Morocco is opening a new chapter in its entrepreneurial story with a unique program that takes business support beyond the big cities and into communities that are often ignored. The initiative, called Orange Corners Morocco, is a partnership between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Netherlands, designed to give young innovators the tools, training, and resources they need to turn ideas into working businesses.
Orange Corners Morocco is not the usual type of program that concentrates only on Casablanca, Rabat, or Marrakech. Instead, it is a six-month incubation scheme that rotates from region to region, ensuring that smaller cities like Beni Mellal, Nador, and Agadir are not left behind. The Dutch Ambassador to Morocco, Dirk Jan Nieuwenhuis, explained that the strategy is intentional because “there’s so much more to Morocco than just the big cities. There are many other parts that deserve support for their entrepreneurs.”
The program has been running with a strong focus on inclusivity. It is especially noticeable in the level of participation of women, which stands above 40 percent in many of the regions where Orange Corners has operated. For a country where entrepreneurship is growing but still facing challenges of access, this approach is helping to uncover hidden talent.
Some of the success stories show why the program is making waves. One of them is Salma Bougarrani, who is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Green Watech. Her company tackles two urgent problems in Morocco: lack of sanitation and the worsening water crisis. According to Bougarrani, more than 70 percent of rural and urban communities in Morocco do not have proper sanitation services. With the country going through its worst water shortage in four decades, her solution is timely.
Green Watech uses African-friendly, low-tech wastewater treatment systems that do not require electricity. They are also much cheaper to maintain—about 70 percent less in cost compared to traditional systems. Since leaving the Orange Corners program, Bougarrani’s startup has grown from serving only 1,000 users to reaching 85,000 users across seven Moroccan regions. The company has already treated more than 500 million liters of wastewater, contributing to the production of over 80,000 tonnes of food. Bougarrani insists that reusing wastewater is no longer a choice but a necessity.
Another graduate of the program is Youness Ouazri, founder and CEO of Ecodome Maroc. His business focuses on sustainable construction by using local raw materials like earth to build eco-friendly houses. Morocco’s construction sector is the second-biggest energy consumer after transport, and Ouazri’s method provides a solution that saves between 40 to 50 percent of energy compared to normal building styles. The approach also reduces the cost of building by up to half, making it more affordable for rural communities to have access to durable housing.
Ouazri credits Orange Corners for giving him not just business knowledge but also mentorship, training, and exposure to networks that helped him transform an idea into a full business. Today, he believes his eco-construction model can support Morocco’s upcoming hosting of major football tournaments like the 2025 African Cup of Nations and the 2030 FIFA World Cup by providing sustainable infrastructure and rural tourism facilities.
The collaboration between Bougarrani and Ouazri also shows the strength of the Orange Corners approach. Both graduates combined their expertise in sanitation and construction to develop an ecological resort project. This type of partnership is in line with Morocco’s wider goals of sustainability and tourism growth, especially as the country positions itself for international attention in the coming years.
According to Ambassador Nieuwenhuis, the success of Orange Corners lies in its public-private partnership model. He explained that governments alone cannot provide all the expertise, funding, and networking opportunities that startups need, and that is why Dutch companies and institutions play a strong role. The program provides entrepreneurs with mentorship, international networking, prototyping support, seed funding, and even a small monthly allowance to keep them focused while developing their businesses.
The Netherlands is also deepening its ties with Morocco in other areas beyond entrepreneurship. Both countries are working together on agricultural technology, green energy, and public administration programs such as the Shiraka initiative. The Dutch government has also highlighted Morocco’s potential in renewable energy, especially in the production of green hydrogen and green molecules that could be exported to Europe through the Port of Rotterdam.
For Morocco, the Orange Corners program is part of a larger picture of what many are now calling the country’s entrepreneurial renaissance. With about 300,000 graduates entering the labor market every year, the need for job creation and innovation is pressing. Over the past 20 years, Morocco has invested heavily in infrastructure, but now the attention is turning towards supporting entrepreneurs who can create new solutions and new industries.
The alumni network of Orange Corners already includes entrepreneurs who have become national leaders, including a former Moroccan minister. This highlights how impactful such a program can be in shaping leadership and boosting economic diversification. As Morocco continues to prepare for major events and builds its reputation as a hub for African entrepreneurship, Orange Corners is proving to be a catalyst for growth.
The program is helping turn local ideas into businesses that can scale across Africa. From water treatment to eco-friendly construction, the stories of Green Watech and Ecodome Maroc show how targeted support, mentorship, and international partnerships can transform challenges into opportunities. For Morocco and the Netherlands, this cooperation is more than a development project—it is a practical investment in Africa’s future innovators.
