The University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P) in Morocco has once again positioned itself as a centre for innovation in Africa, following the successful hosting of the second edition of the DeepTech Summit. The summit, which took place on May 8 and 9, 2025, at UM6P’s Benguerir campus, attracted over 5,500 participants from 53 countries. The event focused on the theme, “Redefining Progress: How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming DeepTech Innovation,” and highlighted how technology, particularly artificial intelligence, is driving scientific advancement across Africa.
UM6P’s campus welcomed more than 3,000 students and 186 speakers for the two-day summit. The programme featured 66 sessions discussing new ideas in areas such as AI, climate technology, agricultural technology, and quantum computing. These discussions were rooted in African realities, showing how the continent is becoming a serious player in global innovation.
The DeepTech Summit was designed to serve as a platform for exchanging research ideas, building investment connections, discovering talent, and creating partnerships between industry and academia. It also focused on encouraging startups that are using science to solve real-world problems.
One of the major highlights of the summit was the launch of the DTS Prize, which rewarded startups that showed a strong link between scientific excellence and social impact. Organisers received over 300 applications from countries like Nigeria, Morocco, Kenya, France, India, and the United States. Of these, 25% came from women-led startups, a sign of the growing role of female entrepreneurs in science and technology.
Winners of the DTS Prize included Tunisia’s Cure Bionics, which was awarded Best DeepTech Startup in Life Sciences. Sand to Green was named the winner in the Green Economy category, while Nyungu Afrika was recognised as the Most Promising African Startup. Each of the winners received $50,000 and special access to UM6P’s advanced research tools and network of investors.
In addition, Sawari Ventures was honoured for its ongoing support of science-based ventures across Africa. The recognition underlined the important role of long-term capital in building innovation.
Yassine Laghzioui, who is the Director of Entrepreneurship and Venturing at UM6P, said the summit reinforced the idea that science alone cannot drive change. “Scientific advances only transform the world when they intersect with industry, talent, markets, and patient capital,” Laghzioui said.
The summit also saw the signing of several Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) between universities, companies, and research institutions. These partnerships are aimed at strengthening African-led technology development and building a foundation for long-term cooperation in science and innovation.
DTS 2025 marks a major step forward for Africa in global DeepTech collaboration. By focusing on homegrown solutions and building links between science and business, the summit showed that Africa is ready to play a bigger role in solving global challenges through technology.
With events like the DeepTech Summit and institutions like UM6P leading the way, Africa is gradually moving from being a technology consumer to becoming a developer and exporter of cutting-edge innovations. The progress made at DTS 2025 is not only a win for the continent but also a signal to the rest of the world that Africa is prepared to shape the future of science and technology.
