Malta has lengthy been related to tourism and leisure, however lately, the nation has more and more aligned itself with Europe’s rising tech and startup scene. Somewhat than lagging, Malta has steadily developed the infrastructure wanted to help innovation, laying the groundwork for a extra diversified and aggressive economic system.
This evolution has been pushed by a mix of constant authorities backing and the expansion of digital innovation hubs, which collectively have helped appeal to worldwide expertise and help the scaling of high-growth corporations. The outcomes at the moment are seen.
From 2024 to 2025, Malta earned recognition among the many EU’s main locations for revolutionary startups, together with a 4th-place rating in a Europe-wide Startup Nations report, as highlighted on this article.
Constructing on this momentum, Malta will as soon as once more host the EU-Startups Summit for its 2026 version. Going down on 7 and eight Might, the occasion is ready to welcome round 2,500 attendees for 2 targeted days of innovation, networking, and change, additional reinforcing the nation’s place inside Europe’s startup ecosystem.
We now have compiled a listing of 10 startups, all based from 2020 onwards, which are making waves in Malta’s startup scene and pushing the nation’s innovation panorama ahead throughout a number of sectors.
BigKarma: Based in San Gwann, this studio builds unique video games that extends past gaming into leisure, toys, or merchandise. Its flagship venture is a sports activities technique online game that introduces motion heroes with disabilities, addressing illustration gaps in gaming for a worldwide viewers of over one billion individuals with disabilities.
Its first main venture is Phenoms, a sports activities technique online game that includes over 40 licensed athletes with seen and non-visible disabilities who every have superpowers and vulnerabilities as core gameplay components. BigKarma was launched in 2020, and since then, it has efficiently secured €47k in funding.
Binderr: Launched in 2020, this Naxxar-based FinTech startup develops a digital tax administration answer designed particularly for freelancers and small companies. Its core product is a subscription-based app that simplifies tax submitting and book-keeping by giving customers a transparent, real-time overview of their tax obligations, together with upcoming returns, quantities due, and deadlines. The platform additionally permits customers to add receipts and routinely categorises bills for VAT and different tax necessities, making it notably suited to self-employed professionals with restricted tax experience.
By combining tax monitoring with connections to accountants, attorneys, banks, and different professionals, Binderr streamlines monetary administration and reduces administrative overhead via a single dashboard. The platform’s €4.73 million in funding so far highlights its sturdy market match and the rising demand for streamlined enterprise options.
Elantil: This Birkirkara-based startup is altering the sport for on-line casinos and sportsbooks by providing a versatile, one-size-fits-all iGaming system. Operators get full management over their tech stack, free to select and join solely the parts they want, and adapt all the things as they develop. Their core is its Operational Administration System, a central dashboard the place operators deal with gamers, video games, funds, compliance, and every day operations, multi functional place.
Launched in 2024, the early-stage startup focuses on offering the software program spine that powers playing companies. It equips operators with the instruments and adaptability to construct and scale their platforms on their very own phrases.
FUNNZ: Headquartered in Valletta, FUNNZ is a web based on line casino operator based in 2024 that develops digital playing experiences designed to be extra participating, social, and user-friendly. The platform positions itself as a scalable operator, combining expertise, knowledge, and user-experience design to ship tailor-made gaming environments.
To help this strategy, FUNNZ allows real-time gameplay, safe cost processing, and strict regulatory controls. The startup additionally depends on CRM and data-analytics programs to personalise presents, section gamers, monitor engagement, and optimise promotions and loyalty programmes, all delivered via fastidiously designed interfaces, promotion engines, reward mechanics, and website layouts aimed toward enhancing enjoyment and general playtime.
Just Slots: This gaming software program developer, Ta’ Xbiex-based, creates slot video games for on-line on line casino operators, combining trade expertise with a data-driven growth strategy. The startup creates recreation titles which are enjoyable and various, providing one thing for each sort of participant. On the identical time, they make it straightforward for operators so as to add these video games to their platforms, due to versatile and easy integration.
Based in 2023, the startup raised €1.2 million in funding and launched its first titles, Sugar Heaven and Shogun Skylord, in 2024. Following an preliminary output of round 10 video games in its first 12 months, it now plans to scale manufacturing to 18 titles in its second 12 months, supported by partnerships with platforms similar to Hub88, Rhino Leisure, and Stake.com.
MannaEV: Launched in 2023 in Birkirkara, this startup operates an on-demand supply platform constructed round electrical mobility and battery-swapping expertise. Its service allows same-day deliveries with real-time monitoring. The platform is designed to optimise supply routes, help a number of drop-offs and hold operational prices low with out compromising velocity or reliability.
Whereas funding particulars haven’t been publicly disclosed, the corporate works with native companions and stakeholders to scale its eco-friendly supply operations. Positioning itself throughout the rising inexperienced mobility and logistics sector, MannaEV has acknowledged an ambition to contribute to a carbon-free Malta by 2030 via using electrical autos and sustainable logistics practices.
MetaverseME: Working on the intersection of gaming, avatars and augmented actuality (AR), this Is-Swieqi-based startup builds interactive experiences designed to boost how customers work together and socialise on-line. It primarily focuses on personalised digital identities, permitting customers to create and customise practical avatars that can be utilized throughout immersive video games and AR-driven social content material.
Its product portfolio consists of the ME! Avatar App, in addition to multiplayer titles similar to KickOff Evolution and United Soccer, which mix gameplay with digital collectables and social interplay mechanics. Launched in 2021, MetaverseME has secured €1.28 million in funding so far.
Octoplay: Launched in 2022, Octoplay focuses on constructing high-quality on line casino content material for regulated markets. This recreation studio develops slot and smash video games designed with a mobile-first mindset. They create their very own proprietary Distant Gaming Server, which permits video games to be delivered rapidly to companions whereas assembly the technical and compliance necessities of throughout completely different international locations.
This Valletta-based recreation studio expanded quickly throughout Europe and North America and have stablished partnerships with operators similar to BetMGM, Laborious Rock Wager, Kindred Group and Evoke Group. Its portfolio consists of titles like Eggsponential, Pearly Shores and Lollicat, alongside customized jackpot programs similar to Jackpot Hunt and operator-specific options like BetMGM’s Jackpot Blitz.
paytently: Headquartered in Sliema and launched in 2022, Paytently develops a cost platform designed to simplify and optimise how companies course of transactions throughout a number of cost suppliers. Their app allows corporations to connect with banks and different cost strategies via a single API, lowering technical complexity whereas enhancing cost efficiency and reliability.
By way of using AI and machine studying, they automate duties similar to route transactions, rising authorisation charges and reducing cost failures. In parallel, the platform features a built-in danger administration engine that helps defend companies from fraud whereas providing shoppers seamless inside cost connectivity, positioning the startup as an infrastructure supplier for safe and scalable digital funds. In mild of those developments, Paytently has raised €2 million in funding so far.
Smart Materials: Launched in 2020, Sensible Supplies is establishing itself throughout the Maltese startup ecosystem by growing superior supplies used to fabricate auxetic foam. It’s a materials recognized for its capacity to broaden laterally when stretched and outperform conventional polyurethane foams. Whereas auxetic foam has been researched for many years, large-scale manufacturing had beforehand confirmed unfeasible, even for main chemical and shopper items teams. Nonetheless, Sensible Supplies expertise allows scalable manufacturing, opening the door to broader industrial adoption.
They aim the mattress trade, the place their foam can ship improved efficiency at a decrease value. Past performance, the fabric additionally addresses sustainability challenges by lowering plastic use and simplifying end-of-life recycling, positioning the startup on the intersection of supplies innovation and round economic system targets. Due to all its materials developments, they’ve raised €18.9 million in funding.
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