Technology
SmartCity: What’s in it for me?
By MaltaMedia News
May 6, 2008 - 11:40:25 AM

SmartCity Malta is a joint venture between SmartCity and the Government of Malta; their mutual aim is to be recognised as the “predominant ICT and media business park provider in the Mediterranean region” while assisting in the creation of knowledge based clusters within self-sustained townships Chris Cole, Chief Operating Officer of SmartCity Malta told Junior Chamber International (JCI) Malta during one of the organisation’s Boardroom Meeting sessions.

Organised by JCI Malta, the Boardroom Meeting is a series of interviews with entrepreneurs. During each session, the guests share their personal and professional experiences and address queries by members and the public on any particular project or practice. 

Mr Cole said SmartCity Malta will create the right atmosphere for businesses - from multinationals, to start-ups – with a one-stop-shop experience aiming to ease the process of setting up and a hassle-free operation. Mr Cole added that the SmartCity model, tried and tested in Dubai with clusters such as Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City and Dubai Knowledge Village, is successful as it facilitates operations’ businesses allowing them to concentrate on their core performance and success without red tape.

SmartCity Malta will also create a ‘network of opportunities’ with other knowledge-industry centres. ICT and media businesses operating from SmartCity Malta will be able to expand globally through the SmartCity network and have easier access to different markets, talent pools, possibilities of business partnership and sharing of market intelligence. The way the SmartCity concept is structured also facilitates ICT and media companies to invest and develop competencies in niche sectors.

Mr Cole explained that SmartCity Malta will not only offer opportunities to ICT and media businesses, but also to other amenities that are required to fulfil the SmartCity lifestyle. This will include retail and recreational facilities, hotels, residential complexes, health and fitness clubs, meeting and leisure areas, social and cultural events, clinics, schools, educational institutions and day-care centres.

Highlighting Malta’s strengths and weaknesses for SmartCity Malta, Mr Cole said “Malta ticks the right boxes of success with its; multi-lingual and skilled knowledge workers, government’s strong commitment and vision to an ICT future, EU membership, social and economic stability, cost-advantage when compared to European standards, and safe and secure environment.  On the other hand, there are certain limitations (not to be misinterpreted as obstacles) which include a limited domestic market for ICT, low economies of scale, small-sized local talent pool, low profile in global ICT industry, paucity of global industry linkages, and the present absence of ICT clusters”.  



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