In today’s world, plastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental issues we face. With an estimated 300 million tons of plastic waste generated annually, it’s clear that change is urgently needed. Plaveg, a Moroccan startup founded by Meryem El Badaoui, is on a mission to address this challenge by providing biodegradable and sustainable packaging solutions.
Meryem has been an entrepreneur for a few years, reflecting on her journey she shares that her motivation stems from a desire to create meaningful solutions to pressing global challenges, particularly environmental sustainability.
The turning point came from a deeply personal experience:
“The idea for Plaveg came to me after a heartbreaking incident on our family farm. A little sheep named Mina died because of plastic in her digestive system. That moment stayed with me. It made me realize the severity of the plastic problem and pushed me to research eco-friendly alternatives. I discovered that biodegradable plastics existed abroad but were not available in Morocco – and I decided to change that.”
Plaveg’s mission is clear: to reduce traditional plastic use and create a lasting impact on the environment. Their work goes beyond offering biodegradable solutions—it fosters a green culture by raising awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution.
Meryem explains how they measure their impact: “We focus on two key metrics: the volume of traditional plastic replaced by our solutions and the number of businesses adopting Plaveg’s packaging. Additionally, we track the reduction of CO2 emissions resulting from this transition.”
By providing eco-friendly solutions on demand, Plaveg is helping businesses reduce their environmental footprint while driving tangible, measurable change.
Like many entrepreneurs, Meryem faced challenges that tested her resolve.
“One of my biggest challenges was convincing my family to support my entrepreneurial journey instead of traditional employment. It was difficult at first, but over time, they became my biggest supporters”.
Moving from idea to reality brought its own hurdles: “Transitioning from ideation to actual implementation was challenging. I overcame this by joining incubators and support programs that provided essential guidance and resources. Another significant challenge was securing financial resources. I tackled this by pursuing grants and participating in competitions, including winning the Impact Beyond Borders prize.”
As one of the standout startups in the Impact Beyond Borders program, Plaveg earned the winning spot, securing an equity-free grant of 10,000 euros and a trip to Italy. For Meryem, the trip represents an opportunity to unlock new growth opportunities:
“I expect the trip to Italy to be a valuable opportunity for networking. It will allow me to connect with potential partners, investors and industry experts who share a commitment to sustainability. I hope this trip will open doors for further growth and innovation.”
DeepLeaf, founded by El Mahdi Aboulmanadel, is revolutionizing agriculture with cutting-edge AI technology that enables the early detection of crop diseases. By combining a deep passion for farming with technological expertise, DeepLeaf is helping farmers reduce pesticides, optimize yields, and improve sustainability.
El Mahdi’s entrepreneurial journey began five years ago, driven by a desire to make an impact: “I wanted to be a changemaker. I don’t want to live a normal life. I can’t let others write my story; I have to write it myself.”
His roots in agriculture played a key role in defining his path. Growing up in the countryside in Sidi Bennour, an agricultural town known for Morocco’s largest souk market, he was surrounded by farmers and his father is also a veterinarian.
“My family has always been close to farming—veterinarians, researchers, agronomists—it’s part of who I am. Building DeepLeaf allowed me to combine my love for technology with my connection to the land.”
Interestingly, El Mahdi didn’t start in agriculture but in music. After successfully selling his work as a freelancer on SoundBetter (later acquired by Spotify), he realized the broader potential of startups and build his own freelance music platform and then transitioned to agriculture: “I began applying my tech skills in agriculture with my dad, which showed me that I could make a greater impact with farmers than in music. I built an AI model to detect crop diseases, starting with 12 anomalies in tomatoes. Now, we detect 686 anomalies in 30 crops, have won four awards, joined many accelerators and incubators and gained global recognition from key agricultural players.”
DeepLeaf’s deeptech solution is driving measurable impact in agriculture. By helping farmers identify crop diseases early, they are achieving significant gains in yields, resource management and sustainability.
Through a $75K partnership with Hivos, DeepLeaf validated its impact:
57 jobs improved through reduced water consumption, optimized pesticide usage, and increased crop production.
39 new jobs created by strengthening networks of suppliers, retailers, and farmers.
Ongoing carbon reduction efforts in their experimental greenhouse, currently being verified with GIZ experts.
Yet, like many startups, DeepLeaf faced a major challenge: funding.
“While I know funding is within reach, raising funds, financial modeling and planning are not my expertise. I’m a tech guy who solves problems through innovation.”
To tackle this, he focused on building a multidisciplinary team with skills in finance, management, tech, marketing and sales. By combining diverse skills, DeepLeaf strengthened its foundation and positioned itself for growth.
But another key and distinctive factor contributing to the startup’s success is its origin: Morocco. As a Moroccan founder, El Mahdi believes Morocco has a unique competitive edge: “Morocco is the 3rd largest global exporter of tomatoes and the 1st in blueberries. Its strategic location as a gateway between Europe and Africa makes it an ideal hub for scaling innovative solutions.”
With Africa holding 60% of the world’s arable uncultivated land, Morocco is at the forefront of agricultural innovation. DeepLeaf is already making strides across the continent by building partnerships in countries like Tunisia, Tanzania, and Qatar, with plans to expand further.
As one of the top three startups in the Impact Beyond Borders program, DeepLeaf secured a spot at the upcoming Italy Roadshow following a successful 4-day bootcamp in Casablanca.
El Mahdi shares their goals for this milestone opportunity: “We aim to connect with governmental agricultural agencies, farming companies and major agricultural players. Our goal is to expand into the Italian market and support farmers in identifying crop diseases and pests early.”
As they say, ‘Software is eating the world,’ but I say, ‘DeepLeaf will feed the world.’” boldly states El Mahdi.
2pi Learning, a Moroccan EdTech startup, is transforming the way children in developing countries learn STEM subjects. Founded by former teachers, the startup is on a mission to make math and science education fun, accessible, and effective for children aged 8–11. By combining interactive videos, quizzes, and games with proven teaching methods like Singapore Math, 2pi Learning is turning classrooms into exciting learning adventures.
But what sparked the idea for this startup?
The idea was inspired by the founders’ experiences as teachers in a system that struggles to deliver results. Watching students lose interest in learning pushed the team to find a better way to engage and inspire young minds.
2pi Learning is driving measurable social impact by making STEM education engaging and effective. “Through gamified lessons and animated content, we help children develop strong foundational skills while staying motivated,” shares Nabil.
The startup tracks its success through student progress, retention rates and feedback from both parents and teachers, ensuring their solution delivers tangible results.
By transforming how children learn math, 2pi Learning is equipping the next generation with the skills they need to thrive in the future job market.
But despite being driven by the best intentions and ambitions, being an entrepreneur in Morocco means tackling a dynamic yet challenging environment.
“We’ve been on this journey for two years, but the early stages were tough. The local ecosystem is still in its infancy, which makes it difficult to get funding,” explains Nabil Makboul, co-founder of 2pi Learning. “Things began to shift when we joined programs like Impact Beyond Borders, where we found valuable mentorship and guidance.”
As Moroccan founders, the team believes their country offers unique advantages for startups aiming to scale across Africa and beyond. “Morocco’s cultural diversity, its strategic position as a gateway to Africa, and its strong regional relationships provide a unique opportunity to scale solutions tailored for African and global markets,” Nabil states. “The competitive advantage of Moroccan startups lies in their ability to understand complicated local and regional challenges, which proves to be a unique opportunity to scale solutions that resonate both locally and globally.”
After participating in the 4-day bootcamp in Casablanca, 2pi Learning emerged as one of the top three startups from the Impact Beyond Borders program, earning a prize trip to Italy to connect with international networks and explore new opportunities.
The Italy Roadshow represents more than just an international trip—it’s a bridge to connect Africa’s emerging educational solutions with the European innovation landscape. The team hopes to gain insights and resources to help refine their growth strategy and accelerate their journey into new markets:
“We’re excited to meet organizations who share our passion for impactful education. This trip is an opportunity to learn from the European innovation ecosystem, build strong partnerships and bring our solution to a wider audience,” Nabil explains.
Recognized as one of the top startups in the Impact Beyond Borders program, the team is ready to bring engaging STEM education to children everywhere. With plans to expand beyond math into other disciplines, 2pi Learning is shaping a brighter, more accessible future for education in Africa.
Blog Post by Tommaso Lapiana, BeEntrepreneurs Volunteer
Impact Beyond Borders 2024 took place in Casablanca during the last week of October, a bootcamp designed to connect Moroccan start-ups with meaningful opportunities for growth. Organised by BeEntrepreneurs and supported by Sisal and GoBeyond, it brought together ambitious early-stage founders, experienced mentors, and key figures from both the local and Italian ecosystems.
Our call for start-ups drew more than 150 applications from across Morocco. From these, we selected 8 promising teams to join us for an intensive four-day programme. The bootcamp wasn’t just about equipping founders with knowledge—it was about creating connections: strengthening their networks locally, preparing them for the Italian ecosystem, and encouraging honest, constructive dialogue with leading voices in the entrepreneurial space. The schedule combined panel discussions, one-on-one mentoring, and sessions that allowed start-ups to pitch and receive direct feedback. Each day was carefully structured to balance group learning with individual support, ensuring every founder left with insights tailored to their challenges.
One of my favorite moments of the whole bootcamp was the peer-to-peer session with Omar Alami, founder of Ora Technologies, and Ismail Bergakh, CEO and co-founder of Wafr. These successful local founders brought a level of authenticity that struck a chord with participants, sharing real lessons from their journeys while challenging the start-ups to refine their thinking. According to participants’ feedback, their approach was direct, grounded, and precisely what aspiring founders needed to hear.
The bootcamp also featured high-level panels addressing early-stage start-ups’ key challenges, such as open innovation, fundraising, and internationalization. During the open innovation session, Mehdi Alaoui (CEO of LaStartupStation), Davide Orfanelli (Sisal), and Riccardo Leonardi (Relearn) explored practical approaches for start-ups to collaborate with larger organizations. For founders looking at international opportunities, Hiba Ritzk (EBRD), Francesco Pagnini (ICE Casablanca), and Lamiae Benmakhlouf (Technopark) shared actionable advice on building a bridge to European markets. The fundraising panel offered another critical opportunity for the start-ups to connect directly with investors. Leaders like Amine Boukouss (212 Founders and CDG Invest), Ming S. Kwan (First Circle Capital), and Reda Laklifi (Founco and DreamVC) listened to short elevator pitches, asked sharp questions, and gave immediate, focused feedback. For many of the founders, having this direct engagement with investors was both rare and transformative.
The programme ended with the Demo Day, where start-ups presented their work to a distinguished jury. The panel included figures such as Hiba Ritzk (EBRD), Sarrah Cherif D’Ouezzan (Sadara Technology), Farouk Lahbabi (CDG Invest), Zaid Benbya (TheAccelerator.ma), Moulay Hafid Amrani (AfriMobility), Davide Orfanelli (Sisal), and representatives from Startgate, including Zahra Nafaa and Kawtar El Outmani. The quality of the pitches demonstrated how far the founders had come in just a few days—more focused, confident, and clear in presenting their solutions. At the end of the day, three start-ups were selected as winners. Two earned a place in the upcoming roadshow in Italy, where they’ll engage with key players in the Italian ecosystem, while the third also received a €10,000 grant from Sisal GoBeyond.
What made Impact Beyond Borders 2024 special was its emphasis on connection. Start-ups didn’t just gain access to tools and frameworks—they engaged with real people: experienced entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem enablers who challenged them to think bigger, sharper, and more strategically. At the same time, the programme strengthened the ties within the Moroccan start-up community itself, creating an exchange that felt both collaborative and productive.
Our bootcamp is part of a larger mission to help emerging ecosystems grow by building bridges—between founders and investors, between African countries and Italy, and among the local innovators themselves. As BeEntrepreneurs, we believe these connections are where the real work begins, and I’m proud to have been part of this process.
Con la fine del 2024, si chiude anche questo entusiasmante biennio della storia di BeEntrepreneurs. Negli ultimi due anni, il cuore delle nostre attività è stato il progetto Startup Africa Roadtrip, ma dietro le quinte c’è molto di più: un viaggio collettivo fatto di passione, collaborazione e visioni condivise.
Grazie al supporto instancabile di volontari, volontarie e dei nostri partner in Africa e in Europa, abbiamo raggiunto traguardi che ci riempiono di orgoglio. E lo abbiamo fatto insieme, esplorando realtà diverse e imparando a guardare l’Africa per ciò che è davvero: un continente di straordinaria complessità.
Nel 2023 e 2024 abbiamo avuto la fortuna di lavorare in Kenya, Rwanda e Marocco. Tre Paesi ovviamente molto diversi sotto tanti punti di vista, con identità uniche, tre esperienze che ci fanno ricordare costantemente come l’Africa sia tutto il contrario di un blocco unico, come la si tende troppo spesso a rappresentare.
Riavvolgiamo il nastro e torniamo indietro a quasi due anni fa…
All’inizio del 2023, insieme a Joule ed ENI School of Entrepreneurship, abbiamo lanciato il programma Seeds for Sustainable Energy a Nairobi, concentrandoci sull’agribusiness e sulla sostenibilità. È stata una settimana intensa, ricca di incontri e idee che hanno piantato semi di cambiamento. Potete ripercorrere questa esperienza andando leggere il recap di quella settimana qui.
Ad agosto invece, dopo intensi mesi di scouting ed organizzazione in collaborazione con incubatori, startup ed università locali, siamo volati a Kigali, in Rwanda, per il bootcamp di Startup Africa Roadtrip. Qui, 25 startup ci hanno stupito con soluzioni innovative a sfide globali: dall’educazione all’agritech, dal fintech alla femtech, fino al turismo e all’economia circolare. Ogni giorno è stato un’occasione di scambio, tra pitching sessions, business plan e momenti di apprendimento reciproco. (Scopri di più qui).
Il 2024 è stato l’anno del roadshow italiano, che, come avete ormai imparato, segue sempre il bootcamp nel paese africano selezionato per il programma.
Le cinque startup selezionate a Kigali hanno vissuto una settimana unica tra Milano e Bologna, ospiti del nostro network di partner. Hanno visitato aziende italiane, partecipato a sessioni di networking e ricevuto feedback preziosi per far crescere i loro progetti. Il tutto culminato con un evento pubblico alla Fondazione Cariplo, un momento speciale per celebrare la strada fatta insieme. Scopri i dettagli qui.
E non è tutto: il 2024 si è chiuso con la collaborazione con Sisal – Go Beyond ha dato vita a Impact Beyond Borders. Un’ulteriore opportunità per startup questa volta marocchine, di lavorare sui loro progetti e presentarli poi nel 2025 all’ecosistema dell’innovazione italiano.
Mentre ci lasciamo alle spalle un biennio intenso, il prossimo è già iniziato! Le idee non si fermano, e non vediamo l’ora di farvi scoprire dove ci porterà il 2025.
Un grazie speciale va a tutti i partner che da anni credono in noi e rendono possibili questi progetti. La vostra fiducia è il nostro motore.
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