Startups: CGEM launches its “CGEM for Tech Founders” offer

Hibapress

The General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), through its Tech Ecosystem Commission, launched its “CGEM for Tech Founders” offer dedicated to startups on Tuesday in Casablanca.

Unveiled during an event held by the CGEM on the development levers of the Moroccan digital ecosystem, this initiative aims to support startups in their growth, by offering them concrete solutions that facilitate their daily lives and help them develop their activity.

“CGEM for Tech Founders” includes different services, in particular the facilitation of administrative procedures through dedicated corridors established with national organizations, in particular the General Directorate of Taxes (DGI) and the Office des Changes, in addition to listening and taking into account the needs and demands of the tech ecosystem in the action of the CGEM as a force for proposals with public authorities.

It also involves participation in CGEM events, particularly in speed-networking format, to allow startups to meet investors and potential partners, and access to the Confederation network of more than 90,000 members to encourage collaboration.

Speaking on this occasion, the Minister Delegate in charge of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, Ghita Mezzour, affirmed that supporting talents is a crucial axis of Morocco’s digital strategy, since the digital sector relies mainly on human skills.

With the globalization of demand for talent in areas such as artificial intelligence, Big Data and cybersecurity, Morocco seeks to attract and train more qualified professionals, she noted.

Considering that the promotion of Morocco as a digital destination is a priority, the minister insisted on the importance of the cloud and new technologies to allow startups to grow quickly and innovate.

The CGEM, via its “CGEM for Tech Founders” initiative, encourages digital export and the creation of Moroccan unicorns, underlined Ms. Mezzour, noting that tax incentives, an employment bonus and adapted infrastructure have been put in place. place to support the growth of startups.

Morocco is thus positioning itself on cutting-edge digital technology, seeking to become an internationally recognized technological hub, she argued, recalling that between 2022 and 2023, the Kingdom experienced growth of 250% in terms of of funds raised by companies, particularly startups.

According to the minister, this strong increase allowed Morocco to gain 11 ranks in the ranking of African countries in terms of fundraising, placing it in a better position in terms of attracting investments.

For his part, the president of the CGEM, Chakib Alj, affirmed that the “CGEM for Tech Founders” offer will bring real added value to startups in alignment with the “Maroc Digital 2030” strategy.

“Like any business, a start-up needs to find opportunities to grow. We have, both public and private, a responsibility to facilitate their access to markets and must keep in mind that granting a market to a start-up also means participating in the development of the ecosystem,” a- he argued.

To strengthen this ecosystem, it is necessary to intensify financial support, whether venture capital, direct subsidies or easy access to credit, in addition to training young people and supporting entrepreneurs who must be strengthened in order to face the many challenges, including market access, advocated Mr. Alj.

Morocco, with its young and dynamic population, has enormous potential to become a technological leader, but this will require collective mobilization and the encouragement of public and private actors to play an active role in supporting these startups through partnerships and market opportunities, he noted.

For his part, the general director of the Mohammed VI Investment Fund (FM6I), Mohamed Benchaaboun, indicated that the Fund aims to create the conditions for the emergence of an efficient venture capital industry, capable of supporting the development of an ecosystem of Moroccan startups with an international vocation.

The startup fund selection process, launched as part of an innovative partnership with the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform and the Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion (CDG), sparked strong mobilization of management companies with 47 national and international applications covering a wide spectrum of financing stages and innovative sectors, he said. The Director General of FM6I indicated that all submissions had been rigorously examined and that the auditions of the candidates had already taken place, adding that the results of this pre-selection phase will soon be announced, which will pave the way for the realization of new promising projects for Morocco’s digital economy.

At the same time, Mr. Benchaaboun reaffirmed the Fund’s commitment to supporting startups by offering them not only financing, but also strategic support to help them position themselves on international markets.

The “CGEM for Tech Founders” initiative marks a major step forward for Moroccan startups, providing administrative support and easier access to markets. As fundraising has increased significantly, Morocco is positioning itself to achieve its ambition of a dynamic technological ecosystem by 2030.