Oct 04, 2012
Oct 04, 2012
Microsoft Malta today signed a Memorandum of Understanding with GO and BMIT which effectively makes the two companies partners of the Microsoft Innovation Center.
The agreement was signed between Adrianna Zammit, Country Manager at Microsoft Malta, Yiannos Michaelides, Chief Executive Officer at GO and Christian Sammut, Chief Executive Officer of BMIT.
Microsoft Innovation Centers are state-of-the-art technology facilities that foster active collaboration on innovative research, technology and software solutions, involving a combination of government, academia and industry participants. To date, only around 110 MICs exist in over 40 countries worldwide which to date have reached 1.1 million students and ICT professionals in the past few years.
“The Microsoft Innovation Center is a tangible project, a physical collaboration between Microsoft and the ICT Community in Malta and its success depends on the collaboration and initiative of all players in the sector,” explains Adrianna Zammit during the signing of the memorandum. “In Malta, The MIC – open to students, professional software developers, IT professionals, entrepreneurs and academic researchers – will be an opportunity for them to come together, share ideas and projects and turn them into innovative realities. Therefore, we are proud to have GO and BMIT as our two partners endorsing the MIC as this reflects the high professional services that this project will be delivering to all those utilizing our MIC,” added Ms Zammit.
As the primary resource responsible for all phases of the MIC project, Microsoft Malta is responsible for the initial setup, management and supervision of the components, co-funding, and provision of human and educational resources, training assistance, business development, and other support.
GO CEO Yiannos Michaelides said “we are proud that GO is establishing itself as the communications partner of the Microsoft Innovation Center in Malta and will work towards achieving the program objectives and building a sustainable entity with visible impact on the Maltese technology sector. GO’s role will be to supply the data infrastructure needed for the Innovation Center including on-premises network active equipment, high speed Internet connection over fibre, voice connectivity and providing start-ups with competitive communications packages.”
“Becoming the official hosting and cloud services provider of the Microsoft Innovation Center in Malta confirms BMIT’s role as Malta’s leading data centre and cloud services company and we are delighted to have such an active role in the formation of this new exciting project,” said Christian Sammut, CEO of BMIT. “In line with our commitment to contribute towards the successful creation and implementation of the MIC, BMIT’s role will be to engage jointly with the MIC stakeholders to grow the technical and non-technical Cloud Computing competence in the local market. BMIT already supports a number of start-ups and with this recent collaboration, we will also be providing Cloud Services offerings at advantageous rates for target groups engaged at the MIC” noted Mr Sammut.
Elaborating on the MIC’s operations, Edward Portelli, MIC Business Development Manager said “Microsoft Innovation Centers are jointly operated by Microsoft and its partners. While each Center tunes its programs to the specific local needs of the country where it operates, all MICs services that seek to accelerate technology advances and stimulate local software economies through skills and professional training, industry partnerships and innovation.”
“As such, the Microsoft Innovation Center in Malta will focus on three main pillars namely programs that focus on developing the latest technical and business skills, the promotion of entrepreneurship by providing mentorship and logistical support to startups and innovative projects as well as promoting local innovation both locally and overseas” concluded Mr Portelli.
