Tech legend and co-founder of Apple, Steve Wozniak, has co-founded a blockchain-based company in Malta a.k.a. ‘Blockchain Island.’
Right Place, Right Time, Right People
His new company, Efforce, is planning to provide a platform that will tokenise energy savings, linking companies carrying out energy efficiency projects to investors. Its official website states:
“Efforce® is the first platform that allows contributors to profit from the energy savings generated by energy efficiency projects worldwide.”
Though its been know for some time that Wozniak was considering starting a business in Malta, the official announcement came at a press conference to launch the second edition of the DELTA summit – the official Maltese government-backed annual digital innovation summit.
Discussing his new ventures, Wozniak said:
“As an engineer, the most important thing for me is efficiency, how to get more from less, be it less code or less energy,”
“I’ve got involved with very few companies but I get approached a lot. I like doing things personally and I joined this company because they’re into efficient techniques for ongoing businesses. If you save money on energy that means more profit, which is good for the world. If we manage to use less energy, it will also be good for the environment.”
While co-founder of Efforce, Jacopo Vanetti, added:
“Malta seemed like the perfect fit; it’s the most open-minded country we’ve found in the world and it’s very open to embrace new technology from a practical concept. Everyone was ready to help us when we came here.”
Parliamentary secretary for the digital economy, Silvio Schembri, welcomed Efforce to Malta, saying:
“Malta decided to lead and not to follow. Maybe we were taken with a pinch of salt at first but we’ve now proven that we meant what we said and that we’re open for business.
“We didn’t stop with blockchain either but wanted to look forward into fields like space mining, IOT, big data and game development. This is the present, not the future and we want to live the present and provide a better life for our citizens.”
While Maltese Prime Minster, Joseph Muscat, wasn’t there to meet Wozniak in person, he did call him to welcome him and his new company to the islands.
It was great talking over the phone to @stevewoz to thank him for choosing #Malta as home for his new #blockchain based company -JM @SilvioSchembri pic.twitter.com/UBnbCqoBc2
— Joseph Muscat (@JosephMuscat_JM) July 18, 2019
Efforce is an AitherCO2 project – a company already working with some of the world’s biggest businesses, including Pirelli, MSC, Boeing, Walmart, Cargolux, neos, abbvie, Candy, Miroglio Group, engie, Mitsui & Co. Ltd, Shell, Statkraft, Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, Hertz, Gazprom, Svez, Gunvor, Vattenfall, Vitol, Tamoil, Total, Qatar Airways, BP, Q8, Alitalia, PetroChina, AirItaly, nd Petronas.
Malta – the Surprising Tech Hub at the Heart of the Mediterranean
Despite being the European Union’s smallest nation, Malta is already a tech hub, being home to some of the world’s biggest blockchain-based companies, like major cryptocurrency exchanges Binance and OKEx, and innovative radical fan engagement platforms Chiliz and Socios.com.
Even before it introduced the world’s first comprehensive blockchain and AI business legislation, Malta was already a hub of the online gaming and sports betting industry. And, it has even bigger ambitions, setting its sights on developing a thriving video games and esports industry.
Malta also hosts two of the world’s most important blockchain events, the bi-annual Malta AI & Blockchain Summit, and the annual DELTA Summit, organised by Entrepreneur and Fintech Expert Dr Abdalla Kablan and backed by the government of Malta, which this year also features the first Malta Tech Week, in partnership with OKEx.
