Medi1TV is launching the new program in partnership with the Banque Populaire group.
Rabat – Moroccan television station Medi1TV announced the launch of a new reality television show in the form of entrepreneurial competition.
“Dir Mechrou3ek,” or “Do Your Business,” aims to target talented and innovative young Moroccans with the aim of promoting entrepreneurship in the North African country.
The show pits the best of Morocco’s young business talent against each other for a cash prize of MAD 100,000.
“At Medi1TV, we are proud to highlight the potential of these young Moroccan entrepreneurs and to be able to help them implement their projects,” Omar Dahbi, editorial and content director of Medi1TV and Medi1 radio said.
“As a television channel, it is also a duty for us to instill in Moroccan youth the culture of entrepreneurship which represents an important issue for the employment of young people at the national level,” he underlined.
Before filming for the show kicked off, candidates had to make a mini video summarizing their business project. A jury then reviewed the footage to choose the candidates who will progress to the next stage of the competition.
Read also: The Many Sides to Entrepreneurship in Morocco
From December 16, 2019 to January 4, 2020, Medi1TV’s business professionals assessed hundreds of projects. The jury included Moroccan business experts Sara El Mahi, Omar Zouguir, and Driss Aissaoui.
The jury selected 70 entrepreneurs from the hundreds of submissions and organized the innovators into seven groups of 10.
For the first seven weeks of the season, 10 candidates will present their pitches to the jury during the weekly broadcast. In the run-up to the episode, the would-be entrepreneurs will benefit from individual and group coaching to help them prepare their business plan.
Each week, one candidate will win a place in the national finals. Viewers at home can share their opinion on the projects by voting for their favorite candidate to help them gain a place in the final. Fans at home can either vote on the channel’s website or by sms (5054).
As well as the opportunity to take part in the final, the weekly contestants have the chance to win a MAD 10,000 investment in their project. Each Saturday, the top five contestants will take home MAD 10,000 and the five runners up each leave with MAD 5000 to kickstart their company.
The seven finalists will meet in the eighth week of the competition, with the winner taking home the sum of MAD 100,000, a car, and ongoing support for the realization of their business plan.
Moroccan journalist and television host, Yousri Marrakchi, will MC the show.
Medi1TV will broadcast the show for the first time on Saturday, January 18, at 9.30 pm (Arabic channel) and 11 p.m. (Maghreb channel).
The television station also plans to publish exclusive behind the scenes content on its digital platforms. Viewers can follow all the show’s news via the hashtag #DirMechrou3ek, concludes the press release.
“Dir Mechrou3ek” is not the only television show dedicated to entrepreneurs. The launch comes after the success of “The Apprentice,” a hit show in the US and the UK. Just like the new Moroccan show, it judges the business skills of a group of contestants.
Before becoming US President, business mogul Donald Trump judged the US version of the competition. The show gained international popularity and was broadcast in the MENA region on Emirati channel MBC4.
