Iknow, the Italy-Malta project, participated in Incontrimpresa 2019 Connext – Sicilia Catania and Syracuse on 11 October 2019
Iknow, the Italy-Malta project, participated in Incontrimpresa 2019 Connext – Sicilia Catania and Syracuse on 11 October 2019.
Opportunities to boost entrepreneurial competitiveness between Sicily and Malta.
On 11th October, an industrial partnership event was held at the Isab-Lukoil premises in Melilli, namely ‘Incontrimpresa 2019 Connext- Sicilia Catania-Siracusa’. It was organised by Confindustria, the Italian confederation of industries, of Catania and Syracuse. The Scientific and Technology Park of Sicily participated as the lead partner of the cooperation project Interreg V-A Italy-Malta Interregional Key Networking for Open Innovation EmpoWerment, including also the University of Messina, Kore University of Enna, University of Malta, and Arkimede, a partner of the Messina-based incubator Innesta. Here are just some of the event’s figures: 120 enterprises participated as exhibitors; more than 400 business meetings took place according to the schedule; more than 500 visitors; seminars about the toughest challenges southern Italy needs to tackle divided into 4 thematic meetings focussing on: from the energy transition to innovation; from urban regeneration and infrastructure to future opportunities for Sicilian enterprises within the Mediterranean region.
Ms Nicoletta Paparone, the project’s communication manager, gave a speech focussing on ‘Be innovative to be competitive’. She presented the opportunities already available to start actions and networks and the services the entrepreneurial system can access to strengthen synergic agreements and set up new businesses, especially with competitive cross-border networks, with an approach aimed at open innovation.
An excellent and easy opportunity has been created for talented entrepreneurs, start-ups, spin-offs, and innovative enterprises ready to engage in challenging entrepreneurial projects that can be replicated and launched on the international market. That opportunity is the Competition Call whose deadline is 20th October. The ten best ideas from Sicily and Malta will participate in a mentoring programme to identify the best ‘go-to-market’ strategies and meet national and international investors from their first development stages.
Then two other Open Innovation Working Labs will be soon organised in Messina and Enna to create opportunities to meet and exchange experiences between innovative enterprises, start-ups and experts with the aim of encouraging new entrepreneurial ideas and cooperation activities.
Next year, in 2020, two business matchmaking events will be organized in Malta and Sicily with the aim of signing cross-border commercial agreements.
