Plug and Play, the Silicon Valley-based innovation platform known for its early backing of Google, Dropbox, and PayPal, is deepening its presence in Africa — with Morocco as a launchpad.
In a partnership announced last week, Plug and Play Tech Center joined forces with Technopark Morocco, the state-backed hub for tech entrepreneurs, to launch a new startup acceleration programme aimed at supporting Moroccan startups to scale globally. The initiative is backed by Morocco’s Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, and the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and forms part of the country’s Maroc Digital 2030 strategy — a national digital transformation agenda that emphasizes innovation and technological sovereignty.
The programme is designed to offer selected startups access to mentoring, technology resources, investment opportunities, and a direct connection to Plug and Play’s extensive global network. The accelerator, according to the organisers, will serve as both a local growth engine and a bridge to international markets.
“By partnering with a leading player like Plug and Play, we are creating concrete opportunities for Moroccan startups to expand internationally and contribute to global competitiveness,” said Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, Minister Delegate in charge of Digital Transition.
The move signals Morocco’s growing intent to position itself as a regional innovation hub for North and West Africa — leveraging its geographic proximity to Europe, its bilingual talent pool, and an increasingly active entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The government’s digital strategy places startups at the heart of this ambition. The partnership with Plug and Play is one of the more visible efforts to connect the local scene with international players and investors. For Plug and Play, it’s a calculated bet on the emergence of globally relevant innovation from emerging markets.
“We are convinced of Morocco’s potential,” said Aziz El Hachem, Co-Director for Africa at Plug and Play. “We want to co-build an ecosystem where local innovation can shine beyond borders.”
Plug and Play, which operates more than 60 offices globally and counts 550 corporate partners, has been steadily expanding its presence in Africa. Its Moroccan programme is expected to target early-stage startups across strategic sectors such as fintech, healthtech, agritech, and energy — though final verticals have not yet been disclosed.
A gateway, not just an accelerator
While Technopark Morocco has long served as an incubator for local entrepreneurs, this collaboration marks a step-change in its international outlook. Lamiae Benmakhlouf, Managing Director of Technopark Morocco, said the programme would help startups move beyond their domestic market.
“This partnership represents a new step in connecting the Moroccan ecosystem to the international stage,” Benmakhlouf said. “It gives startups the leverage they need to accelerate their growth and access new markets.”
The programme will provide selected startups with hands-on support, including access to Plug and Play’s global offices and its network of multinational corporations — a significant boost in a market where access to foreign clients and investors remains limited for many founders.
However, some observers note that translating these connections into sustained startup growth remains a challenge. Access to capital and talent retention continue to be pressing concerns for Moroccan founders, particularly outside of Casablanca and Rabat.
The Plug and Play partnership is part of a broader pattern of foreign accelerators testing the waters in Africa, often in collaboration with public institutions. In Morocco’s case, the government is attempting to formalize this momentum into durable infrastructure for entrepreneurship.
What remains to be seen is whether global players like Plug and Play will stay long enough — and go deep enough — to help foster enduring success stories from the region.
Still, for now, Morocco appears willing to experiment.
“This structuring partnership confirms the Kingdom’s desire to sustainably anchor its entrepreneurial ecosystem in the major dynamics of global innovation,” El Fallah Seghrouchni said.
Whether this translates into a generation of “made-in-Morocco” tech companies with international reach will depend as much on local execution as global exposure. For Plug and Play, it’s the beginning of what may become a long Moroccan play.