The Malta Development Bank (MDB), in collaboration with the European Association of Guarantee Institutions (AECM), hosted an operational training session (OTS), which is a high-level technical workshop on digital financing, bringing together 20 leading European institutions, including guarantee institutions and promotional banks. This event provided a valuable platform for collaboration, equipping institutions with the insights needed to better support businesses in leveraging digital innovation, while exploring the key challenges and opportunities surrounding the future of digital financing.
MDB Chairman Leo Brincat outlined the key challenges in financing digital innovation, including assessing the risks of emerging technologies, tailoring financial instruments to the needs of digital ventures, and bridging market gaps to enable sustainable, scalable growth. He underscored the pivotal role of promotional banks like MDB in supporting businesses as they innovate, expand, and adapt to the digital transition.
Opening the session, AECM President Guy Selbherr emphasised that innovation is no longer an option but a necessity for growth and resilience. He noted that as SMEs embrace the digital and AI revolution, they face both challenges and exceptional opportunities. “Our role is critical in facilitating this transformation through innovative financing solutions, ensuring businesses can embrace the future with confidence,” he stated.
MDB CEO Paul V. Azzopardi highlighted the transformative impact of digitalisation on economies, arguing that innovation is not just an opportunity but a necessity. He emphasised four key enablers for digital financing: intellectual property, education and skills, collaboration, and collateral. “At MDB, we continue to strengthen our expertise and financing tools to support businesses and the economy in this evolving digital era. Together, we can ensure that innovation drives growth and remains a force for good,” Mr Azzopardi explained.
The OTS served as a valuable platform for extensive knowledge-sharing, with presentations and discussions focused on digital financing, including case studies from Malta, and a special presentation on eCabs Technologies’ digitalisation efforts. Representatives from APS Bank, Bank of Valletta, and HSBC Bank Malta explored the role of Maltese banks in financing digital projects, examining the current risk appetite for digital investments and how financial institutions are supporting innovation in this space.
The workshop also facilitated the exchange of insights and best practices from like-minded institutions such as Finnvera (Finland), Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (Poland), the Romanian Counter Guarantee Fund, and Wallonie Entreprendre (Belgium). This collaborative exchange is vital for enhancing the MDB’s own product and service offerings, ensuring that the knowledge gained will be leveraged to better support the digital transformation of local businesses and the wider Maltese economy.
L-MDB jilqa’ 20 istituzzjoni Ewropea għal diskussjoni dwar il-finanzjament diġitali
Il-Bank Malti għall-Iżvilupp (MDB), bil-kollaborazzjoni tal-Assoċjazzjoni Ewropea tal-Istituzzjonijiet ta’ Garanzija (AECM) tella’ seminar tekniku dwar il-finanzjament diġitali bil-parteċipazzjoni ta’ 20 istituzzjoni Ewropea ewlenija, fosthom istituzzjonijiet ta’ garanziji u banek promozzjonali. Dan l-avveniment serva ta’ pjattaforma mill-aqwa għall-kollaborazzjoni, u offra lill-parteċipanti għarfien u prattika tajba biex ikunu f’pożizzjoni li jappoġġjaw b’mod aħjar lin-negozji għall-qalba diġitali u l-finanzjament meħtieġ għal dan l-għan.
Iċ-Chairman tal-MDB, Leo Brincat, spjega l-isfidi ewlenin fil-finanzjament tal-innovazzjoni diġitali, inkluż l-evalwazzjoni tar-riskji tat-teknoloġiji emerġenti, il-ħolqien ta’ strumenti finanzjarji għall-bżonnijiet ta’ intrapriżi diġitali, u l-ħtieġa li jimtlew in-nuqqasijiet fis-suq bl-għan li jkun xprunat tkabbir sostenibbli. Huwa rrimarka r-rwol kruċjali ta’ banek promozzjonali bħall-MDB fl-appoġġ lin-negozji hekk kif dawn ifittxu li jkunu innovattivi, jespandu u jadattaw għat-transizzjoni diġitali.
Fil-ftuħ tas-sessjoni, il-President tal-AECM Guy Selbherr spjega kif l-innovazzjoni m’għadhiex għażla iżda ħtieġa għat-tkabbir u r-reżiljenza. Huwa nnota li hekk kif l-SMEs qed jaffrontaw ir-revoluzzjoni diġitali u fl-AI, qed jiltaqgħu ma’ sfidi u opportunitajiet kbar. “Ir-rwol tagħna huwa kruċjali biex niffaċilitaw din it-trasformazzjoni permezz ta’ soluzzjonijiet ta’ finanzjament innovattivi, biex niżguraw li n-negozji jistgħu jħarsu lejn il-futur b’kunfidenza,”, żied jgħid.
Il-Kap Eżekuttiv tal-MDB Paul V. Azzopardi tkellem dwar l-impatt trasformattiv tad-diġitalizzazzjoni fuq l-ekonomija u fisser kif l-innovazzjoni saret element neċessarju fid-dinja tan-negozju tal-lum. Huwa semma’ erba aspetti li huma kruċjali fil-qasam tal-finanzjament diġitali: il-proprjetà intellettwali, l-edukazzjonijiet u l-ħiliet, il-kollaborazzjoni u l-kollaterali għas-self. “Fl-MDB, qed insaħħu l-għarfien tagħna u l-għodda ta’ finanzjament biex nappoġġjaw lin-negozji u l-ekonomija f’din l-era l-ġdida. Flimkien, nistgħu niżguraw li l-innovazzjoni tixpruna t-tkabbir u tkun forza għall-ġid”, spjega s-Sur Azzopardi.
Dan is-seminar tekniku serva ta’ pjattaforma utli għal qsim estensiv tal-għarfien, bi preżentazzjonijiet u diskussjonijiet iffukati fuq il-finanzjament diġitali, inkluż studju ta’ każijiet lokali, fosthom il-proċess ta’ trasformazzjoni diġitali tal-kumpanija eCabs Technologies.
Rappreżentanti minn APS Bank, Bank of Valletta, u HSBC Bank Malta esploraw ir-rwol tal-banek lokali fil-finanzjament ta’ proġetti lokali u eżaminaw l-aptit għar-riskju għall-investiment diġitali u kif l-istituzzjonijiet finanzjarji jistgħu jappoġġjaw l-investiment f’dan is-settur.
Is-sessjonijiet iffaċilitaw ukoll bdil ta’ ideat u prattika tajba bi preżentazzjonijiet minn istituzzjonijiet finanzjarji bħal Finnvera (Finlandja), Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (Polonja), il-Fond Rumen ta’ Kontro-Garanzija Rumen u Wallonie Entreprendre (Belġju).
Dan l-iskambju kollaborattiv huwa kruċjali biex l-MDB isaħħaħ il-prodott u s-servizz tiegħu, biex l-għarfien miksub jintuża biex il-Bank jappoġġja b’mod aktar b’saħħtu it-trasformazzjoni diġitali tan-negozji lokali u l-ekonomija Maltija b’mod ġenerali.