November 25, 2020 - The U.S. Embassy in Morocco is pleased to announce the launch of the first edition of Open Startup Morocco (“OST-M”), a major new program designed to provide a group of top-performing Moroccan business and technology students an intensive training experience in the skills and knowledge to help them succeed as business startup leaders.  OST-M is a partnership between the U.S. Embassy and Moroccan partners: Africa Business School, Al Akhawayn University, and Impact for Development.  The Moroccan team will work closely with international partners Columbia University and Open Startup International.  

OST-M is an intensive, free training program that will help young Moroccans learn how to create strong peer networks, achieve advancement through capacity building, as well as offer exposure to the world of international startups.  The program will offer a complete educational curriculum that is co-developed by world-class American university institutions Columbia Engineering Entrepreneurship and Columbia Business School as well as the international organization Open Startup International.  The aim of the program is to help address youth unemployment in Morocco by teaching promising young leaders how to create pathways towards self–employment and to foster intercultural exchange among top Moroccan and American students.  

Modules of the program include an entrepreneurship “boot camp,” intensive mentoring sessions with Moroccans and American leaders, joint development of pitch ideas by Moroccan and American students, local and regional pitch competitions and an all-expenses paid study trip to New York City.  

Applications are now open for Moroccan university students to apply to participate in OST-M at https://morocco.open-startup.org/  

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