Following the success of the past AIBC Summits in Dubai, Toronto, and the Balkans, SiGMA Group organised the flagship event. This November, the best names in Crypto, Blockchain, and Emerging Technologies have assembled for Malta Week 2022.
In the centre of the Mediterranean, from the 14th to the 18th of November, delegates, investors, and future entrepreneurs gathered in Malta.
As 2022 comes to an end, which was a very busy year, here are some of the things that delegates can expect from SiGMA Group in the coming year.
KOL-led conferences on the latest Crypto/Blockchain trends
The recent few months were by far the most tumultuous suffered by the Crypto and Blockchain communities on the whole. Left to sift through the fog left behind by the ongoing bear market and various scandals by major organisations, the most prolific thought leaders in the space were gathered under one roof to share their insights.
The “father of Blockchain,” Scott Stornetta, spoke on the stage and offered some contentious but extremely important observations on the current FTX and other Crypto/Blockchain scandals.
“Scandals such as the FTX fiasco prove there is a collision between the ideals of what Blockchain can accomplish and how it ends up being used in the real world.”
High-end Crypto Consultant and influencer Megan Nilsson, known on the web as Crypto Megan, urged investors to look at the ongoing turmoil as an opportunity for growth of the sector. A bear market is not only a natural part of any given market cycle, but also the gateway to both short and long-term investments.
Regarding the recent scandals in the space, Megan remarked how investors are also partially responsible for their losses. “People are putting too much faith in so-called ‘thought leaders’ and their reputations, when it should be on the algorithm.”
Interestingly, the topic of regulation in the wake of disaster has often cropped up. Unconventional, given the Space’s focus on being a self-sustaining force of nature that is decentralised and free of external regulation.
Perhaps the antidote to the chaos, caused on some level by lax regulation, is cautious regulatory action without stifling development of new tech. Kenneth Brincat, CEO of the Malta Department of Innovation (MDIA) outlined the necessity of a strong structure and instruments to foster healthy growth without limiting innovation. “To see continued growth, it is crucial that we empower creators and users of such technology with appropriate regulation.”
Rewarding Genius with AIBC Europe Awards and Pitch
The AIBC Awards, which were presented by Rick Goddard and Jessica Walker and highlighted the accomplishments of several well-known figures in the field, saw the winners take home the highly sought-after AIBC trophy. The awards ceremony provided the opportunity for some of the brightest minds in the industry to come together for a fun gala night.
The SiGMA Foundation’s philanthropic endeavours received some much-needed funding thanks to an entertaining bidding war during the charity auction and later that night, the Luxarcana Dancers took the stage with an incredible light display.
Other exclusive networking opportunities included VIP dinners and the AIBC Party, which featured the great Rick Ross as the main attraction.
The AIBC Europe Summit hosted not one but two pitch competitions. Both AIBC Europe Pitch Award and GameFi Pitch Award were SiGMA Group’s way of giving back to the startup community.
The AIBC Europe Pitch champions for this year are Encore Fans. Encore is working hard to revolutionise the connection between brands and users by giving businesses the power to directly compensate consumers in return for their data. Today’s marketers spend more than $50 billion collecting data from 3rd parties, so their approach brings efficiency and streamlines the process.
Arena Games later took home the GameFi Pitch award. They promised to offer a comprehensive Web3 infrastructure that would link online and mobile games, as well as conventional games, creators, and players, with an emphasis on simplicity and security.
The Med-Tech World Europe Summit: Healthtech in the spotlight
Med-Tech World is SiGMA Group’s gateway into the digital health and healthtech front of emerging technologies. It sets the ultimate stage for doctors and related professionals to display and discuss the latest advancements in healthcare.
Hon. Chris Fearne, Malta’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health, gave an eye-opening keynote on Malta’s impact on healthcare innovation for Europe. “Malta is pushing major healthcare developments in Europe, from eLabelling to continued improvement of our many digital services assisting healthcare providers and innovating patient care.”
An incredible piece of news covered during the conference was the University of Malta’s partnership with Ottawa Hospital Research Institute for Astronaut Blood Research Studies. The Polaris Program is a first-of-its-kind effort to rapidly advance human spaceflight capabilities while continuing to raise funds and awareness for important causes here on
Earth. The study on blood and haemoglobin profiling of human astronauts from the Polaris Dawn mission is led by Professor Joseph Borg.
Besides the conferences, a big part of the summit is Med-Tech World’s own awards night. Also taking place at the Hilton Hotel, the event leads the celebration for medical innovation and digital healthcare.
Med-Tech World’s own Pitch competition was won by Implandata, who are introducing home monitoring and home management for glaucoma patients. They were represented by CEO Max G. Ostermeier, who said “In healthcare in general, but especially for eye doctors, innovation is the primary driving force. Of course, everyone is looking for the best solution to improving patient care.”
Farewell 2022, welcome 2023!
That’s it for 2022 and we can all agree it was a great one! As we look back, we can’t help but get excited for what is yet to come. Opening up next year’s annual chain of events is the first-ever African Summit. That’s right! The SiGMA, AGS, AIBC and Med-Tech World Summits are breaking ground in Africa this January, heading to Nairobi in Kenya. Furthermore, attracting the biggest industry names has become SiGMA Group’s traditional selling point. Set to highlight the stage, serial entrepreneur and investor Gary Vaynerchuk, is confirmed as a keynote speaker for the 2023 AIBC Summit Dubai next March. Bound to explore new emerging markets such as Sao Paulo, Manilla and Cyprus, the agenda cooked up for 2023 is too bustling to miss.
