As a Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC), it brings together more than 400 partners from business, academia, the public and non-profit sectors to create networks of expertise, through which innovative products, services and systems are developed, brought to market and scaled up for impact. 

While EIT Climate-KIC has been working since 2010, its activities reached Malta in 2016 when the EIT Climate-KIC Hub was established. It has been a challenging, yet beautiful journey to bring innovation expertise and a diverse, ambitious network to the island. 

Given Malta’s unique geographic setting, it is highly susceptible to climate change and its effects. The Maltese government has identified innovation as one of the key ingredients to not only come up with necessary solutions to climate change, but also for catching up with other smaller European Union member states in terms of industrial and academic performance. Malta forms part of the Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS) under the European Institute for Innovation and Technology (EIT), helping to develop the country’s local innovation ecosystem while boosting its potential to tackle the adverse effects of climate change.

In 2019, the Hub expanded and welcomed two new organisations: AquaBioTech Group and the current Hub Coordinator, the Malta College of Art Science and Technology (MCAST). The Hub further expanded in 2021 to welcome the Energy and Water Agency. Together, these entities are working towards implementing strategic programmes in education and entrepreneurship. The Hub is working closely with key stakeholders, including the Ministry for Environment, Climate Change and Planning (MECP), to achieve national environmental and climate targets and boost Malta’s capacity to take on innovative projects whilst creating links among local entities working towards similar climate goals.