The MolenGeek Tech Ecosystem

Pierre SOUDAN

Head of International Unit

Marrakech

18-19-20 of April 2018

WAPES World Congres

Summary

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PRESENTATION

OVERVIEW OF THE ACTIVITIES

NEXT STEPS FORWARD

CONCLUSION

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Presentation

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• MolenGeek is a Tech ecosystem based in

Molenbeek, Brussels

• To promote entrepreneurship in the municipality

• Created in 2016 by Ibrahim Ouassari and Julie Foulon

• The aim : accessibility to new technologies and

entrepreneurship, especially for young people without

academic background nor IT Skills

• Today, the community has about 800 members

Overview of the activities

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The Incubator

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• MolenGeek offers an incubation program

• It provides workshops and face-to-face meetings to

give insights on what are the challenges of self-

entrepreneurship

• It also makes available a working space for all the

people that want to develop IT projects and/or

services to work together, sharing ideas and helping

each other.

The Coding School

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• Organization of long-term trainings of 6

months

• The aim : to acquire fundamental IT skills

in order to find a job in the IT sector or to

create their own startup.

• No need for the students to have prior IT

education

• 50% of the students in 2017 were NEETS

• 100% of positive outcomes with the first

classes

The Factory

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More than 25 Startups incubated and launched

Promoting IT with Schools

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• This “InnoGeeks” program introduces pupils to coding, robotics, safety on internet and

entrepreneurship. This project started in 2018 and targets 800 pupils until June.

• Coding Week during holidays for teenagers aged between 11 to 18 years old, with or without Tech

prerequisites learn IT skills to be able to create their first website.

Organization of events

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March 2018 - IoT challenge by SamsungApril 2017 - BrusselsTechCareMay 2016 - MolenHack

• Organization of “Hackatons” to promote new technologies to beginners, youngsters in

particular and to encourage the creation of new startups projects

• Organization of 4 events each year, that last a week-end, gathering about 80 people

• MolenGeek also organizes trips to international Tech Hubs such as the Silicon Valley

Organization of events

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December 2017 – BeMor(e) Start Up Camp – Oujda, Morrocco

• The objective of this event was to connect the Moroccan and Belgian startups ecosystems during a

weekend of innovation and creation

• In partnership with Startup Morocco, APEFE, and the Min Ajliki program

Next Steps forward

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• Expansion of the workin space in

Molenbeek

• Expansion of the long-term trainings (5

classes in 2018)

• Organization of short-term trainings on

specific IT skills with ACTIRIS

• New antenna focused on the New Media’s

thematic to provide trainings around

community management, copywriting,

videos, but also post production

Conclusion

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Conclusion

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The MolenGeek Tech ecosystem gives the opportunity to a young person to develop his

project and ideas and where they can also get training to either gain or improve their IT skills

This project creates confidence between a young person and employers but also with public

institutions

It supports the socio-professional insertion of young people thanks to the professional

opportunities offered by new technologies

The project is an excellent example of how new technologies and IT skills can be tools to find

new employment opportunities (either employed or self-employed) for young people who lack

qualifications and for NEETs

Merci !

Thank You !