The first edition of the Franco-Moroccan Entrepreneurship Challenge took place on May 19 and 20 at theemlyon campus in Casablanca, and was spearheaded by the French Embassy in Morocco, the French Institute of Morocco, France Alumni Morocco, and emlyon.
The aim of this unprecedented challenge is to "strengthen interactions between the business world, higher education institutions, and the world of research, while consolidating ties between France and Morocco."
Accompanied by professionals, eight multidisciplinary teams of five students (from Moroccan and French engineering and business schools and CIFRE doctoral students) worked—in eight hours!- on a business project that meets the needs of Morocco or Africa from a "sustainable" perspective, focusing on six themes that illustrate the current challenges facing Morocco and the African continent: Sustainable Cities, Renewable Energy and Distribution, New Personal Services, Future Transportation, Youth Training and Digital Technology, and Social Development.
Guillaume Larieu and Éric Prévot, third-year engineering students, represented Arts et Métiers. The Renewable Energy and Distribution team won first prize for its Smart Lighting Grid project (green management of public lighting in the city of Larache), led by Guillaume Larieu, Judite Ferreira fromemlyon, Ilyas Rahhali from EMI, Sakina Filali from ENSEM, and CIFRE doctoral student Mariam Ait Ou Kharraz. They were awarded a check for a total of 40,000 dirhams by IRESEN, coaching packages from Numa, and a laptop from BMCE Banka.
After the success of the CrAMfundingchallenge, which enabled him to develop his urban vegetable garden project, this CREDA student particularly appreciated the experience of this Franco-Moroccan challenge:
"I was able to work with people from different backgrounds, cultures, and origins to achieve a great result. I was elected CEO by my team, which was very rewarding and allowed me to talk to the press and the jury members. I plan to use the various contacts I made in Morocco to develop my urban vegetable garden project. I hope this challenge will be a springboard for the future."
