NOOVLE TO BUILD BLOCKCHAIN RESEARCH CENTRE IN GOZO

Gozo gets in on the Blockchain Island action, as Noovle announces new research centre.

Malta is already known as ‘Blockchain Island’ but now even it’s little brother Gozo is getting in on the act, as a company announces plans to build a blockchain research centre on the tiny island.

According to Maltese media, Noovle, an Italian firm which is a Google Cloud Premium Partner offering Google Cloud initiatives, machine learning and blockchain solutions to clients including Barilla, Ferrero, Sapienza (Università di Roma), Sky, Eni, Fiat, is planning to invest €650,000 in a new facility on the small island.

For those unfamiliar with the Maltese islands, the archipelago consists of three main islands, Malta, Gozo and Comino. The vast majority of the population of almost half a million live on the main island of Malta, with just over 30,000 living on the much smaller northern island of Gozo (Comino, located in between, has a miniscule permanent population of just 3).

Though plans for a bridge or tunnel have been rumoured for many years, right now the only way to reach the ‎67 km2 island of Gozo is by a thirty minute ferry crossing of the Gozo Channel, and tourism is the only substantial industry. Because of this though, rents, both residential and commercial, whilst skyrocketing around the iGaming hubs on Malta, like Sliema, are still relatively low on Gozo.

Recently, this has been attracting interest from various developers, exemplified by the Barts medical school project (though this has been fraught with problems), and there are plans for reopening a small airport (currently languishing as a rarely used heliport), upgrading the main harbour, and adding a new yacht marina on the island.

Historically, Gozo has always lived somewhat in the shade of Malta because it is such a hassle to get to – especially when there is bad weather or at peak journey times, when queues for the ferry can be substantial. But, blockchain firms, attracted by cheap property costs and a relaxed lifestyle, might just be the development catalyst many on Gozo have been hoping for.