If Malta is to thrive in the coming decades, we must stop thinking of ourselves as a small island and start seeing ourselves as a global testbed for bold ideas. 

Throughout history, small nations have often led the way in innovation. Size has never been a barrier to vision. And Malta, with our strategic location, agile economy, and close-knit communities, has every ingredient to become a living laboratory for the solutions of tomorrow. 

Innovation is not just about new technologies. It is a mindset; a way of solving problems, creating opportunities, and driving national progress. 

Today, our innovation story is fragmented. Yes, we have sectors like gaming and fintech that have grown impressively. But beyond these, innovation in Malta remains underdeveloped. National R&D investment is low, start-ups face hurdles, and public-private partnerships for innovation remain rare. 

This is why we need a complete reset. 

We believe Malta can become a Living Lab for Small Island Innovation; a country where bold solutions to challenges like clean energy, smart tourism, and digital finance are tested, scaled, and exported. 

Gozo will be a key part of this vision. We propose turning Gozo into a testbed for frontier technologies; smart mobility systems, renewable energy grids, and circular economy initiatives. Gozo’s scale, community, and connectivity make it the perfect island-scale innovation lab. 

But innovation cannot be confined to geography. We will launch a Malta Innovation Fund, supporting start-ups and scale-ups tackling national and global challenges, which will be supported by the Malta Venture Capital Fund. The Fund will provide grants, seed capital, and mentoring for businesses working in energy, health tech, fintech, agritech, and more. 

Our education system will also be reimagined to fuel innovation. Instead of teaching facts alone, we will empower students with life skills—problem-solving, systems thinking, and entrepreneurial creativity. We will equip our youth not only to work in innovative industries but to create them. 

Government itself must innovate. Too often, our public services are stuck in outdated processes. We will establish an Innovation and Delivery Unit within the Office of the Prime Minister. Its job will be to drive digital transformation and service delivery across government, using agile methods and new technologies to cut bureaucracy and improve citizens’ lives. 

Innovation also means attracting the right kind of investors. Malta should welcome companies that bring knowledge, create jobs, and invest in our people—not those who simply exploit regulatory loopholes. Our tax and business environment will reward value creation over short-term profit. 

And we will foster a culture where risk is embraced. Failure is not an end, but a lesson. Our regulatory frameworks will support experimentation, sandboxes, and innovation hubs that allow new ideas to be tested safely and quickly. 

Vision 2050 recognises the need for innovation. But Malta’s innovation policy cannot stop at vision papers and strategy documents. It must be lived every day by entrepreneurs, educators, public servants, and citizens. 

We must build a Malta where: 

1. Health tech solutions improve lives across small island states. 

2. Renewable energy innovations power not just our homes but our maritime industries. 

3. Local creators launch digital products that reach global markets. 

4. Public services deliver faster, simpler, and smarter. 

Innovation is how small nations make a global impact. It is how Malta will punch above its weight and build a future-ready economy that is resilient to shocks and rich in opportunity. 

This is not just an economic strategy. It is a mindset shift for the whole country. We will support our entrepreneurs. We will transform our public sector. 

The Nationalist Party is ready to lead this shift. To make innovation not a sector, but a national mission. 

The future will not wait for us to catch up. We must lead. And we will.