Join on WhatsApp 
Join on Telegram Launched in 2014, ClimateLaunchpad is a world-class competition for young people with ground-breaking green ideas with the aim to steer global business in the climate-conscious direction that the world needs.
Spanning 55 countries, the competition is the largest incubator dedicated to green ventures, according to Ahmed Larouz, founder of ClimateLaunchpad Morocco.
In 2021, Morocco’s Ahmed Larouz brought the competition to Morocco aiming to incubate local startups and offer them access to funding and expertise necessary for them to grow and prosper in the green economy.
In an interview with Morocco World News, Larouz shared his optimism and his vision for Moroccan initiatives that can change the current green economy and inspire generations to come to ride the wave of sustainable business making.
“ClimateLaunchpad is more than just an incubator, with the program we aim to create a platform to inspire upcoming generations to make business with green impact,” Larouz explained enthusiastically.
For Larouz, Morocco is but a start, as he plans to launch a second program, ClimAccelerator (deficated only for scale-ups) in Morocco and other African countries. “We started first with Morocco and we’re going to expand the ClimateLaunchpad’s green tech ecosystem to the whole country and then we’ll move to other African countries,” details Larouz.
Larouz told MWN that at the time of the interview his team was in talks to bring the green competition to Senegal and Ivory Coast.
With applications open for the competition, Larouz shared with MWN what prospective green startups look like, saying “We’re looking for entrepreneurs who want to change the world.”
Being first and foremost an incubator, the competition offers participants training, coaching, and the chance to partake in a boot camp and workshops, all to make sure they acquire the relevant skills needed to qualify for the international competition.
“ClimateLaunchpad comprises different activities. We start with the recruitment of people with ideas in the green tech industry and at the same time, we coach them. Next to the boot camps, we organize workshops at different levels on how to pitch, set up a business, how to think about the whole business model,” Larouz explained.
The entrepreneur points out that “after participants go through the training phase, they pitch their business ideas to a jury to qualify for the continental level, and then on the global level.”
While remaining dedicated to the green fight, the competition further includes a social cause on its agenda, as it strives to be inclusive. “We’re not looking just for people from big cities, who are already famous with incubators. We’re looking for people in unconnected areas,” Larouz underscored.
Green startups and the future economy
When asked about the place of green startups in the future economy, Larouz told MWN he believes green startups to be crucial for the global collective efforts to reach a greener future. “Cleantech and green business are the future of business,” the entrepreneur stressed.
Investments in the green economy comprise a fast-growing market, and African youth has much potential to bring value to the ecosystem. All they need is funding and training to bring their ideas to life, and that’s where initiatives like ClimateLaunchpad come in, added Larouz.
The climate change fight in Morocco
When asked about what is missing in Morocco’s startup ecosystem, Larouz preferred not to dwell on what’s missing, rather he opted to speak about Morocco’s potential. “The climate fight in Morocco is just starting, and like everything that’s just starting, it’s facing many challenges.”
He underscored the need to build a strong network between stakeholders and to develop awareness about the need for a healthy green ecosystem.
Initiatives like ClimateLaunchpad are pivotal to foster cross international fertilization of ideas and enhance the sector’s competitiveness and ensure a level-playing field, Larouz told MWN.
Faithful to its inclusive approach, ClimateLaunchpad opens application doors for green business-makers even if they are not part of a startup, Larouz highlighted.
“We’re looking for new generation people who really care about climate change, we’re looking for people who really want to be entrepreneurs with impact,” concludes the founder of ClimateLaunchpad Morocco.
Read Also: Morocco’s UM6P Ventures, PnP to Launch Joint Acceleration Platforms
