The 2017 edition of ZEST, the main gathering for Malta-based start-ups, will take place on September 19 and 20.
The Malta Communications Authority innovation event at the Radisson Blu Golden Sands Resort and Spa, is expected to attract over 500 participants, including start-up founders and CEOs, investors, talent, influencers and support professionals.
The event is unique in bringing together a cosmopolitan crowd of locals, expats and fly-ins, while offering the ideal setting for attendees to discover opportunities and build lasting relationships.
Speaking during the launch, Parliamentary Secretary Silvio Schembri said Malta is well positioned to take advantage of the current disruptive phenomenon driven by tech start-ups.
Over the past few years, the government has worked tirelessly to kick-start a start-up ecosystem and this is readily yielding notable economic and social benefits, he said.
He added that this coincides with the government's efforts to make Malta one of the first countries to embrace certain disruptive technologies such as blockchain.
MCA chairman Edward Woods thanked all public and private entities that have already come forward to support ZEST. He thanked in particular SIXCAP, Go Beyond Investing and Sherpa, the first sponsors behind this year’s events. He also extended an open invitation for more partners.
Some of the speakers announced for this year's event include Dr Ulrich Bez, the man who turned Aston Martin to its greatest success; Jenn Hirsch, Global Technology Trend Scout for Ernst & Young; Paul Teng, Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at SIXCAP; and Samer Karam, Creator and Organiser of BDL Accelerate in Lebanon.
ZEST adopts a very informal format, where talks are short yet sharp. Discussion topics include business foresight, investment, scaling strategies, organisational culture, and the impact of emerging technologies on established verticals such as finance, content and hospitality.
A limited number of advantageous early bird tickets will be available until August 13. For more information contact the MCA on e-mail info@zest.org.mt.