Start in Malta — Malta Enterprise's integrated startup finance and talent-attraction programme

Start in Malta is an integrated programme operated by Malta Enterprise, the national economic development agency, designed to attract and fund technology startups and international entrepreneurs who choose Malta as their base.

What it does: The programme provides startup finance through the Start-up Finance Scheme, offering grants and soft loans to early-stage companies in FinTech, MedTech, robotics and digital assets. It is complemented by the Malta Digital Innovation Authority (MDIA) regulatory sandbox, the digitalisation of all government services (100% online), and a streamlined visa pathway for international founders. Malta's MiCA-ready framework for digital assets and DLT, combined with one of Europe's most competitive IP Box regimes, forms the regulatory backdrop.

Results: Since 2020, the Start-up Finance Scheme has approved 66 projects receiving €30 million in funds; the startups operate in sectors including FinTech, MedTech and robotics; average startup wages are €45,000 — double the national average. Malta Enterprise reports 300+ new tech startups supported in five years. The 2024 Startup Nations Standard (SNS) Report by the Europe Startup Nations Alliance (ESNA) — evaluating 24 EU member states — ranked Malta 4th in Europe for innovative startups, with a perfect 100/100 score in Talent Attraction & Retention (the only category where Malta achieved a perfect score). A new €30 million follow-on programme was announced in November 2025 to deepen Malta's integration into the European startup ecosystem.

Why it is a good practice: Malta Enterprise demonstrates how a small island nation-state can use a single statutory agency to align startup finance, regulatory innovation (MiCA/DLT sandbox), international talent attraction and digital government into a coherent offering that achieves EU-top-quartile performance on talent metrics. Read more: https://maltaenterprise.com/

Read the full analysis: https://maltaenterprise.com/