A group of 212 companies are benefitting from of €13.2 million in assistance from European Regional Development Funds towards a total investment €30 million, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech said this morning.

The assistance is the third such help of its kind being given for investment in any of seven areas, namely international competitiveness, small start-ups, innovation, environment, research and development, e-business, and energy.

624 companies had applied for the assistance.

A total of 570 companies have benefitted from €35 million over the three calls towards an investment of €78 million.

Mr Fenech, who was accompanied by Parliamentary Secretary Jason Azzopardi, was speaking during a visit to computer games developer AV Technologies.

Managing director Ingo Mesche explained that the company, which started operations 25 years ago, has been in Malta since 2009.

It develops digital games for PCs, iPhones, androids, and other mobile phones.

Mr Mesche said his company, one of those receiving assistance, was investing in research and development on 3D technology.

The games it produced, he said, will soon also be released in Maltese

Malta Enterprise chairman Alan Camilleri said that ME, in collaboration with the Malta Council for Science and Technology and the university, is currently working on a blueprint for a digital entertainment strategy for Malta.

The plan, which should be published by November, includes identifying skill gaps and skills Malta needed to provide to attract game developers.