Rabat – Morocco’s cleantech entrepreneurs gathered in Rabat on Friday for the 2026 ClimateLaunchpad Morocco National Final, where 12 startups pitched their climate solutions before a jury at the Residence of the Dutch Ambassador to Morocco.
The event brought together finalists selected from more than 200 applicants. Morocco ranked fourth globally in ClimateLaunchpad applications this year, with more than 4,150 applications submitted across 51 countries. The Moroccan program also achieved gender parity, with 105 women and 105 men taking part.
Dutch Ambassador to Morocco Dirk-Jan Nieuwenhuis welcomed the participants and said climate change was a major priority for both the Dutch and Moroccan governments.
“We are especially proud to have so many young startups here working on climate change solutions,” Nieuwenhuis said.
He also recalled the embassy’s Orange Corners program, which supports Moroccan startups, and said he was impressed by the “dynamism and entrepreneurship” of young Moroccan enterprises.
Ahmed Larouz, ClimateLaunchpad Morocco Lead and founder of Women in Cleantech, said this year’s edition reflected the development of Morocco’s cleantech ecosystem.
“This is just the beginning,” Larouz said, adding that the program aims to bring new talent into the clean technology sector and continue developing Morocco’s startup ecosystem.
Three startups secure spots in Africa regional final
The competition ended with three winners. Siteli CW took first place, followed by Everydate in second and Energie Plus in third. The three startups will move on to the African Regional Final, with the possibility of representing Morocco at the global final in Singapore in October.
Yazid Siteli, CEO and founder of Siteli CW, presented a solution focused on helping industries reduce their water consumption. The startup aims to change how industries manage water and make companies more conscious of the resource.
“Our mission is clear. We want to stop the normal and single-use water for industries,” Siteli said. He added that the solution could help industries save money while creating new opportunities around water management.
Fatima Ezzahra Ait Benhssain, founder of Everydate, took second place with a business connecting oasis farmers in the Drâa-Tafilalet region with consumers, cafés, and restaurants in Morocco. The startup produces date syrup and other products made from dates.
Ait Benhssain described the ClimateLaunchpad bootcamp as “a very enriching experience” and said the team was excited to move to the next stage.
Energie Plus, founded by Nouhaila Dahbi and Kamal Hamidi, secured third place with a focus on making clean electricity more affordable and reliable for Moroccan families by removing upfront investment costs.
“We are so happy today because we made it to the Africa Regional Finals,” Dahbi said.
Faouzi Chaahoub, a jury member and Silicon Valley executive, said the finalists showed strong potential. After evaluating the startups, he said, “There are a lot of good startups. They have actually very good potential.”
Chaahoub also said he was proud to see Morocco’s startup ecosystem growing and expressed his willingness to support startups through his experience and potentially through funding.
