Morocco’s Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) has taken its African innovation agenda to North America with the opening of a new Global Hub in the United States.
The hub, launched on September 8, 2025, in New York, is designed to link African research, talent, and entrepreneurship with U.S. universities, investors, and technology partners. With offices in New York and Cambridge, Massachusetts, it will serve as a bridge for academic exchanges, joint research projects, and business collaborations.
The inauguration was attended by Morocco’s Ambassador to the U.S., Youssef Amrani, and the country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Omar Hilale. UM6P leaders said the initiative reflects the university’s commitment to positioning Africa at the heart of global conversations on sustainability, science, and innovation.
Beyond academia, the Global Hub will provide African start-ups with access to North American venture capital and industry expertise, while enabling U.S. innovations to be adapted and scaled in African markets.
Since its founding in 2017, UM6P has become a key driver of research and entrepreneurship in areas such as sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, water security, and industrial innovation. Today, the university hosts more than 7,300 students from 40 countries, including 1,000 PhD candidates, with 80% of students receiving scholarships. Its entrepreneurship ecosystem has supported more than 1,000 start-up founders and idea holders.
The institution has also built more than 200 partnerships worldwide, including collaborations with leading U.S. universities and research centers. The new hub will deepen these ties while opening new avenues for joint initiatives in science, technology, and innovation.
“UM6P was built on the idea that Africa’s future will be shaped by talent, science, and innovation rooted in local realities but connected globally,” said Mehdi El Khatib, Managing Director of the UM6P U.S. Global Hub. “This presence in the U.S. is about building bridges, ensuring African students, researchers, and entrepreneurs can both benefit from and contribute to the global knowledge economy.”
With branches now established in Canada, France, and the United States, UM6P is expanding its global footprint while reinforcing Morocco’s role as a gateway for investment and innovation into Africa.
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