Since its inception in 2019, the Social Innovation Lab (SIL) at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) has positively impacted more than 4,200 individuals across Morocco, with 64% hailing from rural areas.
The SIL is dedicated to creating meaningful impacts at local, regional, national, and continental levels, according to a statement from UM6P. Its programs encompass support for social entrepreneurship, women’s entrepreneurship, employability, digital inclusion, cultural and artisanal heritage valorization, and the optimization of agricultural value chains.
The SIL supports over 700 cooperatives throughout Morocco, involving more than 3,500 cooperative members. This support includes strategic diagnostics, tailored training, personalized coaching, and ongoing technical assistance.
Women play a central role in SIL’s initiatives, making up 48% of participants. The lab actively promotes female entrepreneurship and women’s empowerment through programs such as Al Montija, the Women Empowerment Center (WEC), and Femmpact. Over 400 women entrepreneurs benefit from these initiatives, which provide comprehensive support from project ideation to the management and development of income-generating activities, including mentorship and access to essential professional networks.
Digital inclusion is a core pillar of SIL’s mission, offering young people practical workshops in video editing, digital content creation, and marketing strategies. This initiative aims to equip youth with essential digital skills for the modern job market.
The SIL places great importance on the valorization of cultural and artisanal heritage, actively supporting 50 businesses to modernize their practices and enhance the competitiveness of their products.
The SIL also focuses on upgrading agricultural value chains, collaborating with over 40 stakeholders and supporting more than 15 strategic sectors to enhance food security. Efforts include promoting sustainable agricultural practices, training farmers in modern techniques, and improving the marketing of agricultural products to ensure better food security.
Through these diverse initiatives, UM6P strives to fulfill its public mission of socio-economic transformation. By creating tangible opportunities for local and African communities, and fostering large-scale social innovation, UM6P is making significant strides in its transformative journey.
