It’s not every day that a startup forces a state-backed monopoly to blink. In Morocco, it happened twice in one month.

The country’s Competition Council has been particularly busy of late, refereeing two distinct but thematically linked cases that show just how far local startups have come in taking on entrenched players — and occasionally winning. From ticketing for football matches to the delivery of fast food, the same playbook is emerging: identify the gatekeeper, build a compelling case, and don’t be afraid to call in the regulators.

First came Guichet Maroc, a homegrown digital ticketing startup, whose David-vs-Goliath battle with Morocco’s public sports infrastructure operator Sonarges ended not with a courtroom brawl, but with structural reform.

Then came Kooul, a delivery startup backed by ORA Technologies, which went toe-to-toe with Glovo, the local arm of Europe’s delivery giant Delivery Hero. That one’s still unfolding — but early signs suggest the regulator is paying close attention.

Together, they represent a rare but refreshing reminder: in a region often accused of regulatory inertia, Morocco’s startups are increasingly playing offence — and the authorities seem, at least sometimes, willing to listen.

Storming the Stadiums

On July 4, the Moroccan Competition Council confirmed that Sonarges — the state body responsible for managing major stadiums — had agreed to open the country’s sports ticketing market after being accused of stifling competition.

The trigger? A formal complaint filed two months earlier by Guichet Maroc, a veteran of the local ticketing scene founded in 2013 by Ahmed Tawfik Moulnakhla. The startup alleged that Sonarges had effectively locked out rivals by requiring sports clubs to use only its in-house platform Tadakir.net to sell tickets for matches held in state-run stadiums.

To make matters worse, the complaint also named the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) — led by high-profile football boss Fouzi Lekjaa — for allegedly awarding match ticketing rights to a third platform, Webook.ma, without a tender process or clear criteria.

In polite legalese, the Competition Council described the matter as one of “market dysfunction.” For Guichet Maroc, it was straightforward: this was a rigged game.

What followed, however, was a rare exercise in quiet diplomacy. Rather than escalate to open litigation, the Council brokered a mediation process with all involved. The result: a surprisingly progressive regulatory fix.

Under the new structure, Sonarges will operate a neutral listing system for ticketing providers, including Tadakir.ma, open to any company that meets strict technical, cybersecurity, and service standards. Independent IT audits will vet applicants, and each club will be free to choose its provider for any given match. A new tripartite contract model will clarify roles and financial terms.

In short: no more monopoly, no more black box, and no more one-platform-to-rule-them-all. Guichet Maroc promptly withdrew its complaint — with good reason. The scoreboard had shifted in its favour.

A Boost for Guichet Maroc’s Growth Plans

The timing could not be better for Guichet Maroc, which is currently seeking to raise MAD 50 million (€4.6m) to fuel its expansion across Africa and Europe.

The startup already claims over 2.5 million tickets sold, 217 million dirhams in total ticket volume, and partnerships with major cultural events like Mawazine, Marrakech du Rire, and Fez Festival of World Sacred Music. While sports remains a core revenue driver, founder Moulnakhla has stressed the growing importance of cinema and travel — segments where Guichet aims to diversify.

Having already secured MAD 3 million (€276k) from CDG Invest via the 212 Founders program, and support from a business angel during the Covid slump, the latest regulatory victory is likely to become a centerpiece in its investor pitch.

It’s not every day a startup drags a public institution into the 21st century — and walks away with the keys to a fairer market.

Mounting Antitrust Pushback Led by Startups

In late May, the Competition Council issued a notification of grievances against GlovoApp Morocco, the local arm of Spanish-founded delivery juggernaut Glovo, which was acquired by Germany’s Delivery Hero in 2021. Though not named in the initial press release, Glovo quickly confirmed it was the target.

The charges? Abuse of dominant position, exploitation of economic dependence, and — that old favorite — predatory pricing. According to reports, the accusations stem from a complaint by Kooul, a Moroccan delivery startup that forms part of ORA Technologies, an ambitious “superapp” company founded in 2023 by Omar Alami.

This isn’t Glovo’s first brush with controversy in the region. But what’s different this time is the procedural bite: the Council reportedly raided Glovo’s Casablanca offices last October with support from the Judicial Police and clearance from the Public Prosecutor — not exactly standard treatment for a tech unicorn.

In a written response, Glovo said it was cooperating fully and reaffirmed its commitment to fair play. The company highlighted its €18.5 million investment in Morocco, its operations across 38 cities, and its partnerships with local ecosystem players like 212 Founders, Technopark, and UM6P.

Still, the adversarial phase has now begun — meaning Glovo will need to formally respond to the allegations before the Council decides whether to impose sanctions. For now, the case remains unresolved — but the message is loud and clear: Morocco’s regulators are watching.

For ORA Technologies and its delivery platform Kooul, the complaint could be a turning point. ORA recently raised $1.9m in pre-Series A funding and has emerged as a poster child for Morocco’s local tech scene. Its flagship product ORA Cash offers QR-based payments in multiple languages, with ambitions to plug Morocco’s financial inclusion gap.

Backed by investors like Witamax and Azur Innovation Fund, and supported by major institutions like Banque Centrale Populaire, Kooul’s bid to challenge Glovo is less quixotic than it sounds.

Like Guichet Maroc before it, Kooul isn’t just pushing a product — it’s pushing for a rewrite of the rules. And slowly, Morocco seems to be listening.

A New Era for Moroccan Competition?

What unites these two cases isn’t just regulatory scrutiny — it’s a broader shift in how market access is defined, and who gets to define it.

Gone are the days when being first, big, or state-backed was enough to keep challengers out. Guichet Maroc proved that even a deeply embedded monopoly can be unpicked, one clause at a time. Kooul is proving that even global players aren’t immune from local law.

For Morocco’s startups, the lesson is as clear as it is encouraging: know the rules, challenge the gatekeepers, and when necessary, take your fight to the referee. Sometimes, the whistle might blow in your favour.