En what does the partnership concluded by Inwi with UM6P at the last Gitex consist of, and what is each party committed to?
Mehdi Laachach: Let me first remind you that inwi has always been committed to the promotion and development of start-ups and entrepreneurship in Morocco. It is within this framework that we must place the agreement that we have just concluded with the UM6P. This partnership concerns a support and acceleration program for start-up projects winning the inwiDays Awards competition. It targets innovative projects around several themes, including Sportech, customer experience, fintech, Retailtech, as well as artificial intelligence.
For this edition of inwiDays which will be held on June 25 on the UM6P campus in Benguérir, this program will support five startups who have won the inwidays Awards competition. For three to four months, these start-ups will benefit from personalized support and coaching to help them, as appropriate, accelerate their growth and put them in contact with investors. And in addition to the possibility of developing a POC (Proof of Concept) with the operator, we will also provide them with exposure at major events so that they can meet potential customers or partners.
In the world of startups, a POC (Proof of Concept) means “proof of concept”. It is a project or experimental achievement aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of an idea or concept. The POC helps verify that the idea can be implemented and has the potential to work as intended. It is a crucial step in the development of a product or service, as it reduces risk and reassures investors and stakeholders of the viability of the idea before committing to more expensive developments and more in-depth.
How many start-ups apply on average to the inwiDays Awards? Don’t you fear being a bit of a victim of your success?
No, it’s the opposite. This enthusiasm reinforces our vision. Above all, it is proof that we are a friend of start-ups. For the 2024 edition of inwiDays, we have more than 220 participations three days before the closing date for submitting applications. We will undoubtedly exceed the figure of 250 applications recorded last year.
Among the selection criteria for the finalists of the competition, there is above all the idea which must be innovative and in line with the real needs of the market, the feasibility of the concept, and the growth potential of the project.
In addition, startups selected for the final phase must align their projects with the themes and objectives of the “inwi innov” program, while demonstrating a significant social and environmental impact.
Are the themes chosen always linked to the operator’s profession?
No not necessarily. For the inwiDays event for example, we naturally chose Sportech as the main theme, in view of the two major events that Morocco will soon host, namely the African Cup of Nations next year and the World Cup. 2030. Alongside, other themes close to or likely to impact inwi’s business, such as artificial intelligence or customer experience, are also highlighted, because we remain open to any innovation that may be useful for Morocco and our customers.
What happens to the start-ups that have benefited from your support since the first edition of the InwiDays Awards?
The Open Innovation program includes several initiatives designed to support start-ups throughout different phases of their life: from inspiration to incubation to acceleration.
We now have a large pool of startups from our program, several of which are now collaborating with inwi to provide our teams with agile and innovative solutions adapted to our different professions.
The examples are legion. The most recent, FMCG.ma, signed a partnership agreement with inwi money on the sidelines of the last edition of Gitex Africa, in order to develop financial services in the consumer sector.
