Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1471185
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 19 JUNE 2022 13 COMMERCIAL Moneybase launches mobile contacts payments MONEYBASE, the first local digital payments app, has an- nounced the official release of its person-to-person instant pay- ments. Moneybase users can now send each other payments di- rectly and free of charge through their phone's contacts list. Alan Cuschieri, founder of Moneybase and co-CEO at Calamatta Cuschieri, said: "Mon- eybase is proudly Maltese, we are always here to support our customers and our mission is to make their life as easy as possible and to make money simple. We do not 'pause' or block accounts unnecessarily, everyone is wel- come to join our community and you can call us at any time." The new person-to-person feature has received a positive response and development is underway for more innovative features to be added. The app comes with three top-up options for users to add funds to their account. Users can initiate a SEPA Direct deb- it deposit from the Moneybase app, make bank transfers to their personal Moneybase IBAN, or use the instant top-up function to add funds from their debit or credit card, the card function is available on the android app and will be available to IOS in the coming days. The Moneybase app offers us- ers the option to send and receive SEPA payments in 34 countries, and users can keep money in dif- ferent currencies and also receive their salary on their account with Moneybase. Moneybase is currently offering free cards as part of its launch of- fer. Moneybase users can make contactless payments and with- drawals from ATMs worldwide. The Moneybase card also allows users to save money due to its competitive currency rates and multi-currency capabilities. The app's robust card features enable users to freeze, unfreeze and can- cel their cards at any time, and also to view their card Pin, while the card settings can also be cus- tomised for maximum security. Additional benefits to the app include its investment features and ISO-certified customer care service which can be reached on +356 25 688 688 and via live chat, provided seven days a week. The app may be downloaded from ei- ther the Android or Apple Store. Visit www.moneybase.com or follow Moneybase's social media accounts for more information. Moneybase payment services are brought to you by Moneybase Limited (MB) C87193, which is licensed by the MFSA to transact the business of a Financial Insti- tution in terms of the Financial Institutions Act, Cap 376. Mon- eybase Invest and all investment services are brought to you by Calamatta Cuschieri Investment Services Ltd (CCIS) C13729 and is licensed by the MFSA to un- dertake investment services busi- ness under the Investment Ser- vices Act, Cap 370. Epic for Business and Malta Chamber of SMEs partner to empower SMEs on their digital journey THE SME community turned out in droves to the first edi- tion of The Scrum, a network- ing event organised by Epic for Business and Malta Chamber of SMEs. Conceived and created by Epic, The Scrum is a platform of innovation aimed at SMEs on how to supercharge and be future ready with the best con- nectivity for their digital trans- formation. The event was mod- erated by Malta Chamber of SMEs with contributions from Epic CEO Tamas Banyai and CMO Karl Galea. The panel, mediated by Malta Chamber of SMEs CEO Abigail Mamo, in- cluded Professor Alexi Dingli, Mr. Cain Grech, representing Malta Enterprise, and Mr. Ken- neth Rizzo Naudi from Epic's Business Solutions team. The event presented an ex- cellent opportunity for SMEs to find out more about the need to create a safe work en- vironment, provide connect- ed experiences, and focus on building more meaningful re- lationships through personal- ised communications. During his presentation, Epic CMO Karl Galea demonstrated how smaller firms can use tech- nology to punch above their weight and win the work, pre- senting findings which yielded some interesting figures. 97% of Malta based enterprises with 10 or more employees rely on Internet connectivity, with speed, reliability, and security the three main concerns for most SMEs. At least 31% of lo- cal companies are attacked by cybercriminals at least once a day* and a staggering 1500 cas- es related to cybercrime are in- vestigated by the Malta Police in just one year**. And finally, the cost of not being online for one day only incurs costs of approximately €1m for Malta's enterprises***. Building on the presentations, those present went on to dis- cuss how to identify gaps and where to prioritize the pro- cesses to digitize. Companies can benefit from funds to audit and implement digital trans- formation in line with schemes such as Change to Grow by Malta Enterprise. Funding for the SMEs to be future ready is also being provided by the EU as part of its commitment to Malta. "Today, digital readiness is not an option for businesses, it is a need" said Epic CEO Ta- mas Banyai. "Epic for Business, our dedicated unit for business customers, offers the right con- nectivity and managed services to ensure that businesses are future ready." This was the first in a series of events aimed at giving busi- nesses the tools they need to take the next step in their digi- tal journey. For more informa- tion send an email on business- solutions@epic.com.mt New campaign crowdfunds to help vulnerable children in Uganda A new crowdfunding campaign on local platform Zaar hopes to raise funds to support children in Uganda. YOOTE CARES Africa started in January 2019, with the mis- sion to address the health and education needs of disadvantaged children and youths in Eastern Uganda. Sadly, the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened the liv- ing conditions in poorer villages like Kimbale, in the Bugiri district of Uganda – while increasing the already high number of orphans in the area. Children generally are the most affected during times of hardship, especially in pover- ty-stricken areas – more than 30 per cent live under economic pov- erty, while 28 per cent do not have access to safe water. While supporting these vul- nerable children and youths, the YOOTE CARES Africa project seeks to also give them an oppor- tunity to study and sustain them- selves, instead of depending on their community. Inspired by Olwenyi Emmanuel Jassa's own background in tailor- ing, the Hand in Hand for YOOTE CARES Africa campaign on Zaar hopes to raise €1,000, to realise a project that will teach the youths tailoring skills, so that they may become more independent and sustain themselves. Funds raised via the Zaar campaign will cov- er the costs of sewing machines, material, tuition and the rental or purchase of a large space to serve as the school of tailoring. Extra funds will also go towards the chil- dren's other urgent basic needs such as food, education, medical care and safe shelters where they will find a sense of belonging. Visitors are invited to make a donation to the Hand in Hand for YOOTE CARES Africa campaign at www.zaar.com.mt.