With a background spanning business strategy, product management and user experience research and design, Rozina moved to Malta in 2019 “by choice, and with a bit of an eye for adventure.”
“My career started in the fast-paced world of gaming, banking and insurance,” she explains. “I moved countries three times, switched careers and learnt to adapt in industries that demanded constant reinvention. That journey made me curious about how people grow, how organisations evolve and how new ideas come to life. Malta offered me something special: a vibrant, close-knit ecosystem where innovation feels personal and where building something meaningful is possible.”
Why The Garage?
Designed to support venture-building on the island, The Garage grew out of two intertwined threads. “First, I could see a gap in Malta’s ecosystem for a space dedicated to experimenting with ideas before they’re ready for investment or scale. Too often, people have an idea but no safe place to test it, validate it, or even decide if it’s worth pursuing,” says Rozina.
“Second, as a woman working in male-dominated industries, I knew just how rare it was to have supportive spaces where women could try, fail, and try again without judgment.”
“That’s why The Garage started with bootcamps for women. It wasn’t about excluding anyone else — it was about creating the ‘sandbox’ that so many women told me they wished they’d had earlier in their careers.”
What’s a bootcamp, anyway?
When people hear “bootcamp,” they often picture military drills or extreme fitness.
“Ours is nothing like that — although it is intense in a different way,” Rozina grins.
The garage’s bootcamps are usually 1-2 days long and they bring together women from different backgrounds who want to explore entrepreneurship, leadership, or innovation. The format is hands-on: workshops, exercises, and teamwork. Participants are encouraged to test their ideas in a ‘sandbox environment’ — essentially a safe space where experimentation is encouraged, failure is reframed as learning and collaboration replaces competition.
“We also help participants understand how to turn a raw idea into something more structured. In business-speak, this is about building a minimum viable product (MVP) and validating it in the market. In plain terms: we help you figure out if your idea is worth your time, money and energy.” adds Rozina, whose style of thinking includes an SaaS or ‘Software-as-a-Service’ model. “Just like software companies test features, scale what works, and scrap what doesn’t, we help entrepreneurs do the same with their ideas.”
Who’s in the room?
“A big part of the magic comes from the mentors and judges we bring in,” Rozina continues. They judges are founders, investors, and corporate leaders, some of whom are also potential investors. They, having lived through the highs and lows of building businesses, offer “tough love, sharp insights” and “often open doors for participants.”
“However, it’s not about being judged in a harsh sense: it’s about getting feedback from people who’ve walked the path before,” she adds. By building their confidence The Garage supports bootcamp participants as they share their idea, often for the first time, and the judging panel provides an opportunity for solid feedback, as well as being a potential launchpad for a future partnership.
Real people, real impact
Rozina explains that one of her favourite parts of running The Garage is seeing the businesses that emerge from these weekends. We’ve had women launch small consultancies, tech-enabled services and community-based ventures. In some cases, the bootcamp doesn’t lead to a business right away, but it sparks the confidence to step into a leadership role or to start exploring entrepreneurship seriously for the first time.
For me, success isn’t just about counting companies founded. It’s about how many women leave the room saying, ‘I can do this. I belong here.’”
“An example of a business that has come out of The Garage, is Mela Gaming, run by Roberta Nicholls. She is recognised in the industry in Malta and beyond. She also won Malta’s Best iGaming Business Women 2024.”
“The Garage has been a game changer for women like me turning startup ideas into reality. It is not something you learn in school. Here you gain real-world insights, mentorship, and hands-on guidance from people who have been through the journey. The community of like-minded women and supportive mentors has helped me refine my ideas, navigate challenges, and build the confidence to take bold steps in growing my business. It is more than a space. It is a platform for women to innovate, learn, and lead,” adds Roberta.
Looking ahead
So, what’s next for The Garage?
“Malta was our launchpad, but our ambitions are regional. We’re now running hybrid programs that allow participants to join from outside Malta. We’ve partnered with the AI Summit Barcelona and in talks with SheAI, an organisation in Spain, to explore how inclusivity and artificial intelligence intersect. This opens up borders and opportunities for The Garage to connect founders, investors and corporates across Europe and the Mediterranean.”
“We’re also building stronger roots at home. We’re in conversations with DEVO Ventures and Elevate AI about partnerships that will strengthen Malta’s own innovation ecosystem. At the same time, we’re piloting programs with Aeroates, with a view to a long-term collaboration.”
“And, behind the scenes, we’re working on our own SaaS platform — a digital tool designed to help companies accelerate innovation and growth internally. It’s an exciting step that moves us beyond workshops and into scalable solutions that organisations can use every day.”
“Our long-term vision is to evolve into a venture-building hub. That means moving beyond bootcamps into structured programs where we help validate ideas, build business cases and even connect teams with corporates and investors. Think of The Garage as both a training ground and a launchpad.”
A final word
“Malta has everything it needs to be an ‘Innovation Island,” says Rozina. “We have talent, ambition and creativity. What we sometimes lack is the space to experiment without fear. The Garage exists to fill that gap, starting with women but ultimately open to all.”
“We believe innovation doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens when people connect, collaborate and dare to build something new together. That’s the spirit of The Garage, and it’s what keeps me excited every single day.”
The Garage’s next event will take place in Malta on October 22. It will also be open to online participants.
