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Morocco World
09-05-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Africa Takes the Lead at UM6P Deep Tech Summit
The Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Benguerir wrapped up the second edition of the Deep Tech Summit (DTS) this week, gathering over 5,500 participants from 53 countries. Under the theme 'Redefining Progress: How AI is Transforming Deep Tech,' the two-day event brought together startups, investors, academics, and policymakers to explore how Africa can shape the future of science and industry. Spanning 66 sessions across key areas like AI, cybersecurity, biotech, agritech, and climate tech, the summit focused on Africa's growing role in tackling global challenges through science and innovation. The DTS Prize was the centrepiece. Tunisia's Cure Bionics won in Life Sciences, Morocco's Sand to Green took the Green Economy prize, and Kenya's Nyungu Afrika was named Most Promising African Startup. Each winner walked away with $50,000 and access to UM6P's research labs and investor network. Startups also pitched live to top investors in formats like Reverse Pitch and Pitch in the Dark. The Deepfake Challenge, run with INWI, tackled misinformation by bringing together researchers and students to build AI-powered solutions. Yassine Laghzioui, Director of Entrepreneurship at UM6P, said the event proved that real impact happens when science meets markets, industry, and long-term investment. Key partnerships with Attijariwafa Bank, Africorp Consortium, and H&S were announced to boost tech R&D, startup acceleration, and talent development across Africa. Yassine Laghzioui, CEO of UM6P Ventures, said the event proved that real impact happens when science meets markets, industry, and long-term investment.
Morocco World
09-05-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
Africa Takes the Lead at Deep Tech Summit at UM6P
The Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Benguerir wrapped up the second edition of the Deep Tech Summit (DTS) this week, gathering over 5,500 participants from 53 countries. Under the theme 'Redefining Progress: How AI is Transforming Deep Tech,' the two-day event brought together startups, investors, academics, and policymakers to explore how Africa can shape the future of science and industry. Spanning 66 sessions across key areas like AI, cybersecurity, biotech, agritech, and climate tech, the summit focused on Africa's growing role in tackling global challenges through science and innovation. The DTS Prize was the centrepiece. Tunisia's Cure Bionics won in Life Sciences, Morocco's Sand to Green took the Green Economy prize, and Kenya's Nyungu Afrika was named Most Promising African Startup. Each winner walked away with $50,000 and access to UM6P's research labs and investor network. Startups also pitched live to top investors in formats like Reverse Pitch and Pitch in the Dark. The Deepfake Challenge, run with INWI, tackled misinformation by bringing together researchers and students to build AI-powered solutions. Yassine Laghzioui, Director of Entrepreneurship at UM6P, said the event proved that real impact happens when science meets markets, industry, and long-term investment. Key partnerships with Attijariwafa Bank, Africorp Consortium, and H&S were announced to boost tech R&D, startup acceleration, and talent development across Africa. Yassine Laghzioui, Director of Entrepreneurship at UM6P, said the event proved that real impact happens when science meets markets, industry, and long-term investment.
Morocco World
24-04-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
UM6P DeepTech Summit to Explore How AI is Transforming Africa's Industrial Future
Rabat — Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) is set to host its second edition of DeepTech Summit on May 8-9, 2025, focusing on artificial intelligence's (AI) transformative impact on innovation across Africa. The two-day event will bring together researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, and institutions at UM6P's Benguerir campus. This year's summit is going to be held under the theme 'Redefining Progress: How AI is Transforming DeepTech Innovation.' The event will explore how AI is reshaping scientific, entrepreneurial, and industrial landscapes throughout Africa and beyond. 'This second edition captures a key moment, where AI is reshaping the landscape of DeepTech, from the lab to the value chain,' said Yassine Laghzioui, Director of Entrepreneurship and Venturing at UM6P and CEO of the UM6P Ventures. 'It's a call to connect technological breakthroughs with real-world challenges, with Africa as a living lab of innovation,' he added. The summit builds on UM6P's mission to come up with applied innovation specifically designed for African contexts. It will 'serve as a platform for collective experimentation and dialogue between science, industry, and society,' a statement from UM6P said. New to this year's program is the DTS Prize, which will be competed for by a pool of groundbreaking startups using advanced technologies to tackle critical challenges in healthcare, renewable energy, and other sectors. Read also: UM6P Ventures, Attijariwafa Ventures Partner to Boost African Innovation The academic event will be a platform to provide startups several opportunities to connect with potential investors, including pitch sessions and specialized matchmaking activities such as the CVC Track, Pitch Me in the Dark, and Reverse Pitch. According to the organizers, these events aim to create meaningful interactions between innovators and financial, industrial, academic, and institutional partners. Quantum computing emerges as a key focus area in this year's edition. Although some technical and financial challenges exist, interest in this field is growing across Africa, particularly for its applications in precision medicine, cybersecurity, molecular modeling, and advanced AI. 'Quantum computing is gaining traction as a disruptive frontier, particularly promising for African ecosystems seeking to leapfrog traditional development stages,' the statement noted. The DTS Prize finalists, selected from over 150 applications, will receive increased visibility, structured support, and funding opportunities. A special award will recognize an initiative led by an African ecosystem, reinforcing the summit's goal of strengthening the continent's role in global scientific and technological development. The 2025 DeepTech Summit positions Africa at a strategic crossroads, calling attention to how Africa's demographic momentum, emerging entrepreneurial hubs, and unique challenges can drive innovation in key sectors like agriculture, water, energy, healthcare, and education. For more information or to register, the university calls on those interested to visit the website . Tags: DeepTechDeepTech SummitMohammed VI Polytechnic UniversityUM6P
