Startup Festival Malta 2025: Celebrating entrepreneurship and five years of impact (Sponsored)
The 5th Edition of the Startup Festival Malta wrapped up last month, once again highlighting the innovation, creativity, and resilience of Malta’s startup community. To celebrate this anniversary, a full week of activities took place.
The main event, held on 23 and 24 October, exceeded expectations, attracting hundreds of attendees, more than 40 exhibiting companies, startups, and corporate service providers, as well as many international participants. Several meetings were held in the networking lounge, giving startups and investors the chance to connect and explore collaboration and investment opportunities, reaffirming Malta’s growing reputation as a hub for innovation and entrepreneurship.
Two new additions made this 5th edition special: the Students Programme and the Startup Awards. Organised with Transport Malta and Aġenzija Żgħażagħ, the Students Programme encouraged creative thinking under the theme “Disconnect to Connect.” Students from different schools explored entrepreneurship through interactive sessions focused on problem-solving and teamwork. A key highlight was a mobility-themed hackathon, where St. Ignatius College emerged as the winning team.
Malta Enterprise, through the Start In Malta initiative, also hosted the Startup Awards, recognising promising and fast-growing startups across the local ecosystem.
Another highlight was the Pitch Black Competition, now in its second year. IceCaps won the Pre-Seed category, while BrainTrip secured the Seed Winner award. Lemons in the Room stood out as both Pre-Seed Runner-Up and People’s Choice, and Edumentors took the Seed Runner-Up title. The Best Female-Led Startup Award went to SoMe, celebrating outstanding leadership and innovation.
The festival also welcomed international speakers who shared inspiring personal stories and entrepreneurial insights. Nicolas Hamilton spoke about overcoming challenges to achieve success, motivating the audience to stay determined in pursuit of their goals. Caspar Lee discussed his journey from YouTube creator to investor, highlighting adaptability and persistence. The Gerada brothers, founders of Krepling and Forbes 30 Under 30 honourees, shared their experience of growing a Maltese startup to international success.
Alongside talks and competitions, several key initiatives were launched to further strengthen Malta’s startup scene. These included the Startup Guide Malta, a practical resource to support entrepreneurs at every stage; the Startup Initiative, helping startups promote vacancies and attract talent; and the announcement that WEvr, a leading immersive entertainment company, will open its European Creative Studio in Malta, a major step for the island’s creative technology sector.
The festival’s success was made possible thanks to its partners and sponsors, including Malta Venture Capital, Transport Malta, Residency Malta, Supercharger Ventures, Bank of Valletta, and Visit Malta. Their collaboration reflects a shared commitment to driving innovation, supporting entrepreneurship, and positioning Malta as a thriving European startup destination.
The Startup Festival Malta demonstrated the country’s ambition and ability to build a dynamic startup ecosystem. Through engaging discussions, networking opportunities, and a celebration of local talent, the event reaffirmed Malta’s dedication to innovation and to empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs.
For more information about Malta’s startup ecosystem, you can contact Malta Enterprise at [email protected], and follow Startup Festival Malta, Start In Malta, and Malta Enterprise on their websites and social media channels.
The post Startup Festival Malta 2025: Celebrating entrepreneurship and five years of impact (Sponsored) appeared first on EU-Startups.
