Moroccans Who Illuminate the Global Stage

The international innovation scene is increasingly marked by Moroccan talents excelling in diverse sectors. From Silicon Valley to Paris, four standout figures are leading this rise: Othman Laraki, Amine Raji, Simo Lemhandez, and Omar Benmoussa. These inspiring leaders head revolutionary tech startups, and their success now transcends Moroccan borders.

Othman Laraki is a key name in the global startup ecosystem. As co-founder and CEO of Color Health, Laraki has made the company a leader in genetic screening. His career is filled with achievements: at Google, he played a crucial role in developing performance infrastructure and the Chrome browser; he co-founded Mixer Labs, which was sold to Twitter, where he then became VP of Product. With degrees from Stanford and MIT, Laraki embodies academic excellence and technological innovation. Under his leadership, Color Health introduced advanced diagnostic solutions for genetic diseases, revolutionizing public health at scale. What sets Laraki apart is his attachment to his Moroccan roots. Although his company operates internationally, he has never forgotten his origins and aims to bring the benefits of his company’s advances in genetic health to Morocco. Laraki, a board member of prestigious organizations such as the American Cancer Society and Frontier Medicines, continues to make valuable contributions to both Silicon Valley and global health. His startup is currently valued at $1.5 billion.

At the crossroads of life sciences and artificial intelligence, Amine Raji is an emerging figure. A graduate of Arts et Métiers ParisTech, Raji is the founder of Spore Biotechnologies, a cutting-edge startup. His company offers revolutionary real-time pathogen detection technology for the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics sectors. Using AI and machine learning, Spore Biotechnologies has developed unique predictive tools, ensuring greater safety in production chains. International recognition came quickly: Amine Raji was honored by Forbes in the “30 Under 30” list, celebrating the most promising young entrepreneurs. Since its creation, Spore Biotechnologies raised $8 million in 2023 and filed two patents for its technologies. Under Raji’s leadership, the company has gained notoriety, symbolizing Moroccan ingenuity in health sciences. In just a few years, this young prodigy has brought his company to the international stage, proving that Moroccan innovation is ready to conquer the world.

In the CRM (Customer Relationship Management) world, Simo Lemhandez is a pioneer. A graduate of HEC Paris and Polytechnique, this young entrepreneur co-founded Folk, a no-code CRM platform known for its user-friendliness and human-centered approach. Folk allows companies to manage client relationships in a personalized way, giving them a valuable competitive edge in an increasingly crowded market. With over 1,800 clients and 100,000 users, Folk quickly captured diverse markets, attracting renowned investors like Accel. The startup raised over $9 million, reflecting the confidence Lemhandez inspires among major investment funds. Beyond the numbers, what stands out about Lemhandez is his ability to combine technology and human relationships. At a time when business interactions are often seen as impersonal, Folk reinvents CRM by putting people at the heart of strategy. This innovative positioning has earned Lemhandez well-deserved international recognition, further establishing Morocco as fertile ground for new ideas.

Omar Benmoussa is also a prominent figure in the startup world, notably as co-founder of Chauffeur Privé, which evolved into Kapten before being renamed Free Now. His career is marked by a passion for technological innovation and expertise in business strategy. A graduate of the University of Technology of Compiègne (UTC) and ESSEC, he co-founded Chauffeur Privé with Othmane Bouhlal and Yann Hascoet in 2012. The startup quickly gained popularity in France and internationally. In 2019, Chauffeur Privé was rebranded as Kapten as part of an international expansion strategy and to move away from its initial premium image. Kapten later merged with Free Now, a mobility platform owned by Daimler, in 2020. In addition to his role at Kapten, Omar Benmoussa is also an investor and advisor in several startups, including Teale, Zenchef, and Foodvisor. He is associated with venture capital funds like Indigo and XAnge, reflecting his commitment to the startup ecosystem.

Though from different backgrounds, these figures share a common ambition: to put Morocco on the global innovation map. Their success proves that Morocco, with its talent and entrepreneurial spirit, has all it takes to become a major player in the world economy.