Whether Gozo is an island, or a region, or part of Malta does not really matter. What really matters is that Gozo has always been, and still remains, a case on its own, with very specific and unique realities that always needed to be addressed in equally specific and unique ways.

We have been thinking in these terms for many years. Way back in the 1990s, conferences and seminars were organised by banks and other entities in a bid to try and address new ways how Gozo’s potential could be leveraged. Today, albeit its advancement, certain needs remain crucial. What stands out is how this small island and its people want to keep up with the times without losing the unique traits that make Gozo and Gozitans so spectacularly inimitable.

I am a proud leader of an IT solutions and software company based in Malta which however, knows its origins in Gozo. Its founders were Gozitan entrepreneurs who knew that to succeed in our line of business they had to move to Malta. They pushed the company forward through sheer determination, passion and commitment and today we are proud partners of a global company like Microsoft.

Today, our company with Gozitan roots is coming back to front Microsoft’s new presence in Gozo in what is probably one of the island’s most exciting IT projects at the moment – the Gozo Innovation Hub. Through this new destination, J2 Group will be showcasing Microsoft’s technology with special focus on AI and how Microsoft’s technology can help Gozo’s communities achieve more.

Gozo’s uniqueness means that it holds great potential when it comes to introducing and testing technologies
In Malta, the Microsoft Innovation Centre has been a huge success, bringing together businesses, start-ups and those involved in education to learn more about the evolution of newer technologies such as cloud computing, big data, blockchain, igaming, AI and virtual reality. Through its Digigirlz programme, the MIC was also an amazing platform to promote IT careers among female students.

We will therefore be replicating the success that the MIC has had in Malta, here in Gozo. All those wanting to access Microsoft’s resources, be it businesspeople, teachers, developers, entrepreneurs, start-ups or students will now be able to do so from here.

Gozo’s uniqueness also means that it holds great potential when it comes to introducing and testing technologies that can help its people in their everyday life. We will be bringing many AI-related technologies that help the farming industry, the health sector, traffic management such as smart parking, education and even technology that enhances the cultural experience of those who visit Gozo.

Two of Gozo’s main challenges however remain: retaining Gozo’s home-grown talent and attracting businesses to the island which would make sure that this talent is not lost.

Our commitment at the Business Innovation Hub is to increase the people working with us, but finding talented people to work in this industry, especially developers, remains an issue. We do have developers working here on products and some exciting projects, but this is not enough.

It is a bit of a chicken-and-egg situation – Gozitan youths think they won’t find jobs in Gozo so they relocate to Malta and at the same time, businesses who would be interested to consider setting up an operation in Gozo struggle to find the right people in Gozo because most people with potential are relocating to Malta.

Without the right incentives, companies will find it hard to locate in Gozo and offer employment to the many talented Gozitans. On the other hand, Gozitans cannot be expected to take a leap of faith and wait until the right investors come to Gozo. They too need to evolve, advance and succeed.

We are proud to be partnering with Microsoft in this new exciting project for Gozo not only because of the new business opportunities we will have but also because through this, we will be helping this island and its people thrive more. Gozo holds a lot of potential and now, with Microsoft here in Gozo, the opportunities are truly endless.

We hope this new partnership will show that if companies like Microsoft believe in Gozo, more companies should recognise the potential of this region and its resourceful people.

Brian Darmanin is CEO of J2 Group, partners of Microsoft Malta