Mohammed VI Polytechnic University Joins Forces with Plug and Play to Launch Accelerator Program in Morocco

BENGUERIR, Morocco, Nov. 3, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), a prestigious academic and research institution, partnered with global innovation platform, Plug and Play, to launch an Open Innovation Hub in Morocco, with the support of OCP Group. This new location will be Plug and Play's first office in Africa, with a plan to make Morocco the premiere destination of startups in the surrounding regions. Plug and Play Morocco is scheduled to launch in January 2021 and will have an initial focus on Smart Cities. Interested startups can apply at www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/morocco/

Through this partnership, Plug and Play Morocco will be the first external program to take part in the new Innovation and Entrepreneurship Platform of UM6P, named "StartGate." This platform will host different incubation and acceleration programs to create a full fledge startup environment within the ecosystem of UM6P, its living labs and the Green City Mohammed VI of Benguerir.

"Building up the Moroccan startup ecosystem is our priority. This partnership with Mohammed VI Polytechnic University will give startups an exciting opportunity to meet and interact with leading players in Morocco," says Michael Olmstead, Chief Revenue Officer of Plug and Play. "The new program will act as a springboard to launch startups into different parts of the continent and beyond."

According to Sarrah Cherif d'Ouezzan, StartGate platform Manager, "this partnership with Plug and Play will support accelerating our plans to attract entrepreneurs and startups from Morocco and abroad to contribute to the development of a dynamic ecosystem here in Benguerir."

Plug and Play operates in over 30 cities globally with offices across Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and now Africa. This partnership will help startups across Morocco and the African continent gain access to Plug and Play's network of corporations and venture capitalists, giving them support to expand and grow their businesses globally. The OCP Group, UM6P, and Plug and Play will work hand-in-hand with these companies to provide mentorship, pilot opportunities, and potential capital to help their growth.

About Plug and Play

Plug and Play is a global innovation platform headquartered in Silicon Valley that runs accelerator programs, corporate innovation services and an in-house VC fund to make technological advancement progress faster than ever before. Since inception in 2006, Plug and Play programs have expanded worldwide to include a presence in over 30 locations globally giving startups the necessary resources to succeed in Silicon Valley and beyond. With over 30,000 startups and 400 official corporate partners, Plug and Play has created the ultimate startup ecosystem in more than 17 different industries. Companies in Plug and Play's community have raised over $9 billion in funding, with successful portfolio exits including N26, Honey, ApplyBoard, Danger, Dropbox, Lending Club and PayPal.

For more information, visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/morocco/ 

About OCP Group

OCP plays an important role in feeding a growing global population, by providing essential elements for soil fertility and plants growth. With almost a century of experience and revenues reaching $ 5.95 billion in 2018, OCP Group is a leader in the phosphate rock and one of the world's first producers of phosphate-based fertilizers. OCP provides a wide range of well-adapted fertilizer products to enhance soil, increase agricultural yields, and help feeding the planet in a sustainable and affordable way. Thanks to its large-scale integrated industrial development strategy, OCP is present on the entire phosphate value chain and operates on all of its business lines, offering to its 21,000 employees a development path focused on excellence. Headquartered in Morocco and present on 5 continents, OCP works in a close partnership with more than 160 customers over the world. Committed to best serve the development of Africa, OCP places innovation at the heart of its strategy, in particular to implement sustainable and prosperous agriculture on the continent. As a responsible industrial player, OCP is strongly committed to Africa's environmental, social and human development. The Group is firmly convinced that leadership and profitability are necessarily synonymous to social responsibility and sustainable development. Its strategic vision resides where these two dimensions meet.

For more information, please visit OCP Group's official site at: www.ocpgroup.ma

About Mohammed VI Polytechnic University

Mohammed VI Polytechnic University is a hub of education, research, innovation and entrepreneurship, aspiring to become a solid bridge of knowledge between Morocco, Africa and the world.

Located in the "Mohammed VI Green City" in Benguerir, near Marrakech, UM6P applies a "learning by doing" approach and develops sound partnerships with world-wide class universities, to promote leadership and training in focused research areas.

By contributing to the training of a new generation of researchers, entrepreneurs and leaders, UM6P is committed to positioning Morocco and Africa at the forefront of technology and human Sciences.

SOURCE Plug and Play