The President of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P), Hicham El-Habti, has declared that Africa is poised to lead the global deep tech revolution, with artificial intelligence (AI) acting as the continent’s strategic launchpad.
Speaking at the second edition of the DeepTech Summit, recently held at the university’s campus in Benguerir, Morocco, El-Habti described deep tech as a transformational force that uses scientific breakthroughs to address some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
The summit, themed “Redefining Progress: How AI is Transforming Deep Tech Innovation,” attracted over 7,000 participants from 53 countries, including 980 startups, showcasing Africa’s rising status as a serious player in the global technology landscape.
El-Habti passionately argued that the continent should no longer be viewed as trailing in innovation. “The Fourth Industrial Revolution cannot afford to leave the Global South behind. Africa is not only ready to leap, but to lead,” he said.
He explained that deep tech – innovation rooted in advanced science and engineering – is key to solving complex global problems in sustainable agriculture, healthcare, green energy, and quantum computing. According to him, these sectors are where Africa can demonstrate global leadership by building resilient and intelligent systems.
He also positioned AI not as a mere trend, but as a “general-purpose transformative technology” that is reshaping industries, improving public goods, and driving equitable development. “AI’s full impact,” he noted, “will depend on ethical governance, equitable access, and a shared global framework that ensures its benefits are broadly felt.”
El-Habti pointed to Africa’s youthful population as a key advantage. “Our greatest asset is our young, working population. But we must support them with the right ecosystem—one that transforms research into viable ventures and aspirations into reality,” he said.
He stressed that the DeepTech Summit was not just about dialogue, but also about creating tangible outcomes by fostering science-based entrepreneurship. He said UM6P is determined to bridge academic excellence with industrial agility, helping researchers and students convert ideas into successful businesses that can scale beyond Africa.
UM6P, established as a forward-looking research and innovation-driven university, is focused on solving African problems through applied science and entrepreneurship. Over the past five years, the university has built a robust entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem to support startups from ideation to market maturity.
UM6P also facilitates technology transfer and lab-to-market transitions, helping researchers bring innovations directly into industries. Its business support network offers market access and resources, ensuring that African entrepreneurs and startups are well-positioned to grow and compete globally.
The DeepTech Summit’s large attendance—ranging from startups to investors, academics, and policymakers—highlights growing global confidence in Africa’s emerging innovation economy. The summit is widely seen as a platform that aligns African talent with global scientific and commercial opportunities.
