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Marrakech – On Day 1 of GITEX Africa Morocco 2026, the Women in Tech Morocco panel brought together founders, operators, and industry voices to unpack what it really takes to build a career, and a leadership position, in tech today.
Under the theme “From the classroom to the boardroom,” the discussion moved beyond theory, offering real insights into skills, hiring realities, and the structural shifts shaping Morocco’s tech ecosystem.
For Maha Bennani, CEO & Co-founder of LNKO, the power of the panel came from shared experience and collective learning.
“It was so inspiring to be surrounded by such amazing women that gave their points of view on how we go from students in tech to actually having promising jobs and careers,” she said.
Her perspective highlighted a key shift, success in tech is no longer linear, and access to honest conversations is becoming just as valuable as technical training.
That same idea of evolution was echoed by Aida Tagmouti, Founder & CEO of Invirtus, who focused on how the definition of talent itself is changing.
“Women have a lot to bring to the table especially in terms of soft skills,” she said, pointing to a growing industry shift.
“Today we are shifting from a world where tech skill is important to very important soft skills.”
The panel didn’t shy away from addressing persistent challenges. While more women are entering tech roles, leadership gaps remain visible.
“We still find less and fewer women today in senior roles whereas we find a lot of women in junior roles,” Aida noted, framing one of the most pressing issues for Morocco and the wider African tech ecosystem, not just attracting women into tech, but retaining and promoting them.
At the same time, both speakers emphasized mindset as a critical barrier, and opportunity. Maha addressed a pattern she sees often among women entering entrepreneurship and tech: hesitation.
“I know it’s been said a lot, but just do it,” she said.
“As women, we tend to want to have everything perfect… and we tend to overthink it. But just do it and you’ll perfect anything along the way.”
Despite the gaps, the tone of the discussion remained optimistic. Aida pointed to visible progress across sectors, from government to startups.
“We see more and more women in decision and power in the tech world in Morocco,” she said, adding that these shifts are creating something that didn’t exist before, accessible role models.
“These are very positive signals and these are also great role models that I didn’t have myself growing up… but that children today do have.”
Ultimately, the panel captured the energy of day 1 at GITEX Africa, forward-looking, honest, and action-driven.
