II144 - A Successful Start for the Virtual Island Summit! Will You Join us for the Last Day? 🏝

The 5th anniversary of the Virtual Island Summit got off to a flying start!

The first 3 days were marked by insightful remarks by policymakers, thought leaders, innovators and researchers from around the world. Thousands of people have joined sessions covering topics such as food and water security, cultural preservation, healthcare to remote locations, blue economy, renewable energy and much more. They also shared knowledge and connected in different networking sessions.

The Virtual Island Summit is also taking place on the ground!

#VIS2023 local hubs have started! Island Innovation Ambassadors have been organising local events on a variety of topics linked to the different challenges island communities encounter. From sustainable tourism to conservation, these local hubs have been key for more inclusivity and accessibility on the ground.

AOSIS x Only One: Call to action for world leaders to support the Loss and Damage Fund

The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and Only One have launched a petition urging world leaders to support the Loss and Damage Fund at the upcoming COP28 climate conference in December. 

The Loss and Damage Fund is a fund intended to help developing countries cope with the costs of climate change, such as damage to infrastructure and livelihoods. It is critical that citizens from all corners of the world speak up and urge leaders to keep their commitments to launch the fund this year and support climate-vulnerable countries. The petition has already been signed by over 30,000 people from around the world.

Read and sign the petition

This week’s highlights

More island stories

• The tiny Caribbean nation leading the fight for slavery reparations
• Meet Cape Verde’s Nancy Moreira, IOC Olympic Solidarity Scholar and African boxing champion
• Tiny Pacific island nation seeks ocean sponsors in novel conservation plan
• Puerto Rico hopes solar project will secure electric grid for future hurricanes
• Highlands and Islands: Rural backwater to industrial powerhouse
• Caribbean countries meet in Jamaica to share their experiences on waste management to better protect the environment

The Startup Festival Malta 2023

Featuring a range of speakers from the international business scene, high-impact entrepreneurs, and leaders from Malta’s civil society and government, the Startup Festival Malta will be a knowledge-sharing experience like no other.

Ranked 21st globally in the 2022 Global Innovation Index by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Malta’s half-million population has an outsized impact within the entrepreneurship ecosystem.

It should come as no surprise then that the nation is increasingly becoming a hub for startups.

With a campus split between thought-provoking panels, tailor-made practical workshops, and an expanded exhibition space, this two-day event (5th-6th October) offers a matchmaking opportunity for startups and scale-ups looking at raising funds via local and international business angels and VCs. New additions to this year’s Festival include: a pitch competition - ’Pitch Black’ - which will see founders pitch their prospects to a professional panel of judges and compete for a service package; and the launch of Malta Enterprise’s new podcast, ‘Business Matters’. To secure your attendance and ensure you are part of the innovation, be sure to register:

Register today

Thank you for reading!