Latest news with #FahdBenkirane
Ya Biladi
28-02-2025
- Business
- Ya Biladi
UM6P launches NextAfrica program at Paris's STATION F
The Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) officially marked its presence at STATION F, the world's largest startup campus, this Thursday with the launch of NextAfrica, its transcontinental acceleration program. NextAfrica is the first initiative dedicated to supporting African and European startups in Greentech, Agritech, and Healthtech. The program combines immersion at STATION F with access to UM6P's cutting-edge facilities in Morocco, providing entrepreneurs with an ideal environment to develop, test, and scale their innovations. With this initiative, UM6P strengthens its role as a strategic bridge between Africa and Europe in innovation and entrepreneurship. Its presence at STATION F is rooted in a collaborative approach, fostering co-creation between ecosystems on both continents to drive the emergence of groundbreaking solutions. Over six months, selected startups will receive top-tier support, benefiting from UM6P's advanced technological infrastructure through StartGate, its startup-focused campus. They will also receive mentorship from African and European experts and gain access to investors and industry partners. «NextAfrica reflects our ambition to create an ecosystem where African and European startups collaborate, innovate, and grow together», said Fahd Benkirane, General Director of UM6P France. «With our presence at STATION F and UM6P's strong foothold in Africa, we offer entrepreneurs a unique platform to accelerate their development and address the technological and societal challenges of tomorrow». UM6P Ventures is also establishing a presence at STATION F, facilitating startup funding and reinforcing synergies between European and African venture capital ecosystems. Yassine Laghzioui, Director of Entrepreneurship and Venturing at UM6P and CEO of UM6P Ventures, emphasized the program's impact: «By alternating between STATION F and StartGate, startups gain dual exposure—access to European markets while being anchored in Africa's innovation hub. Our goal is to equip them with the resources needed to validate their technology, accelerate market entry, and secure essential funding for growth». The first NextAfrica cohort includes twelve promising startups, divided into two key sectors:
Morocco World
27-02-2025
- Business
- Morocco World
UM6P Inaugurates Presence at STATION F, Launches NextAfrica Program
Doha – University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P) officially inaugurated its presence at STATION F, the world's largest startup campus, on Thursday in Paris. The event also marked the launch of NextAfrica, UM6P's acceleration program at STATION F. NextAfrica is the first transcontinental Europe-Africa acceleration program dedicated to Greentech, Agritech, and Healthtech. It offers a hybrid approach combining immersion at STATION F with access to UM6P's infrastructure in Morocco, allowing startups to develop, test, and structure their innovations. 'NextAfrica reflects our ambition to create an ecosystem where African and European startups collaborate, innovate, and grow together,' said Fahd Benkirane, Managing Director at UM6P France. 'Through our presence at STATION F and UM6P's strong foothold in Africa, we offer entrepreneurs a unique framework to accelerate their development and address tomorrow's technological and societal challenges,' he added in a press release. The inauguration, themed 'Innovating Together: A Bridge Between Europe and Africa to Shape the Future,' underlines UM6P's vision of building an intercontinental ecosystem that drives the emergence of groundbreaking solutions. Over a six-month period, selected startups will benefit from STATION F's cutting-edge entrepreneurial environment while gaining access to UM6P's advanced technological infrastructure through StartGate, its startup-dedicated campus. Participants will also receive mentorship from African and European experts and strategic connections to investors and industrial partners. As part of this initiative, UM6P Ventures will also establish a presence at STATION F to enhance funding opportunities for startups and foster synergies between European and African venture capital ecosystems. Read also: UM6P Science Week 2025 Closes with Promise of African Leadership in Science 'By alternating between STATION F and StartGate, startups will experience a dual immersion — gaining exposure to the European market while staying anchored in an African innovation hub,' explained Yassine Laghzioui, Director of Entrepreneurship & Venturing at UM6P and CEO of UM6P Ventures. 'This initiative reflects UM6P's vision: to connect talent, infrastructure, and capital in order to nurture the next generation of African tech scale-ups,' he continued. The event introduced the first NextAfrica cohort, featuring twelve promising startups from both continents across two key sectors: HealthTech — represented by Pelican Health, SenseBiotek, VG2D Pharma, Inn'Pulse, NeuralTeks, BlocReg Solutions, iAvicenne, and Rosetta Omics — and AgriTech, represented by Sand to Green, ISTYA, AgroSfer, and IrWise. This inauguration builds on the partnership announced on January 29, when UM6P and STATION F first revealed their collaboration to promote innovation while bridging Europe and Africa. At that time, UM6P President Hicham El Habti stated that the alliance would provide startups with tools to 'tackle Africa's technological, economic, and environmental challenges while strengthening this bridge between the two continents.' STATION F, located in Paris's 13th district, opened in 2017 and is housed in a former rail freight depot spanning 34,000 square meters. The facility supports over 1,000 startups and has established partnerships with major technology companies including Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Ubisoft, and Zendesk. Tags: Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P)UM6P
