CASABLANCA, Morocco — 500 Global, one of the world’s most active venture capital firms, announced it has been selected to support the Ministry-led Startup Venture Building (Startup VB) initiative, a flagship program under the Digital Morocco 2030 strategy. The announcement marks a significant milestone in 500 Global’s continued expansion across the African continent and its collaboration with governments to strengthen national innovation ecosystems.
Launched by the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform and deployed by TAMWILCOM, the Startup VB initiative aims to strengthen Morocco’s innovation and digital competitiveness by accelerating high-potential founders and providing the training and financing pathways needed to launch and scale globally.
The Ministry’s objectives include enabling the development of innovative and impactful technology solutions, mobilizing founder-led financing, and advancing Morocco’s digital transformation agenda. As a selected implementation partner, 500 Global will support these ambitions through founder enablement, network access, and early-stage capability development, while reinforcing Morocco’s national innovation systems.
Demola Adegbite, Partner at 500 Global and lead for venture investments across Africa, said the initiative builds on more than a decade of the firm’s work across the continent. With over 20 years of experience in private equity, investment banking, and venture capital, Adegbite emphasized that closing Africa’s growth gap requires strengthening early-stage ecosystems while ensuring founders can access the right capital and capabilities as they scale.
“Our work across emerging markets has shown that ecosystems accelerate 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, where the country is uniquely positioned to serve as a bridge for global expansion.”
As Africa moves toward 2030, 500 Global sees the continent’s demographic trajectory highlighting both urgency and opportunity for market-shaping innovation. With rapid urbanization and the world’s fastest-growing workforce, the firm believes private capital must build not only companies, but also the foundations of talent, infrastructure, and policy that enable scalable, technology-led growth.
By expanding its footprint across Africa, building localized teams, and supporting government initiatives such as Digital Morocco 2030, 500 Global aims to unlock strategic resources that transform emerging ecosystems into investable innovation hubs and support the continent’s long-term development ambitions.
About 500 Global
500 Global is a multi-stage venture capital firm with $2.2 billion in assets under management that invests in founders building fast-growing technology companies. The firm works closely with key stakeholders and advises governments on supporting entrepreneurial ecosystems and economic development in emerging markets.
500 Global has backed over 5,000 founders representing more than 3,000 companies operating in 80+ countries. It has invested in more than 35 companies valued at over $1 billion and 160 companies valued at over $100 million (including private, public, and exited companies).
500 Global made its first investment in Africa in 2011 and has since supported 100+ African portfolio companies that have collectively raised approximately $1 billion in capital, including Chipper Cash, Smile Identity, Stitch, Money Fellows, and Breadfast.
Beyond direct investment, the firm has played a key role in ecosystem development, partnering with governments to provide acceleration and growth support for founders. Since 2022, 500 Global has partnered with Egypt’s Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA) to support over 150 founders through Seed Bootcamp and Scale-Up initiatives. In 2025, it further expanded its continental presence with founder programs in Nairobi as part of its Sustainable Innovation Program, which aims to activate startup accelerators in three African hubs by the end of 2026.
Source: AETOSWire
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