Moldova ICT Summit – A Decade of Supporting the ICT Industry in Moldova

        Moldova ICT Summit is the most important annual event dedicated to the information technology industry, and during the 10 editions, it brought together professionals in the field, representatives of academia, business, but also international specialists in the IT industry. The dialogue platform provided an opportunity for more than 9,000 participants to better understand the key role of digitization and transformation, new trends in the field, but also the possibilities that the industry can generate to provide solutions to society as a whole.

550 speakers took the stage of Moldova ICT Summit, during the 170 sessions and discussions dedicated to the ICT sector and the digital transformation of the country. Discussions also focused on the future of the digital domain for government, business and academia.

More than 100 national and international partners supported the big event, in order to identify directions and strategies to increase the country’s technological potential, competitiveness, but also to implement the latest global trends in the field.

Over the years, topics related to the strategic development of various sectors through ICT have been addressed; initiatives have been launched on tools to increase the efficiency of government institutions in public services, providing a dialogue platform for interaction and partnerships for all actors interested in this field.

Moldova ICT Summit is also an event of interest for digitalization officials in the country, who participated in all editions and reiterated the development priorities of the IT sector, presenting initiatives and programs to promote the field, including the development of related sectors.

Moldova ICT Summit is an additional confirmation that the consolidation of the ICT industry and the attraction of investments in the field are among the top priorities of the country’s development on the national agenda of the authorities, and every year, this large event brought a complex agenda to the general public, valuable guests, important topics for presentations and discussions, but also plans for the future.

The tenth edition of the “Moldova ICT Summit: The Future of Digital” was organized by the National Association of ICT Companies, in partnership with the Invest Moldova Agency, GIZ Moldova, with the support of the “Tekwill” Project funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Sweden and with the support of the European Union and private partners.

Organizers: National Association of ICT Companies (ATIC), Tekwill, German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ)

Government partners: Invest Moldova Agency

Development partners: United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Sweden

International partners: Digital Europe, Euro ISPA, WITSA

Sponsors: Orange, Moldcell, DAAC System Integrator

How A Mobile Application Can Save The Bees in Moldova

       Beekeeping is one of the most important areas for the economy of the Republic of Moldova, and the value of honey exports is estimated at about 10 million dollars annually. At the same time, according to the europarl.europa.eu portal, almost 76% of food production in Europe depends on bee pollination. But gaps in the communication process between farmers and beekeepers endanger the health and lives of bees. These cases are registered during the period when the bees are active and collect pollen, and the farmers have to make treatments with phytosanitary products in the field.

Lack of communication affects the lives of bees

Vitalie Jereghi is one of the over 7000 beekeepers in the Republic of Moldova. He founded his business 3 years ago, and together with his business partner, takes care of over 100 bee families. “The most important period of honey production takes place in April-May. At the same time, there is a mass spraying of land with various plant protection products. In our country, in 2019, 17 bee families perished, and another 12 were severely affected by the chemicals with which the orchards or plantations in the surroundings were sprayed. It took us some time and effort to restore these families, but we did not succeed completely. It was a blow, including a financial one, which could have been prevented by a constructive communication between farmers and beekeepers “, says Vitalie Jereghi, beekeeper, member of the National Association of Beekeepers.

According to the National Association of Beekeepers of the Republic of Moldova (anarm.md), annually, about a quarter of the bee population in the Republic of Moldova dies due to poisoning with phytosanitary products. The problem could be solved by more effective communication between beekeepers and farmers, as well as by compliance with the law.

A web application for more efficient communication

The Startup Moldova “Digital IMPACT” program of the Tekwill project, supported by USAID and Sweden, which encourages sectoral collaboration between representatives of traditional and IT industries, together with the USAID Performance Agriculture in Moldova (APM) project, supported the initiative of the National Association of Beekeepers in the Republic of Moldova (ANARM) to find a solution to the problem of beekeepers and farmers. The web application, called “BeeProtect” is a platform through which farmers can announce splashes in advance, and beekeepers can inform about the location of apiaries. Beekeepers can view on the map and how far is the land to be sprayed. In the event of poisoning, all users will also be alerted. The web application was created by the experts of the IT Company “RoyalMap”, and the National Association of Beekeepers of the Republic of Moldova (ANARM) coordinated and tested the platform.

Eugeniu Cepoi, Technical Director of RoyalMap SRL.:
“The application has a system that allows automatic alerts to be sent to all nearby beekeepers, over a distance of 7 kilometres. The information is available to all users, including town halls, on whose territory the sprays have been applied and the apiaries are located. We wanted to provide a complex solution to prevent a problem in the beekeeping field, and its implementation involves adjusting and approving laws and regulations in this regard”

Ana Chirita, Director of Strategic Projects, ATIC:
“Innovative solutions are essential in the development of sectors of the national economy. We aim to facilitate communication between representatives of different sectors, offering them alternatives for long-term progress. We believe that information technology can become an important catalyst for the private sector, which is why we will continue to support innovative thinking and put into practice ideas that could have a major impact on local business. And this fact, in the long run, will contribute to the development of the national economy”

Partnerships for the digitization of key sectors

“Digital IMPACT” is a platform that comes to encourage sectoral collaboration between representatives of several industries. The program provides research and identification of issues in strategic sectors of the national economy and aims to provide real IT solutions that could have a major impact on independent business. The program enjoys the support of international development partners.

The application, called “BeeProtect” is a platform through which farmers can announce splashes in advance, and beekeepers can inform about the location of apiaries. Beekeepers can view on the map and how far is the land to be sprayed. In the event of poisoning, all users will also be alerted. The web application was created by the experts of the IT Company “RoyalMap”, and the National Association of Beekeepers of the Republic of Moldova (ANARM) coordinated and tested the platform.

Madelene Eichhorn, Project Manager, Swedish Embassy in Moldova:
“Sweden supports global digital transformation, and in Moldova, it supports innovation, entrepreneurship and the ICT sector through programs launched by the TEKWILL Project. Thus, Sweden contributes to increasing IT skills and capacity by promoting innovative solutions in both the technical and non-IT sectors. The integration of information technologies in different spheres of life, as well as the creation of alternative platforms, can contribute to providing multiple opportunities for business development, improving the economy and living conditions in general in Moldova”

Scott Hocklander, USAID Mission Director to Moldova:
“Startup Moldova" Digital IMPACT” program contributes to the consolidation of the ecosystem development effort, driven by innovation and knowledge of the technology industry. This project is part of a broader public-private partnership, supported by USAID in the target sectors, to develop innovative businesses and support the integration of information technology in various sectors of the economy. USAID believes in Moldova's potential and in the ability of the private sector to implement information technology in its day-to-day work. We support the successful development of different sectors, because difficult situations require advanced solutions”

TEKWILL Project – The Revolution Begins!

Startup Moldova is part of the TEKWILL Project, implemented by the National Association of ICT Companies, with the financial support of the United States Agency for International Development and Sweden. “Tekwill” was created in 2017 as the Center of Excellence of the ICT sector in Moldova, with the main purpose of aligning the field with current market requirements. In order to continue to contribute to increasing the competitiveness of the IT industry and other strategic sectors of the economy, the center has expanded its fields of activity, becoming in 2019 a complex project at national level, with the slogan “The revolution begins!” The main objective of the TEKWILL Project, as a platform dedicated to the progress of the IT sector, is to ensure a major impact on the economic development of the country, by improving the entrepreneurial and educational capacities of society, but also by increasing the research and development potential of institutions, in line with the demand on the IT market.

The First Laboratory Of Innovation In Agriculture! Find Out What The Program Is About

       Innovative agriculture has the potential to contribute to the development of a sustainable economy, which is why the digitalisation of the sector is becoming an urgent need to boost business. Although agricultural innovation brings many benefits and a number of actions and tools are already in place, there are many barriers to exploring its full potential. In this regard, in order to connect agriculture with innovative solutions, Technovator in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Tekwill project is launching the “AgTech Innovation Lab” – a program that supports the acceleration of the process of agriculture digitalisation, by combining digital tools in the agricultural sector, in order to increase efficiency and increase the competitiveness of the sector. The “AgTech Innovation Laboratory” will be implemented between November 2021 and April 2022.

The Laboratory of Innovation in Agriculture is to take place between December 2021 and April 2022, online. The program aims to bring together about 100 participants from two fields, both technology and agriculture, with the involvement of over 30 national and international mentors and experts, who will help accelerate innovation in agriculture and the food industry by combining IT tools in the agricultural sector, in order to increase efficiency and increase competitiveness.

The “AgTech Innovation Lab” has taken place in five stages: Defining Challenges, Identifying Participants, Team Building, Hackathon and AgTech Accelerator.

Defining challenges. In order to ensure innovative solutions to be applied in the industry, we have identified partners who will participate in the program with the challenges of the niches they belong to, as well as with the presentation of the necessary expertise for product development during the 4 months. Among the representatives who has displayed their challenges are: Ganea Group, FAO, Vladimir Balaban, Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Kvazar-Micro.

Identification of participants. The program was open to IT participants, agricultural experts, entrepreneurs, marketing experts and other enthusiasts who want to contribute to the implementation of new technologies in agriculture.

Formation of the teams has taken place before the Hackathon, through an online platform. The selected people had formed teams, communicated in groups and defined their business development ideas. Teams already created can also participate.

AgTech Hackathon. The event was runed for three days, during which agricultural experts, information technology specialists and representatives of the agricultural industry was identified solutions to the proposed challenges and to develop products in this regard. Innovative ideas must be commercially viable, sectoral, and sustainable, integrate IT technologies, encourage collaboration and seek to solve one of the problems facing farmers.

AgTech Accelerator. For 12 weeks, Hackathon finalists had access to an educational platform with videos and tests that address the main topics of developing a startup: business modules, customer identification, market analysis and preparation to support pitches in front of potential partners. The participating teams in the accelerator has the opportunity to collaborate with 2-3 private companies in the agricultural industry, in order to test the products of the program, by identifying potential customers and their real needs.

Technovator is a platform through which talents can develop their potential to create important things and have a positive impact on society. Technovator’s mission is to expand the frontiers of innovation, facilitate technological development and provide decisive competitive advantages for the economy and society, and ensure the prosperity and sustainability of emerging markets. The platform focuses on the development of FinTech, HealthTech, AgTech, PowerTech and CleanTech verticals.

“AgTech Innovation Lab” is implemented by Technovator, with the support of the United States Agency for International Development USAID and Sweden, within the Tekwill project and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in partnership with “Startup Moldova” and Agrobiznes.md portal.

Tekwill Innovative Teacher Gala: Diplomas of Excellence and High-Performance Laptops for Teachers “Tekwill in Every School”

       High-performance technique and Diplomas of Excellence for the successes obtained! 9 teachers won the title of “Innovative Tekwill Teacher”, and the other teachers, members of the “Tekwill in Every School” community, received Certificates of Excellence attesting to the knowledge gained and high-performance laptops to teach the subjects of the future. The “Tekwill Innovative Teacher Gala” is a recognition of the enormous work, perseverance, motivation and interest that teachers put into making the teaching process at the highest level. The “Tekwill Innovative Teacher Gala” was organized by the “Tekwill in Every School” project, implemented by TEKWILL, within the National Association of ICT Companies (ATIC), with the financial support of external development partners – USAID Moldova, Sweden, EU4Moldova and UNDP Moldova.

Teachers from the center of the country who participated in the “Tekwill in Every School” continuing education program this summer were awarded diplomas confirming their skills, with support and encouragement to continue teaching the subjects of the future. The best projects that the teachers did at the end of the training program were presented to the whole community at the festive event. In total, 590 teachers from 234 schools benefited from the complex training sessions and mentoring programs, and as a result approximately 20,000 students, aged between 13 and 19, will study one of the 6 optional courses of the program.

Pavel Cerbusca, professor, Theoretical Lyceum “Aristotel”, Chisinau:
"As a teacher of history, I understood that information technologies are necessary not only to teach the professions of the future, but also to learn digital skills, which are necessary in daily activity. Through the "Tekwill in Every School" program we make a quality change in the education system in the country. I was happy to get involved in preparing children to use digital tools, but also to develop new skills. ”

Maria Cotelea, mathematics teacher, Theoretical Lyceum “Mihail Sadoveanu” from Calarasi district:
“I accepted the challenge with open arms, because I did not see a more courageous change in the schools in the rural localities. On my own initiative I registered in the program, colleagues supported me and got involved, this year I participated in the program for the second time, and together with the students, I created a logo and a presentation site. "We tend to share these values with our students.”

High-performance laptops include licensed software and of latest generation. All to modernize the educational process and to bring education closer to technology and digitalization. Computers will also facilitate access to the e-learning tekwill.online platform, which has interactive digital content, videos, presentations and online tests for courses.

Tatiana Alexeev, Tekwill in Every School Project Manager:
“A total of 390 teachers across the country will benefit from high-performance laptops to teach the subjects of the future. Our goal is to provide all the resources for digital education to be achieved at the highest level, and for students to be as prepared as possible to later choose a career in IT. Moreover, throughout the year of study, teachers also benefit from the expertise of a mentor, being supported to integrate innovative methods of teaching and learning in the classroom.”

“Tekwill in every school” aims to transform education in the Republic of Moldova, both by developing interactive digital content and by introducing new teaching methodologies in the learning process within educational institutions. And, in the long run, the initiative has the mission to enhance the human capital of the Republic of Moldova and to raise a generation of people to create at home, in Moldova, products and services that respond to national and global socio-economic challenges.

Veaceslav Cunev, President of the National Association of ICT Companies:
“Teachers in general education institutions in the country are the ones who educate and train future entrepreneurs. For this reason, we thank each of them for their ambition, interest and courage in studying the professions of the future and then teaching them to the students. After about 600 teachers have attended professional teaching courses, we are convinced that the interest in IT among students will increase considerably. Moreover, this year, even though it is considered a pandemic one, we managed to open 20 digital laboratories in schools in the country. We are committed to continuing this initiative and to having such offices in every educational institution in the country.”

The authorities also support the digitization of industries and the development of ICT skills. The initiative also enjoys the support of the Ministry of Education and Research.

Iurie Turcanu, Prime Minister on Digitalization:
“Innovation is the engine of change, and change starts on the school benches. In a world that is constantly changing, where everyone needs digital skills, education through innovation is the safest method of development. In their position, teachers have a great responsibility: to educate new generations, to stimulate creativity, to model characters, but also systems of values and beliefs among the new generation. Rather, innovative teachers are the ones who influence education, who through their attitude manage to make the school more attractive and change the traditional system, adapting it to the requirements and trends adapted to the time.”

The “Tekwill in Every School” program is implemented by the TEKWILL project, within the National Association of ICT Companies (ATIC), with the financial support of external development partners – USAID Moldova, Sweden, EU4Moldova and UNDP Moldova.

Katarina Fried, Ambassador of Sweden to the Republic of Moldova:
“Currently, Tekwill in Every School is a successful national project, which contributes to the creation of an innovative and welcoming climate, where any idea can flourish. On the occasion of this ceremony, we salute and celebrate the special people who had the right visions and initiatives to create timely connections between people, computers and learning. It is also important to promote gender equality in science and technology. We support the idea and determination to be the promoters of change and the thirst for knowledge in every school.”

Scott Hocklander, USAID Mission Director to Moldova:
“We strongly believe that supporting the younger generation in the development of digital skills will better prepare them for the professions of the future and ensure home in Moldova the dream jobs from abroad. We want to bring growth and digital opportunities to every corner of the country, improve the quality of the workforce, and share knowledge and experience in the digital segment. It is obvious that the IT industry is growing rapidly and all the best opportunities, the biggest companies are concentrated there, looking for smart, inventive and ambitious young people.”

Boris Filipov, EU4Moldova:
“Digital transformation is a priority for the EU in the coming years. The crisis we have faced so far has directly demonstrated the need for digitalization, especially in education. One of the European Union's goals for digital transformation is to increase the number of IT professionals. This involves acquiring digital knowledge from school. We are glad that we had the opportunity to support the "Tekwill in every school" project and that we offered teachers the opportunity to learn and teach many of the jobs of the future.”

In December 2021, another 200 teachers who are part of the “Tekwill in Every School” program benefited from high-performance laptops to teach optional subjects in schools across the country.

“Tekwill in every school” is committed to having more than 90% of high schools across the country by 2024. The courses taught in this initiative are placed on an eLearning platform – tekwill.online – which is intended for teachers and high school students, and up to now, over 20,000 students from 7-12 grades have already registered. Each course includes 34 lessons, which allows them to be studied during an academic year, and each weekly lesson includes educational resources such as digital text, video, simulation exercises, interactive assessment tests, and for promotion it needs to be developed and a final project.

An AgTech Drone and Mechatronics Lab Shall Be Created In Two Universities In The Country

       In order to support the development of high-performance agriculture in the Republic of Moldova, an AgTech laboratory with drones and mechatronics will be created at two specialized universities in the country. In this regard, within the Tekwill project, the State Agrarian University (UASM), the Technical University of Moldova (UTM) and the National Association of ICT Companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding. The laboratory will be a source of ongoing training for staff in agricultural companies, and future professionals will also benefit from mentoring and assistance in the use of modern technologies and drones in agriculture. The project will be implemented over the next three years, with the support of external development partners USAID and Sweden.

Ana Chirita, Strategic Project Director, ATIC:

“By establishing partnerships with universities in the country, we aim to create that synergy in all related fields, which will contribute to the development of the country’s economy, including agriculture. And for tomorrow’s specialists to have the skills according to market demand, it is necessary to invest in education through infrastructure, access to research laboratories, experience and expertise. The AgTech laboratory will become a viable tool, thanks to which future specialists will test their knowledge, be encouraged to think innovatively, implement information technologies and prepare for a profession in the field.”

The possibilities of the AgTech laboratory

 The AgTech laboratory will consist of two subsidiaries: Agrodrone – within UASM and Mechatronics – within UTM. In the laboratory, students, masters and doctoral students will have the opportunity to participate in training and research programs, through which to develop their skills and put into practice their abilities, through equipment and tools.

Ilie Cercel, Vice-Rector for Scientific Activity, UASM:

“Globally, agriculture is in transition to a new green revolution supported by the massive implementation of digital technologies. We are confident that this initiative will boost cross-sectoral and inter-university collaboration at the local level, but we will also prepare future specialists who will easily integrate into the global flow of modern agricultural development.”

Vladislav Resitca, Vice-Rector for Studies, Ph.D. in Technical Sciences, Associate Professor, UTM:

“We train specialists to adapt to the current requirements of the market, and the role of technology in student education is indispensable. Such a laboratory is an innovation for academia, through which future professionals will benefit from an enabling environment in which to improve their skills and lead to the development of the industry.”

Benjamin Toric, Director of the Performance Agriculture in Moldova project, funded by USAID:

“At USAID APM, we recognize the importance of AgTech in increasing productivity while optimizing resource use and minimizing the negative impact on the environment. As such, we have worked closely with Tekwill and other Moldovan partners to launch a number of AgTech initiatives, including the AgTech Academy and BeeProtect. USAID / HVAA also supports the latest AgTech initiative, which is facilitated by Tekwill, and which aims to set up an AgTech drone and mechatronics lab at UASM and UTM. HVAA has helped to create an innovative partnership between universities and the private sector in Moldova and abroad, to catalyze interdisciplinary research, exchange of experience and the development of innovative solutions to address the problems and challenges that the agricultural producers face. Agricultural drones, for example, can help to improve a variety of agricultural practices, including crop health assessment, irrigation, soil and soil analysis. The global agricultural drone market is expected to exceed $ 15 billion by 2027, transforming the agricultural sector, helping to overcome the challenges of climate change. The AgTech laboratory will help Moldova keep up with international development trends.“

The initiative aims to connect educational institutions to increase the entrepreneurial and educational capacity, as well as the research and development potential of companies in the agricultural industry. All in order to support the transformation of agriculture, through the use of technological innovations, which contribute to increasing productivity, reducing the costs involved in current agricultural production practices.

According to statistics, more than 850,000 Moldovans work in agriculture and generate about 13% of the country’s GDP annually, and by 2027, only the use of drones in global agriculture will reach a service share of 15.2 billion US dollars. Although the digitalisation of the agricultural sector brings many benefits and a number of actions and tools are already in place, there are still many barriers to realizing its full potential. Support for information technology agriculture is one of the 5 business verticals that Tekwill supports in its programs to encourage sectoral collaboration between traditional and IT industry representatives.

TEKWILL Project – The Revolution Begins!

 The TEKWILL project is being implemented by the National Association of ICT Companies, with financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Sweden. “Tekwill” was created in 2017 as the Center of Excellence of the ICT sector in Moldova, with the main purpose of aligning the field with current market requirements. In order to continue to contribute to increasing the competitiveness of the IT industry and other strategic sectors of the economy, the center has expanded its fields of activity, becoming in 2019 a complex project at national level, with the slogan “The revolution begins!”. The main objective of the TEKWILL Project, over the last few years, with the help of Tekwill, several solutions have been developed in the field of agriculture and food industry, such as: the training academy for future specialists in the field (AgTech Academy); the digital platform for preventing bee poisoning and facilitating communication between the actors involved (BeeProtect); the solution for the consolidated promotion of the offers of the local fruit producers on the foreign markets and the online trade of the agricultural products; the integrated solution for marketing the products and services of farmers and local companies in the wine industry, etc. its quality as a platform dedicated to the progress of the IT sector, is to ensure a major impact on the economic development of the country, by improving the entrepreneurial and educational capacities of society, but also by increasing the research and development potential of educational institutions, in line with the demand on the IT market.