PRESS RELEASE BY THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARIAT FOR YOUTH, RESEARCH AND INNOVATION FUSION Awards 2025: Celebrating Malta’s brightest minds in Applied Research

The Parliamentary Secretary for Youth, Research and Innovation, Keith Azzopardi Tanti, attended and addressed the FUSION Awards 2025, an event organised by Xjenza Malta. The ceremony brought together Maltese researchers, entrepreneurs and academics to celebrate the country's most promising applied research projects, all funded through the TDP LITE programme.

The FUSION Awards were not merely a recognition ceremony but a national platform highlighting the tangible impact of public investment in research—spanning fields from health and engineering to sustainability and digital technologies. A total of 19 innovative projects were exhibited, 9 led by industry and 10 by the University of Malta, underscoring the active contribution of both the private sector and academia to strengthening Malta's research ecosystem.

In his address, Parliamentary Secretary Keith Azzopardi Tanti reiterated the Government's commitment to keeping research and innovation as national priorities. “The projects recognised today are the building blocks in Malta's journey towards a knowledge-based economy. Through the National R&I Strategic Plan 2023–2027, we are investing in curiosity, creativity and excellence. Our researchers and innovators are the architects of tomorrow, and their work is essential for a future built on resilience, knowledge and opportunity."

In his speech, the Chairman of the Consultative Committee of Xjenza Malta, Tonio Portughese, praised the resilience and ingenuity of Malta's scientific community. He noted that the showcased projects reflect a growing, diverse, dynamic and robust innovation ecosystem, adding that Xjenza Malta remains committed to supporting those researchers and innovators who are shaping a smarter and more sustainable future.

The TDP LITE programme, designed to fund applied research with strong potential for commercialisation and societal benefit, continues to play a central role in transforming scientific ideas into real-world solutions. The projects presented this year once again demonstrated how scientific knowledge can be translated into products, services and strategies that create both economic value and social impact.

The FUSION Awards 2025 reaffirmed the transformative role of research in Malta's national development—celebrating not only the results but also the passion and dedication of the people behind them: scientists, engineers, innovators and entrepreneurs who are placing Malta firmly on the map as a centre of excellence for applied research.