500 Global, one of the world’s most active venture capital firms, has been selected to support the Ministry-led Startup VB initiative, a flagship program under Morocco’s Digital Morocco 2030 strategy.
The partnership marks a major milestone in 500 Global’s expansion across Africa and underscores its commitment to strengthening national innovation ecosystems through collaboration with governments.
Launched by the Ministry of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform and deployed by TAMWILCOM, Startup VB aims to accelerate high-potential founders, provide access to financing and training, and boost Morocco’s global digital competitiveness. The initiative seeks to foster innovative technology solutions, mobilize founder-led financing, and advance the country’s ongoing digital transformation.
As a selected implementation partner, 500 Global will support the program by providing founder mentorship, network access, and early-stage capability development while strengthening Morocco’s national innovation systems.
Demola Adegbite, Partner at 500 Global leading the firm’s venture investments across Africa, highlighted how the partnership builds on over a decade of 500 Global’s work on the continent. With more than 20 years of experience in private equity, investment banking, and venture capital, Adegbite emphasized the importance of strengthening early-stage ecosystems and ensuring founders can access both capital and expertise as they scale.
“Our work across emerging markets shows 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 Morocco is uniquely positioned to serve as a bridge for global expansion.”
With Africa’s demographic boom and rapidly growing urban workforce, 500 Global believes private capital must do more than fund companies—it must also strengthen talent, infrastructure, and policy foundations that enable scalable, technology-driven growth. Through initiatives like Startup VB and its expanding footprint across Africa, 500 Global aims to transform emerging ecosystems into investable innovation hubs, supporting the continent’s long-term development ambitions.