Eman Pulis: SiGMA Group Founder & AIBC Leader

About Eman Pulis

Eman Pulis is a Maltese entrepreneur best known as the founder of SiGMA Group, an international events and media organization that began as a Malta-based iGaming conference and expanded across gaming, emerging technology, affiliate marketing and digital health. His relevance to the crypto sector comes primarily through AIBC, a conference platform he launched in 2018 focused on blockchain, Web3, cryptocurrency, artificial intelligence and emerging technology, rather than through the creation of a blockchain protocol or digital asset. Pulis is also active in early-stage investing as General Partner of Ikigai Ventures, a seed-stage venture fund targeting frontier-technology startups across gaming, esports, blockchain, fintech and AI. Before building SiGMA, he organized large-scale nightlife events and concerts around Malta, and represented Malta in international athletics. His career illustrates a progression from local event promotion into global conference production, emerging-tech ecosystem building and venture investing.

Projects Founded

SiGMA (Summit of iGaming Malta)
AIBC (Malta AI & Blockchain Summit)
Ikigai Ventures

Career Timeline

2001–2005

University of Malta — undergraduate degree in Education, First Class Honours.

2005–2007

University of Malta — postgraduate study in Diplomatic Studies and in Creativity and Innovation (Education).

2003

Organized large-scale nightlife events and concerts around Malta; represented Malta at the Small Nation Games (triple jump, national record).

August 2013

Founded SiGMA (Summit of iGaming Malta) — the brand and company that would become SiGMA Group.

2014

Held the first SiGMA summit in Malta, the event widely regarded as the launch of the SiGMA conference series.

November 2018

Launched AIBC (Malta AI & Blockchain Summit) in Malta, debuting alongside the Maltese government's DLT regulatory framework.

2021

Ikigai Ventures established as an early-seed venture fund focused on frontier technologies.

January 2022

Began serving as General Partner of Ikigai Ventures; announced a €20 million seed-stage fund targeting startups across gaming, blockchain, fintech and AI.

2022

Ikigai Ventures announced its first portfolio investment; SiGMA Foundation formally established as the group's charitable arm.

2023

SiGMA expanded into Latin America through the BiS SiGMA South America partnership, broadening the group's geographic footprint.

2024

SiGMA marked the 10-year milestone of its flagship summit; Emily Micallef was promoted to CEO of SiGMA Group, with Pulis continuing as Founder.

2025–2026

Continued global expansion of SiGMA and AIBC events across Europe, Eurasia, the Americas, Africa, Asia and South Asia.

2027 (announced)

Announced AIBC Eurasia expansion to Ras Al Khaimah — planned future milestone, not yet an operating event.

Key Contributions

SiGMA

Founded the event brand that grew from a single Malta iGaming summit into an international gaming, media and emerging-tech conference ecosystem.

AIBC

Launched a conference platform focused on blockchain, Web3, cryptocurrency, AI and emerging technology, debuting alongside Malta's DLT legislation in 2018.