ICT Awards, a decade old journey towards Albanian roots in technology

After 4 months long journey, the biggest science, technology and startup competition in Albania continued what it started a decade ago.

Through technology many physical barriers have been broken down but also myths of societies. Founded by ICTSmedia publishing house, ICT Awards announced on Friday 11 the winners of 9-th edition.

From building a programming language, analyzing cyber-attacks, technology saving lives, to developing applications and platforms that promise to change the way Albanians work and live, are the fairest reflection of an Albania we want to see.

The 9-th edition of ICT Awards started on March 26 in midst of coronavirus pandemic through a virtual only event. Albanian in technology and startup ecosystem could apply on 6 categories: Innovation of the Year, Startup of the Year, Diploma of the Year, Rising Star of the Years, Covid-19 Response and Cyber Security.

Until application deadline 78 projects had arrived and were reviewed by a jury independent of the competition organizers and composed of prominent technology figures, experts and distinguished professionals.

Since 2012 more than 1000 projects had applied at ICT Awards, and more than 100 of them were rewarded.

“I remember ICTSmedia taking the first steps by bringing together two generations of beautiful minds and modern-day heroes like rising stars, entrepreneurs, executives, professionals and IT leaders,” said ICT Awards co-founder Mr. Kushtrim Shala during winner’s announcement.

The event attracted the attention of Tirana Mayor, Minister of State for Entrepreneurship Protection, Vice Minister of Education, professionals, business leaders, successful executives, bright minds, and young enthusiast.

A fintech platform designed to revolutionize payment system in Albania and region was announced winner of Innovation of the Year Prize. Startup of the Year, a platform built during Covid-19 pandemic offering online teaching for more than 13 thousand education institutions in Albania.

The best project of Covid-19 Response awards was an automated robot named S.P.A.C built do disinfect places from coronavirus. The Cyber Security Award went for a platform to prevent cyber-attacks and today is valued by more than 15 million dollars. NoPhish, browser extension built to prevent phishing attacks won the Diploma of the Year and the Rising Star of the Year had developed an automated system to help people learn car driving.

Next year ICTSmedia will celebrate the 10-th anniversary of ICT Awards paving the way for a decade of technology speaking Albanian language. Every year this event is supported by major companies and private and public institutions and universities of Albania with big names such as Raiffeisen Bank, Dritan Hoxha Foundation, Albvision, Huawei, Tirana Municipality, Dev.al, Albsoft, Baboon, AUK, Metropolitan University, 3i Solution, Soft&Solution, Ritech and Facilization.