The Moroccan Retail Tech Builder platform will allow the merchant to further strengthen his role by modernizing. Thus, 100 startups will benefit from the support offer of this Venture Builder which lasts until 2024.
“Moroccan Retail Tech Builder -MRTB” (MRTB) is the first Venture Builder in Morocco and Africa, dedicated to the digitalization of commerce. Launched recently by the Minister of Industry and Trade, Ryad Mezzour, the President of the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Hicham El Habti, and the Secretary General of the OCP Foundation, Abdelhadi Sohib, the MRTB platform aims to support a hundred project leaders in the development of innovative digital solutions for the benefit of merchants. The design of simple and accessible digital tools is also on the program to enable beneficiaries to modernize and create value.
Ryad Mezzour assured that “this Venture Builder will allow the merchant to further strengthen its role by modernizing, to develop its turnover and gain in competitiveness while improving its offer at the service of the well-being of the Moroccan consumer and his requirements. “.
For his part, Abdelhadi Sohib underlined that “we consider this incubation and acceleration platform, which is perfectly in line with our efforts to support the national entrepreneurial ecosystem, as a space for cooperation that allows startups to remain open to any source of knowledge and to implement the creative process for the development of useful innovations for not only our country, but for the entire African continent”.
In order to carry out its mission, MRTB is launching a communication campaign to identify 100 startups that will benefit from its support offer which lasts until 2024.
This offer focuses on the acceleration, creation, incubation and pre-incubation of Moroccan startups. The latter should offer innovative digital solutions at the service of the commerce sector. It is also noted that the beneficiaries of the four MRTB programs: “Think” ideation, “Start” incubation, “Create” and “Scale” creation will be hosted at the African Innovation and Entrepreneurship Hub founded by the UM6P “Startgate”, which already pilots several incubation, creation and acceleration programs.
“Through its StartGate campus of start-ups, UM6P has been working since its creation to materialize the cognitive contribution of its community. Thanks to the Moroccan Retail Tech Builder, this impetus will be able to move up a gear for a socio-economic development with a strong impact”, notes Hicham El Habti.
Remember that the “Moroccan Retail Tech Builder” program is the result of a public-private partnership. Its content was co-constructed with all players in the retail sector. Startups and university researchers, sectoral federations, public institutions and experts met during several working sessions to consult, share and develop a common and innovative vision, including the Open Innovation Retail Workshop which took place in July 2021.
Sanae Raqui / ECO Inspirations