Casablanca hosts the first edition of WAM Morocco, a showcase for industrial innovation, future mobility, and AI

Led by Kaoun International, a subsidiary of the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), this global exhibition focused on advanced manufacturing and future mobility, which runs until January 22, brings together an exceptional selection of global industrial leaders making their first appearance at a manufacturing exhibition in Morocco. This reflects unprecedented international confidence in the Kingdom’s emergence as a strategic hub for Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing in Africa.

It marks the debut in Morocco of SAP, Sumitomo Corporation, ENGIE, Vigel, and Zoho Corporation, joining an elite list of more than 100 participating companies from over 18 countries, including the United States, Portugal, Spain, France, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, the Netherlands, and Italy.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chakib Achour, Chief Executive Officer of Kaoun International, stated that this first edition aims to serve as a showcase for the future of industry and mobility, with the ambition of supporting the profound transformation of industrial models.

The exhibition, he explained, brings together major international industrial groups alongside companies specializing in digital solutions, AI, and information technologies, within a framework of convergence between innovation, digitalization, and manufacturing industry.

Mr. Achour also highlighted the strong presence of startups and investors, noting the organization of a competition designed to reward the top three startups, with the objective of injecting new momentum into industrial transformation.

For his part, Alex Nicholl, Vice President of DWTC, underlined that the choice of Morocco to host this first edition is based on its geostrategic positioning and its growing role within regional industrial value chains.

“We are not here to take stock of the past, but to project ourselves into the next ten years of industry and mobility,” he said.

Mr. Nicholl noted that the exhibition highlights disruptive technologies intended to shape the future of advanced manufacturing and future mobility, while fostering structured connections between economic stakeholders.

To this end, more than 300 B2B meetings have been scheduled between buyers, sellers, technology providers, and project leaders, with a focus on efficiency and tangible results.

Also present at the opening ceremony, Redouane El Haloui, President of the Moroccan Federation of Information Technologies, Telecommunications, and Offshoring (APEBI), emphasized the central role of digital technology in industrial transformation.

He stressed the importance of technology SMEs in supporting the digitalization of businesses.

According to Mr. El Haloui, AI cannot be fully leveraged without a solid digital strategy and rigorous data structuring. He called for strengthening bridges between offshoring, the training of engineers specialized in AI, and innovative startups.

In a major development, WAM Morocco is showcasing the region’s first international startup pavilion, supported by Invest India, accelerating cross-border industrial innovation and creating direct links between African industrial challenges and global startup solutions.

This initiative is reinforced by the Supernova Challenge, the first startup competition focused on manufacturing in Africa, offering a cash prize of 10,000 US dollars and attracting more than 40 innovative startups competing in advanced manufacturing, supply chain optimization, industrial automation, and future mobility.

The 10 finalists of the Supernova Challenge represent groundbreaking innovations in critical industrial sectors, including advanced robotics, AI-powered quality control, sustainable materials technology, industrial IoT platforms, smart logistics solutions, and next-generation energy systems.

These startups will pitch live before a panel of leading investors and industry executives, with the winners securing not only capital but also strategic partnerships that accelerate market entry in Africa and beyond.

WAM Morocco benefits from strong institutional and industrial support, bringing together public stakeholders, professional federations, training institutions, and financial partners, giving the event the stature of a recognized catalyst for national industrial transformation.

In association with GITEX Africa, WAM Morocco is driven by one of the world’s most influential technology ecosystems, leveraging a shared DNA to position Morocco as a continental epicenter for Industry 4.0 and advanced industrial transformation.

Editorial team/le7tv