Microsoft Innovation Center (MIC) is collaborating with blockchain startup æternity to support the growth of blockchain technology in Malta.
Under the partnership, Microsoft and æternity, through its investment arm, AE Ventures, will host regular blockchain events in Malta. The objective is to position the country as a friendly jurisdiction for blockchain businesses to launch and incorporate.
Mary Downing, Manager of Microsoft Innovation Center, welcomed æternity as the second Microsoft Innovation Center partners. Last month, Harvest Technology signed on as the first partner of the MIC.
“Having æternity promote and nurture blockchain startups from the Microsoft Innovation Center will not only bring a more flexible development of new technology but will also be an opportunity to promote blockchain as a tangible technology that brings real value,” Downing said.
According to a press release, the first event to be hosted by MIC and AE Ventures will be a weeklong intensive training program for blockchain startups, which kicks off today, November 04. After reviewing more than100 blockchain startups from around the world, Æternity’s global accelerator program Starfleet has invited 15 to participate in the program.
Following the program, 10 startups will be selected for an additional five weeks of mentorship, which will culminate with a Demo Day at which selected teams will win an investment offer of up to $100,000 in AE tokens and an additional six months of mentorship and acceleration.
Malta has been increasingly making efforts to position the country as the global blockchain hub. It is one of the seven European countries that have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for cooperation and sharing of knowledge in the area of distributed ledger technologies. Other initiatives include the deployment of blockchain technology for the national business registry, property rental contracts, and more.
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