“Advancing entrepreneurship and accelerating scientific innovation in Morocco and Africa through the investment arm of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University.”
UM6P Ventures is the investment arm of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, established in 2019 and led by CEO Yassine Laghzioui. The firm operates two funds: a Digital Transformation Startup fund and a Deeptech Ventures fund, both targeting pre-seed and seed-stage companies. Backed by OCP Group (one of the world's largest phosphate producers), UM6P Ventures gives portfolio companies something no other African VC can: direct access to a research university's labs, equipment, talent pipeline, and scientific infrastructure.
The portfolio spans 11+ companies, heavily weighted toward deeptech and hard science: DeepEcho (prenatal diagnostics via AI), ATAREC (wave energy), ClimateCrop (gene editing for climate-resilient crops), De Novo Foodlabs (precision fermentation), and Nitrofix (green ammonia production). In April 2025, UM6P Ventures signed a partnership with Attijariwafa Ventures, giving portfolio companies access to Attijariwafa Bank's network spanning 27 countries with 12 million+ clients. Along with Al Mada Ventures, UM6P Ventures accounted for roughly 70% of all funding deployed in Morocco in 2024.
| Name | Role | X/Twitter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yassine Laghzioui | CEO | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Lamiaa El Amrani | Investment Director | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Ikram Labtaini | Deeptech Director | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |