Malta’s Start-Up Festival Returns for 5th Edition: Bigger, Bolder, and More Connected

Malta’s flagship entrepreneurial event is back for its fifth consecutive year, celebrating its 5th anniversary this October. This year marks an important milestone: the festival’s 5th anniversary. What began as a small local gathering has grown into a key event on the European start-up calendar, attracting both international and local participants. The 2025 edition is set to be the most ambitious yet, bringing together founders, investors, and ecosystem players from across Europe and beyond.

The highlight of the week will be the main festival days on 23rd and 24th October, when the community gathers for two packed days of content, exhibitions, and networking opportunities.

The festival officially launched during the Spring Meet-Up in April, followed by a series of five lead-up events designed to build momentum. Among the special guests headlining the main stage this October are entrepreneur and digital creator Caspar Lee, British racing driver Nicolas Hamilton, and Malta’s own Gerada brothers, who will share their experiences with the start-up community.

Building Momentum through Lead-up Events

The festival’s roadshow has highlighted key themes shaping today’s entrepreneurial landscape.

• Empowered to Succeed, an event which celebrated female entrepreneurship with a candid panel discussion where women from different industries shared their victories and challenges.
• The Resilient Founder, hosted in Gozo, shifted the focus to mental health and well-being, combining an insightful panel with yoga, stretching, and creative painting sessions.
• Start-Up Ecosystem: Government Collaboration for Growth provided a platform for government agencies to explain how they are supporting start-ups across multiple sectors.
• The final pre-festival event, held in July, featured an exclusive interview with Daymond John, investor on Shark Tank. John shared his entrepreneurial journey and engaged in a lively Q&A session, while founders and ecosystem players used the occasion to network and explore new partnerships.

A Festival Week packed with Opportunities

Start-Up Festival Malta 2025 opens with a day dedicated to students, underlining the importance of creativity, innovation, and well-being among young people. The second day will spotlight the Start-Up Awards, recognising outstanding entrepreneurs and start-ups driving impact in Malta’s innovation ecosystem.

A highlight of this year’s programme is the return of the Pitch Black Competition. Known for its minimalist, high-intensity format, the contest gives founders just a few minutes to convince a panel of judges. For 2025, a new semi-final round on 22nd October will feature 14 start-ups across pre-seed and seed categories. The top eight finalists will advance to the final on 24th October, where they will compete for significant prize packages.

• The pre-seed winner will receive support worth over €125,000.
• The seed winner will walk away with a package valued at more than €350,000.

More than 40 mentors will participate, providing founders with feedback, visibility, and valuable connections, while a jury panel of local and internal experts will deliver expert evaluations and facilitate potential introductions to investors. Learn more here.

Main Start-up Festival Days: 23rd and 24th October

While the festival week offers valuable activities for students and award finalists, the main event takes place on 23rd and 24th October. These two days are the heart of the festival, featuring panel discussions with local and international experts, hands-on workshops, interactive exhibitions, and countless networking opportunities. With a strong focus on connections, the event attracts entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem leaders from Malta and abroad, making it one of the region’s most dynamic entrepreneurial gatherings.

The 2025 edition is made possible with the support of Malta Venture Capital, Transport Malta, Residency Malta, and the Malta Tourism Authority.

Why Malta Matters

Malta has steadily positioned itself as a hub for start-ups in the Mediterranean, offering access to European markets, strong government backing, and a growing base of founders and investors. The Start-Up Festival reflects this evolution: from a modest gathering of local entrepreneurs, it has matured into a platform that bridges Maltese talent with international opportunities.

How to Join

Whether you are looking to launch, scale globally, or invest in the next big idea, Start-Up Festival Malta 2025 offers the perfect chance to connect under the Maltese sun with innovators and decision-makers.

For registrations, updates, schedules, and further information, visit www.startupfestivalmalta.com and follow the festival on social media.