Technology

Global venture capital firm 500 Global has been selected to support Morocco’s Startup Venture Building (Startup VB) initiative, a flagship programme under the government’s Digital Morocco 2030 strategy, marking a significant expansion of the firm’s presence across the African continent.

The announcement underscores 500 Global’s growing collaboration with governments to strengthen national innovation ecosystems and accelerate technology-led economic growth. The Startup VB initiative was launched by the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform and is being deployed by Tamwilcom.

The programme aims to enhance Morocco’s innovation and digital competitiveness by accelerating high-potential founders and providing structured training and financing pathways to help startups launch, scale and compete globally. Key objectives include supporting the development of impactful technology solutions, mobilising founder-led financing, and advancing the country’s digital transformation agenda.

As a selected implementation partner, 500 Global will contribute to operationalising these ambitions by supporting founders, providing access to its global networks, and strengthening early-stage capabilities, while reinforcing Morocco’s national innovation systems.

Demola Adegbite, Partner at 500 Global and lead for the firm’s venture investments across Africa, said the selection builds on more than a decade of the firm’s work on the continent. Drawing on over 20 years of experience in private equity, investment banking and venture capital, Adegbite highlighted the importance of strengthening early-stage ecosystems while ensuring founders have access to appropriate capital and expertise as they scale.

“Our work across emerging markets has shown that ecosystems grow fastest when public-sector leadership and private-sector expertise move in lockstep,” he said. “By supporting the Digital Morocco 2030 strategy, we look forward to connecting Moroccan founders to our global growth networks across the Middle East, Africa and Europe, positioning the country as a bridge for international expansion.”

Looking toward 2030, 500 Global noted that Africa’s demographic trajectory—driven by rapid urbanisation and the world’s fastest-growing workforce—presents both urgency and opportunity for market-shaping innovation. The firm emphasised that sustainable growth requires private capital that builds not only companies, but also the foundations of talent, infrastructure and policy needed for scalable, technology-driven development.

By expanding its footprint across Africa, establishing local teams and supporting government-led initiatives such as Digital Morocco 2030, 500 Global aims to help transform emerging ecosystems into investable innovation hubs and support the continent’s long-term development goals.

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