Casablanca – Global LPs and Moroccan GPs gathered at Technopark Casablanca on Wednesday for the first edition of the “Morocco Venture Forum 2026,” as investors and ecosystem players seek to bridge global LP capital with local venture capital funds.
Organized by Silicon Badia, Plug and Play, and the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, the forum brought together global investors, regional players, and local fund managers for a series of discussions on capital formation and ecosystem development.
Designed as a two-way bridge between international capital providers and local fund managers, the forum was an opportunity for Global LPs to meet emerging Moroccan and regional venture capital firms. Local GPs were given access to international institutional investors exploring opportunities in Morocco’s venture landscape.
Across multiple panels and curated networking sessions, participants discussed key themes around capital formation, ecosystem development, and investment readiness. The event combined structured discussions with networking opportunities, aiming to facilitate relationship-building and potential future investment partnerships between global and local actors.
In an exclusive interview with Morocco World News (MWN), Halima Zahzah, Country Director of Plug and Play Morocco, outlined the forum’s objective. She noted that the forum seeks to “address the need to inject more capital into Morocco to move from a promising ecosystem to a top-tier investment hub.”
What founders expect from investors
Discussions highlighted that beyond capital, founders are increasingly looking for venture investors who can actively support company growth. This includes helping startups navigate operational complexity, opening access to networks and markets, and providing credibility in early stages when trust remains limited. Participants stressed that investors who remain passive, offering funding without strategic involvement, bring limited value to startups trying to scale.
At the same time, speakers highlighted that building value-add investors is a gradual process, with speakers noting that emerging VC firms require time to develop the experience, networks, and capabilities seen in more mature ecosystems.
In emerging ecosystems, not all venture capital firms can immediately provide deep support, and there is a need to encourage the growth of new funds rather than hold them to mature-market standards too early. Experience, networks, and the ability to add value are developed over time, often through both successes and failures.
Morocco’s broader venture landscape
The conversation also turned to Morocco’s broader venture landscape, where participants pointed to a mix of strengths and structural challenges. While the country benefits from strong talent, cost efficiency, and growing ambition, speakers highlighted the need for a more global mindset from the outset, alongside challenges related to operating internationally and accessing growth-stage capital.
They also highlighted the importance of strengthening trust across the ecosystem, improving access to growth-stage capital, and simplifying the process for startups operating internationally. These factors were deemed critical to building a more scalable and globally connected venture ecosystem in the years ahead.
Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Erass Majdoubeh, partner at Silicon Badia, highlighted growing momentum within the ecosystem and increasing alignment between local and international investors.
He addressed the rise of new funds and increasing involvement from global investors as signs of a growing ecosystem, underscoring Silicon Badia’s focus on backing local founders and helping them scale internationally, with early examples like Journify.
“We’re very excited about the impact that has been created so far. We have about 80 tech people working out of Morocco, selling into regional markets and now even into global markets,” Majdoubeh told MWN.
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