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Join on Telegram Casablanca — University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P) launched today in Casablanca “The Forge,” a new program to help founders turn ideas into successful businesses.
The program will start in March 2025 and is based at StartGate, UM6P’s innovation hub in Benguerir; it will run for nine to 12 months and is open to founders from Morocco, Africa, and beyond.
The Forge program supports entrepreneurs from the early stages of an idea all the way to scaling their business. It includes four phases: ideation, incubation, acceleration, and scaling.
Founders will get access to mentorship, advanced labs, and funding opportunities at UM6P.
Fay Cowper, Project Lead for The Forge, explained to Morocco World News (MWN) that “this is a very special program for founders. We’re deeply invested in their personal development, which is a key focus throughout the program.”
Cowper added that the program is looking for founders who bring both strong ideas and strong personalities. “We’re looking for individuals with business acumen, charisma, personality, and diverse players who can bring something unique to the table,” she said.
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The Forge offers a longer residency than typical startup programs. Participants will live on UM6P’s campus with access to state-of-the-art facilities and a vibrant academic environment.
“The Forge is designed to provide everything an entrepreneur needs to develop their idea from the ideation phase to the scaling phase,” Yassine Laghzioui, UM6P’s Director of Entrepreneurship and Venturing.
“The program offers what we call a stipend which is an essential support that lets participants concentrate on their work. It’s also a much longer program compared to traditional batch-based programs, running between nine and twelve months.”
The program provides help with building MVPs, product testing, and market validation. Top-performing startups will move to the scaling phase, where they can form legal entities, receive venture capital, and grow their businesses.
The Forge also aims to put Morocco on the global startup map. Tarik El Fehri, Secretary General of FIRSI, said, “The Forge program is an entrepreneurship initiative designed to promote and nurture entrepreneurship in Morocco. It targets not only Moroccans living in the country but also Africans and members of the Moroccan diaspora.”
El Fehri concluded: “The program connects participants with American and global partners, as well as world-class experts. This interconnected ecosystem provides invaluable support to entrepreneurs, equipping them with the resources, networks, and expertise needed to succeed.”
