UM6P Ventures, the venture capital arm of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), is expanding its focus from solely Moroccan startups to include those across the African continent. Launched in April 2021, UM6P Ventures has quickly established itself as a major player in funding and supporting early-stage startups specializing in Deeptech and Low-Tech.
Yassine Laghzioui, CEO of UM6P Ventures and Director of Entrepreneurship and Venture Capital at UM6P, highlighted in a recent interview the fund’s achievements and ambitious plans. With a portfolio of 27 projects, including 20 Moroccan startups and 7 international ones, UM6P Ventures has played a pivotal role in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in the region.
“We play an important role in funding startups, but we also promote talent and provide these companies with infrastructure such as R&D and innovation labs, as well as capital to foster their growth,” Laghzioui stated. UM6P Ventures offers funding tickets of up to 7 million dirhams (approximately $700,000 USD) and emphasizes Deeptech startups, particularly those focusing on Greentech, Climatetech, Chemtech, and Industry 4.0.
While UM6P Ventures continues to support Moroccan startups, Laghzioui emphasized the fund’s pan-African vision. “We consider ourselves a pan-African fund. One cannot develop an innovation ecosystem by focusing solely on our regional system,” he explained. “This is why investing in pan-African startups, which are addressing pressing challenges on the continent and can expand elsewhere, is a priority for us.”
UM6P Ventures is actively identifying promising startups in both sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa, assessing the added value it can provide through investment and support. This year, the fund plans to invest in the capital of 7 new startups, primarily in the Deeptech sector.
Beyond financial investment, UM6P Ventures leverages the university’s infrastructure, expertise, and network to support its portfolio companies. Laghzioui explained, “We analyze the ecosystem and assess market needs and our capacity to support startups annually. Beyond capital, we also provide companies with all UM6P infrastructure and its network of experts and networking.”
In May, UM6P Ventures signed two significant partnerships aimed at supporting Moroccan startups. The first, with various stakeholders including the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, CDG Invest, Technopark, and Glovo, aims to accelerate the growth of Moroccan startups. The second, with Inwi, focuses on supporting projects from startups that won the inwiDays Awards contest.
With its expanding focus and continued commitment to fostering innovation, UM6P Ventures is poised to make a significant impact on the African startup ecosystem.