move beyond discussion and become action," she said.

A key part of the session featured a presentation by Alessandra Loria from Xjenza Malta, who outlined opportunities available through the European Union's Horizon Europe Missions programme, including the Mission Soil initiative. Participants learned about current and upcoming funding opportunities focused on soil health, sustainable agriculture, climate adaptation and environmental resilience.

The event also showcased a local entrepreneurial success story through a presentation by Chiara Isabelle Chytil, founder of Microgreens Syntropic Food Farm. Chytil shared her experience developing a business based on regenerative and syntropic growing methods, demonstrating how innovative approaches can support more sustainable food systems while creating commercial opportunities.

One of the highlights of the session was an interactive challenge that encouraged participants to share ideas and practical solutions to real business challenges. Entrepreneurs, advisors and ecosystem stakeholders exchanged insights on topics ranging from customer engagement and market positioning to storytelling and business development, demonstrating the value of collaborative problem-solving. Participants were also introduced to a range of European and local funding opportunities, including programmes linked to EIT Food, Climate-KIC, Xjenza Malta and the wider EIT Community.

Brain & Bites forms part of the wider Innovation Exchange platform, which was established to strengthen Malta's innovation ecosystem by fostering collaboration across sectors and connecting local stakeholders with European networks, funding opportunities and expertise. The series will continue throughout the year with additional sessions focused on topics that support Malta's innovation, sustainability and economic development priorities.

"The Innovation Exchange showed us that innovation happens when people connect, collaborate and learn from one another. Brain & Bites allows us to keep those conversations alive throughout the year while creating tangible opportunities for innovators and organisations to access European networks, funding and expertise," Ms Miceli added.

The next Brain & Bites session will take place at 10.00am on 27th August 2026 at the EIT Community Hub Malta, which is based at Businesslabs. The event will focus on EIT Global Outreach and will connect Maltese innovators, researchers and companies with international partners, markets and collaboration opportunities, including countries outside the EU such as Japan, India, Israel and the UK.