Different Approaches to market Incubators &

3 Moroccan cases

Prepared by : Ilyas AZZIOUI Coordinating Cell

Réseau Maroc Incubation et Essaimage

Morocco Incubation and Spin-off Network

Riyadh : 16-19 March 2009

Riyadh International Forum On Incubation

Charte COSEF Rapprochment University-

entreprise :priority

LAW 01-00Role of the university in the dvlpt of the country

Authorities + France (FSP) : National pgm of technology transfer (IMIST, RDT, RGI et MISN)

Effective start of MISN

Turning point:RMIE: missions &

structure?

2000

Towards a socio-economical role of Moroccan Universities

2002

2004

2007

1999

Background

MISN

MISN

Funders et pilots :Funders et pilots :

- Ministry of Higher Education - Ministère of Commerce et Industry - CNRST (Coordination of the network) - SCAC (France)

Training & Expertise :

- Association R&D Maroc - FBPCE (Popular Bank Foundation) - OMPIC (IPR)

6 Incubators

PFinancing

- Seed Capital Sindibad

MISN Missions

Financial support to the projects hosted in incubators (members of MISN)

Raise awareness about innovation & entrepreneurship

Professionalization of incubators Promoting Best Practices

Training of human resources involved in the emergence of spin-offs

International Vision to technology transfer & Incubation Policy

Development of innovative start-ups & spin-off creation in Morocco

MISN

Casablanca Casablanca Technopark Technopark IncubatorIncubator

Al Akhawayn Al Akhawayn University IncubatorUniversity Incubator

Marrakech Marrakech University University

Incubator (IN MA)Incubator (IN MA)

- Company: 35% Public 65% Private (for profit organization)Location : Casablanca economical capitalTarget Sector: ITC

Private University (Non profit organization)Location : Ifrane mountainous city in the middle Atlas at 60 Km from Fez & MeknesTarget Sector: ITC, Biotechnology, E-business

Public University

Location : Marrakech 1st touristic city.

Target Sector:Target Sector: Research based Spin-offs all fields.

Marketing of incubatorsMoroccan Cases

Al Akhawayn Incubator

Technopark Incubator

Marrakech Incubator

Customers

Competitors

Price

Products & Services

People

Promotion

Marketing of incubatorsMoroccan Cases

Al Akhawayn IncubatorAl Akhawayn Incubator

Technopark Incubator

Marrakech Incubator

Customers

Competitors

Price

Products & Services

People

Promotion

Promoters:- University Management Board- National & international funders (MISN, Infodev, VCs, etc.)

Targeted Clients:- Al Akhawayn Graduates - Professionals with proven job experience- Moroccan skilled expatriates- Graduates & researchers from other universities

Processes

Marketing of incubatorsMoroccan Cases

Al Akhawayn Incubator

Technopark IncubatorTechnopark Incubator

Marrakech Incubator

Customers

Competitors

Price

Products & Services

People

Promotion

Promoters:Promoters:- University Management Board- National & international funders (MISN, Infodev, VCs, etc.)

Targeted Clients:Targeted Clients:- Al Akhawayn Graduates - Professionals with proven job experience- Moroccan skilled expatriates- Graduates & researchers from other universities

Promoters: - Board of Directors of Casablanca Technopark- National & international funders - Moroccan Government

Targeted Clients:- Professionals with proven job experience in IT sector- Moroccan skilled expatriates- University Graduates

Processes

Marketing of incubatorsMoroccan Cases

Al Akhawayn Incubator

Technopark Incubator

Marrakech IncubatorMarrakech Incubator

Customers

Competitors

Price

Products & Services

People

Promotion

Promoters:- University Management Board- National & international funders (MISN, Infodev, VCs, etc.)

Targeted Clients:- Al Akhawayn Graduates - Professionals with proven job experience- Moroccan skilled expatriates- Graduates & researchers from other universities

Promoters: - Board of Directors of Casablanca Technopark- National & international funders - Moroccan Government

Targeted Clients:- Professionals with proven job experience in IT sector- Moroccan skilled expatriates- University Graduates

Promoters: - Presidency of the university- National funders (MISN mainly)- Ministry of Higher Education & Research

Targeted Clients:- Marrakech University graduates (Phd Students & Master degree)- Researchers form Marrakech University

Processes

Marketing of incubatorsMoroccan Cases

Al Akhawayn IncubatorAl Akhawayn Incubator

Technopark IncubatorTechnopark Incubator

Marrakech IncubatorMarrakech Incubator

Customers

Competitors

Price

Products & Services

People

Promotion

• Fierce competition in the consultancy market• Poverty relief programs (INDH)• Micro-crédit

Processes

Marketing of incubatorsMoroccan Cases

Al Akhawayn IncubatorAl Akhawayn Incubator

Technopark IncubatorTechnopark Incubator

Marrakech IncubatorMarrakech Incubator

Customers

Competitors

Price

Products & Services

People

Promotion

Equity position(Percentage after negotiation)

Equity position(Percentage after negotiation)

Equity position(20% of the Capital)!!

Processes

Marketing of incubatorsMoroccan Cases

Al Akhawayn IncubatorAl Akhawayn Incubator

Technopark Incubator

Marrakech Incubator

Customers

Competitors

PricePrice

Products & Services

People

Promotion

- Access to all Shared physical facilities & support servicesall Shared physical facilities & support services of the university (Fax; Tel; cafeteria, meeting rooms etc.) & office space- Pre-incubation Services (Idea to Start-up) - Incubation Services (Start-up to Exit )- Training sessions- Allowances (350 US $) during pre-incubation - National & international networking networking (partnerships)

24 months max

Processes

Marketing of incubatorsMoroccan Cases

Al Akhawayn Incubator

Technopark IncubatorTechnopark Incubator

Marrakech Incubator

Customers

Competitors

PricePrice

Products & Services

People

Promotion

- Access to all Shared physical facilities & support servicesall Shared physical facilities & support services of the university (Fax; Tel; cafeteria, meeting rooms etc.) & office space- Pre-incubation Services (Idea to Start-up) - Incubation Services (Start-up to Exit )- Training sessions-National & international networking networking (partnerships)- Acces to funding (special fund for ICT project to subsidize R&D activities)

24 months max

Processes

Marketing of incubatorsMoroccan Cases

Al Akhawayn Incubator

Technopark Incubator

Marrakech IncubatorMarrakech Incubator

Customers

Competitors

PricePrice

Products & Services

People

Promotion

- Access to all Shared physical facilities & support servicesall Shared physical facilities & support services of the Incubator (Fax; Tel; cafeteria, meeting rooms etc.) & office space- Pre-incubation Services only (Idea to Start-up) ± 18 months- Training sessions-National & international networking networking (partnerships)- Access to a quite developed research infrastructure of the university

Processes

Marketing of incubatorsMoroccan Cases

Al Akhawayn IncubatorAl Akhawayn Incubator

Technopark Incubator

Marrakech Incubator

Customers

Competitors

PricePrice

Products & Services

People

Promotion

•Professor form the business school (part time) • Assistant with business profile (MBA or equivalent)•Network of external experts & mentors (volunteers mainly)

Processes

Marketing of incubatorsMoroccan Cases

Al Akhawayn Incubator

Technopark IncubatorTechnopark Incubator

Marrakech Incubator

Customers

Competitors

PricePrice

Products & Services

People

Promotion

•Professor form the business school (part time) • Assistant with business profile (MBA or equivalent)•Network of external experts & mentors (volunteers mainly)

•Director (part time)•AssistantBoth of them MBA or equivalent

•External expertise

Processes

Marketing of incubatorsMoroccan Cases

Al Akhawayn Incubator

Technopark Incubator

Marrakech IncubatorMarrakech Incubator

Customers

Competitors

PricePrice

Products & Services

People

Promotion

•Professor form the business school (part time) • Assistant with business profile (MBA or equivalent)•Network of external experts & mentors (volunteers mainly)

•Director (part time)•AssistantBoth of them MBA or equivalent

•External expertise

•Professor form the faculty of science (part time) •Assistant •Network of external experts (volunteers mainly)

Processes

Marketing of incubatorsMoroccan Cases

Al Akhawayn IncubatorAl Akhawayn Incubator

Technopark Incubator

Marrakech Incubator

Customers

Competitors

PricePrice

Products & Services

People

Promotion

•Website•Organization of promotional events•Participation to relevant events (regional, national & international)•Publishing success stories in newspapers

Processes

Marketing of incubatorsMoroccan Cases

Al Akhawayn Incubator

Technopark IncubatorTechnopark Incubator

Marrakech Incubator

Customers

Competitors

PricePrice

Products & Services

People

Promotion

•Website•Organization of promotional events•Participation to relevant events (regional, national & international)•Publishing success stories in newspapers

•Website•Organization of promotional events & road shows•Participation to relevant events (regional, national & international)•Publishing success stories in newspapers

Processes

Marketing of incubatorsMoroccan Cases

Al Akhawayn Incubator

Technopark Incubator

Marrakech IncubatorMarrakech Incubator

Customers

Competitors

PricePrice

Products & Services

People

Promotion

•Website•Organization of promotional events•Participation to relevant events (regional, national & international)•Publishing success stories in newspapers

•Website•Organization of promotional events & road shows•Participation to relevant events (regional, national & international)•Publishing success stories in newspapers

•Website•Organization of promotional events (Les Doctoriales)•Participation to relevant events (regional, national & international)•Publishing success stories in newspapers

Processes

Marketing of incubatorsMoroccan Cases

Al Akhawayn Incubator

Technopark Incubator

Marrakech IncubatorMarrakech Incubator

Customers

Competitors

PricePrice

Products & Services

People

Promotion

•Website•Organization of promotional events•Participation to relevant events (regional, national & international)•Publishing success stories in newspapers

•Website•Organization of promotional events & road shows•Participation to relevant events (regional, national & international)•Publishing success stories in newspapers

•Website•Organization of promotional events (Les Doctoriales)•Participation to relevant events (regional, national & international)•Publishing success stories in newspapers

Processes

Marketing of incubatorsMoroccan Cases

Al Akhawayn IncubatorAl Akhawayn Incubator

Technopark IncubatorTechnopark Incubator

Marrakech IncubatorMarrakech Incubator

General

Specific

Diagnosis 2008

- Financing gap to start the business (no business Angels, one seed capital; etc.)- Insufficient specific business assistance (adapted to the needs of each project) - Legal framework (a need for an Innovation Law)- lack of experts in IPR issues - Turn over of incubator staff

Al Akhawayn IncubatorAl Akhawayn Incubator

Technopark Incubator

Marrakech Incubator

General

Specific

Diagnosis 2008

- Research activities in the targeted sectors (specially biotechnology) is embryonic, there is no master or doctoral studies in biotechnology within the university-Open minded, flexible & business oriented management system

Action Plan 2008-to date:

-Creation of “Students Consulting Group”. The objective is to conduct several market analyses for the benefit of tenant companies.

- Al Akhawayn University is planning to create with the support the government the MAVRIT “Middle Atlas Valley Research & Innovation Technology”. Neighboring universities My Smail (Meknes) and Ben Abdellah (Fes) are the university partners in this project. This will help to reach a reasonable critical mass in terms of researchers and research activities;

- Al Akhawayn University Launched in September 2008 a Master in Biotechnology.

Al Akhawayn Incubator

Technopark IncubatorTechnopark Incubator

Marrakech Incubator

General

Specific

Diagnosis 2008

- A need for building links with the academic world (technical assistance + stimulate projects deal flow)

Action Plan 2008-to date:-Setting up a seed capital specific to the incubator- Establishing partnerships with Leading engineering school in Casablanca

Al Akhawayn Incubator

Technopark Incubator

Marrakech IncubatorMarrakech Incubator

General

Specific

Diagnosis 2008

-Good research infrastructure and deal flow of potentially transferable results- Existence of critical of researchers and PhD students- Lack of autonomy towards university culture and management system- Heavy procedures and processes which a significant negative impact on the quality, effectiveness and the perceived value of the offered services - Insufficient business assistance- Turn-over of the HR-Open minded, flexible & business oriented management system

Action Plan 2008-to date:

- Creation of an incubator of an independent legal status

Incubation Context

•Research & •Invention

•Innovation: new •businessViable

Business

Basic Research

Basic Research

InventionInnovation

&New Business

“Valley of Death”

The Darwinian SeaIncubators

No Capital

Thank You