Business
OCP InnovateX Day: Phosphorus of Ideas for the Industry of Tomorrow
The first edition of OCP InnovateX Day, organized on April 29 in Benguerir by OCP Group and UM6P, brought together over 500 experts to explore technological solutions for a sustainable industry. Driven by ManufacturiX, this initiative highlighted 35 innovative companies from 25 countries, including standout Moroccan startups, and affirmed OCP’s ambition to unite an innovation ecosystem to tackle tomorrow’s industrial challenges.
On Tuesday, April 29, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in Benguerir hosted the inaugural OCP InnovateX Day, organized by OCP Group in partnership with UM6P. Led by the ManufacturiX platform of the Strategic Business Unit Manufacturing, the event gathered more than 500 participants-industrialists, startups, researchers, and academics-to promote technological solutions that foster sustainable industrial growth.
The event is part of a strategic approach to align the Group’s industrial needs with the most advanced technological solutions. More than 35 companies from 25 countries presented solutions selected from 2,500 applications received after a call for projects in December 2024. Several Moroccan companies, recognized for their expertise, were honored, illustrating the vitality of local entrepreneurship.
Abdenour Jbili, Director of ManufacturiX and CEO of OCP Maintenance Solutions, emphasized the importance of young people, skilled in technology and information, as drivers of industrial transformation. «ManufacturiX is a collaborative platform that brings together internal and external innovators to co-create breakthrough solutions, tested at industrial scale », he said. He added that artificial intelligence, by optimizing the analysis and deployment of innovations, enhances the agility of production chains in a volatile environment.
InnovateX: The Future Is Manufactured Today
The morning began with a keynote by James Taylor, an expert in creativity and artificial intelligence. Taylor identified three dynamics redefining global industry: deglobalization, decarbonization, and digitalization. He introduced the concept of «super creativity », where AI, through tools like digital twins, amplifies human collaboration. «Creativity is a team sport», he stated, advocating for the development of curiosity and key skills: creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and communication.
In his talk «Moroccan Dream: From Inspiration to Transformation », Abdenour Jbili traced his journey from a 2010 idea-connecting machines via sensors-to a predictive maintenance solution in Africa. He called for support for «dreamers » to shape the future of Moroccan industry.
Amina Saadaoui Tibi, founder of Wlidaty, embodied Moroccan entrepreneurial dynamism. She explained how Wlidaty, created to address the lack of quality baby products online, became a platform with 500 brands and 30,000 products. By establishing express delivery in several cities, Wlidaty strengthened trust in e-commerce. «The Moroccan dream is a movement », she said, highlighting its impact on jobs and local brands.
Open Innovation
At the end of the panel on the future of manufacturing in Africa, Martin Duval, co-founder of Bluenove, shared his perspectives on open innovation. Duval stressed the need for an environment that encourages spontaneous ideation and experimentation. «A culture of innovation relies on collective intelligence and the ability to industrialize prototypes», he said. He warned against a narrow view of open innovation limited to startups and against administrative barriers that hinder deployment, recommending local partnerships in an unstable geopolitical context.
Pitch sessions presented mature solutions aligned with OCP’s priorities: responsible water and energy management, digitalization, industrial maintenance, health and safety, and logistics optimization. These projects, tested at industrial scale, show the potential for integrating technologies into the Group’s operations.
OCP InnovateX Day demonstrated OCP Group’s commitment-as a world leader in phosphate fertilizers with $9 billion in revenue in 2024-to driving sustainable innovation. Its green investment strategy, mobilizing 13 billion dollars from 2023-2027, aims for 100% unconventional water by 2025, 100% clean energy by 2027, and carbon neutrality by 2040. Through ManufacturiX, OCP is building an innovation ecosystem, consolidating its pioneering role in sustainable industrial transformation in Africa and internationally.
