Center for Innovation and Technology Transfer - Nortek - inaugurated in Balti

Chisinau, Dec. 2 /MOLDPRES/-The largest regional Center of Innovation and Technology Transfer - Nortek - was inaugurated in Balti today. Attending the event were Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilița, US Ambassador to Chisinau Kent Logsdon, British Ambassador Steven Fisher, Director of the USAID Mission in Moldova Scott Hocklander, Head of the Development Cooperation Section of the Swedish Embassy Karin Borovic, Minister of Education and Research Anatolie Topală, Minister of Infrastructure and Regional Development Andrei Spînu, representatives of companies with foreign capital in our country, teachers and students, the government's communication and protocol department has reported.

Opening the event, Gavrilita voiced confidence that this modern space will support young people and entrepreneurs at the beginning of their journey.

"Our people are very hardworking, they are innovative, and we have seen that when conditions are created for them, they can fully develop their potential. We see successful entrepreneurs both in the diaspora and at home. With the inauguration of such centers, I am sure that we will have more and more entrepreneurs who will find their purpose, grow and develop their businesses and create jobs at home. Such a modern space, which also has classrooms, laboratories, and business incubators, is a chance for the entire northern region and the entire country to become more competitive and to capitalize on the talent and entrepreneurial spirit of young people," said Gavrilița.

The Prime Minister spoke about the potential of our country to become a real hub in the innovative technologies. Gavrilița highlighted the need to strengthen the links between research and innovation and the academic environment.

"In the development of this center, the Government allocated 25 million lei. We will continue to support such projects because we need as many spaces of this type as possible in which, through the joint efforts of the state, development partners and the business environment, we can advance on the path of the goal of building an economy based in the Republic of Moldova on knowledge and digital transformation. Only in this way will we be able to ensure the resilience of the national economy - by building a European Moldova", said Gavrilița.

Nortek is a regional ecosystem, with an area of over 6,000 square meters, which provides training, experimentation and cooperation spaces, laboratories, business incubation areas for the nearly 4,500 students, young professionals, entrepreneurs and future entrepreneurs in Balti and from the North Development Region. The center offers access to high-performance technologies in robotics, artificial intelligence, digital manufacturing, cyber security. They are to be applied in agriculture, industry, creative services and other sectors of the regional economy.

The total value of the investments in the construction and equipment of the Nortek center amounts to 71.5 million lei, money allocated by the Government of the Republic of Moldova through the Northern Regional Development Agency - 25 million lei, Alecu Russo State University from Balti - 29 5 million lei, the strategic development partners - USAID, Sweden and the United Kingdom - 17 million lei invested in feasibility, design and equipment. We will also follow other investments that will be made by ATIC through Tekwill Bălți, by the Free Economic Zone Bălți through Dräxlmaier Group and by technological partners Endava and the Orange Foundation.

Photo: Government