Morocco Aims High with Ambitious Startup Strategy
Morocco appears to have grand ambitions in the startup sector. The Morocco Digital 2030 initiative has a budget of around €1 billion to support startups throughout their development, providing them with funding, regional and international growth opportunities, and attracting foreign investments. The goal is to have at least two Moroccan startups join the "unicorn club" by 2030.
The Moroccan market is limited for creating such structures, but the solution lies in Africa. The kingdom has a chance to overcome this problem if startups expand their activities to the rest of the continent. Official figures estimate that there are currently 380 startups in Morocco, a number that is expected to multiply by eight by the end of the decade, reaching around 1,000 startups in 2026 and 3,000 in 2030, including the creation of one or two "unicorns" valued at over €1 billion, and 10 "gazelles" valued at over €500,000. This implies an increase in financing from 2 billion dirhams in 2022 to 7 billion in 2026.
Morocco is seeking to counter the drawbacks by proposing concrete objectives in its Digital 2030 strategy. In terms of digital exports, the country aims to reach 40 billion dirhams by 2030. To achieve this growth, incentives for the expansion of high-value-added sectors, such as technology companies and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), should do the trick. Similarly, outsourcing revenues are expected to increase from 25 billion dirhams in 2026 to 40 billion dirhams in 2030.
This is an investment in Morocco's future, not just in economic terms, but also in terms of creating jobs for young people and encouraging foreign investments. Beyond the prestige of joining the "unicorn club," the success of startups is a strategic necessity for positioning the Kingdom as a major player in Africa and the world.
