UM6P Continues Supporting Startups with Explorer Innovation Program

Rabat – Morocco’s Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) is continuing efforts to support Moroccan startups through the Explorer Innovation Program, which held its first in-person showcase on March 3 in Benguerir.

The program featured a selection of entrepreneurs from the UM6P ecosystem who spoke about their entrepreneurial journeys in panels, including interactions with the showcase’s audience.

The Explorer program is put together in partnership with the MIT Sandbox Innovation Fund. During the event, 25 teams in total showcased their projects. The program provides mentorship from both MIT and Morocco’s entrepreneurial ecosystems, a press release from the university says.

Additionally, the participants are provided with funding of up to MAD 250,000 ($24,000) to help them develop prototypes and find their first customers.

The presenters came from several UM6P partners, including coding schools 1337 and YouCode, Al Akhawayn University, Hassan II University, Mohammed V University, and Cadi Ayyad University.

Executive Director of UM6P Explorer Innovation Program Marwan Hassoun expressed his enthusiasm at the first in-person showcase event.

Thanks to the event teams can “interact with the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem including our outstanding mentors, investment community, business leaders, partner institutions, aspiring entrepreneurs, and each other in a significant way,” the executive director said. “I’m sure these meaningful connections will continue to grow their startups and personal careers and have a long-lasting impact on the ecosystem,” he added.

The showcased projects included startups in several fields, ranging from language learning projects such as Wasta to food security initiatives like Amendy Foods.

Other projects included EntomoNutris, which aims to produce proteins and fertilizers, Annarabic, a speech recognition technology for Arab dialects, and Dyslexia.ma, which provides gamified tools for children’s speech therapy.

“Every successful Explorer Showcase that’s hosted is an ode to the effectiveness of the program and our wonderful teams, our first In-Person Showcase aims to build on that and expand the experience and the exposure for our entrepreneurs,” Head of UM6P Innovation & Entrepreneurship Lab Adnane Alaoui said.