The past week was marked with the opening of Noovle's new offices, a new and innovative investment in Gozo that fits four-square into the government's vision of taking Malta and Gozo to the next level and making them islands of innovation, where ideas are born, tried, tested and then shared globally.
Noovle is a Google Cloud Premium Partner that offers its clients Google Cloud initiatives, machine learning and blockchain solutions. This project will see the creation of a research centre to support the technological development of Malta and of companies with regard to cloud, hybrid cloud, machine learning and blockchain processes.
Noovle in Gozo
The network and portfolio which Noovle bring with it is also impressive, as it represents big firms across Italy such as Barilla, Ferrero, Sapienza (Università di Roma), Sky, Eni, Fiat and others. Discussions with the Gozo Ministry and Malta Enterprise have led to Noovle becoming the first company of its kind to be housed in the new Gozo Innovation Hub which is being developed by Malta Industrial Parks at the former MDP plant.
The new offices will occupy the space necessary for creativeness and research in all spheres and industries - a place to come together to work independently, side by side. They will now be able to use small Maltese and Gozitan companies as sandboxes and other computer programmes and use our local talent as drivers, whilst helping Maltese and Gozitan students to improve their professional skills.
It is in the country's interest to attract new entrepreneurs and start-ups, with investors using such products as Google Cloud infrastructure and blockchain. As the Prime Minister said, blockchain is just the start of a longer chain that will attract more companies involved in artificial intelligence, the internet of things, cloud computing and other new technological industries. Local industries, ranging from pharmaceutics to currency printers, with their security requirements and facilities, as well as educational institutions, can benefit from new services at the Innovation Hub in Xewkija.
Gozo's economic growth
This new project in Gozo fits into the wider picture of the government's vision for further economic growth. For the past five years, our country has consistently been one of the best performing eurozone economies in terms of economic growth and financial stability. At a national level, most of the rapid economic growth is being fuelled by tourism, as well as by new economy services such as gaming, ICT and financial services.
The economy of Gozo has benefitted from - and contributed to - growth at national level, growing by over five per cent per annum in per capita terms over the past two years. Gozo offers a complementary but distinct economic result to that of the island of Malta. The island-region excels in providing an ecological brand for both tourism and residential investment. Building on its natural and arhcitectural assets, and its solid traditions in agriculture and marine crafts, Gozo attracts short and long-term visitors who want to enjoy a typically Mediterranean lifestyle.
In addition, Gozo is innovative - as evidenced by the high-quality services provided in its typically boutique accommodation and the ongoing investment in sustainable cultural regeneration which is lauded at the European level. But Gozo is much more than tourism. Barts Hospital, and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, have teamed up with the Government of Malta to establish a medical school in Gozo, providing state-of-the-art teaching facilities, just a short walk away from the centre of Gozo's main town of Victoria. Steward Healthcare, the largest hospital operator in the United States, will be responsible for developing a medical hub at the Gozo Hospital, offering excellent medical services to both the local community and visitors.
IT companies such as Thynk software, with its innovations centre, and RS2 software, are success stories of IT companies that have set up shop in Gozo. Noovle now complements the whole concept, with Gozo's natural serenity offering the ideal backdrop in which to work and relax, while connecting efficiently with the entire world.
Tourism's wider picture
Tourism is a vital industry for our island-region and its multiplier effect spills to other parallel or corollary sectors. The attraction of Gozo from a residential aspect is in a large part attributable to its natural vocation in tourism activities, in turn supported by a network of retail and other personal service activities and family-run businesses. The island also offers world-class digital connectivity and provides the right working spaces within a congenial living environment. It is located an hour away from an international airport that serves six million passengers annually, with connections to over 90 destinations.
Of course, connectivity has always been a challenge, although remedial measures are constantly in place. At present, the island is served by a frequent ferry service operating a 20-minute crossing from the mainland island and transporting some 1.6 million vehicles and five million passengers a year. The development of a tunnel between Gozo and Malta is an opportunity for Gozo and for the national economy as well. More than an end in itself, the tunnel project is to be viewed as an integral part of a sustainable development plan for Gozo with important positive effects for the national economy as a whole.
Whether for a residential or business purpose, any investor will note that Gozo is much greener than the main island, with coastal features and beaches even more impressive. The approach by sea is marked by a landscape of elevations where natural hills intersperse with historical forts and temples. Gozo offers the visitor all modern amenities but in the village cores and countryside, the experiences remain authentically those of the farming, fishing and crafts families. The historical artefacts blend with millennial landscapes to provide a deep experience of confluence between history, nature and the values of a community marked by hardship but strengthened by endurance and skills to face challenges.
Our futuristic vision
Our vision for Gozo can be summarised in three keywords: idyllic, connected nmd innovative. 'Idyllic' is the cornerstone characteristic of the island, endowed as it is with a rich environmental and cultural heritage capital. 'Connected' is a key facility for Gozo to provide for its population and visitors, if it is to be relevant within the region. 'Innovative' is the future of Gozo. Our island-region will be serving as a showcase for small island development, providing the right blend of synergetic interaction between traditional and innovative economic activities.
Together with my fellow Gozitans, I look to the future with optimism. We are eager to forge new partnerships with businesses that are capable of growing on the island in a manner that is consistent with its long-term vision of a higher value-added and idyllic destination. In conjunction with the private sector and the wider spectrum of stakeholders, the Gozo Ministry is focused on - and committed to - economic innovation and environmental sustainability.