Morocco launches UM6P-Syensqo AI Lab to accelerate sustainable materials and industrial R&D
Morocco has announced a new AI-industry partnership between Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) and global materials science company Syensqo. The joint Syensqo AI Lab, based at UM6P's AI-ARC in Benguerir, will focus on agentic AI systems for chemistry and materials science-pushing research into deployable industrial solutions faster.
Syensqo has set up a permanent office on campus so its engineers and scientists can work alongside UM6P faculty, researchers, and students on real industrial problems. Ilham Kadri, Syensqo's CEO, emphasized the goal: connect AI with materials science to deliver practical impact for people and the planet, while elevating young talent. UM6P President Hicham El Habti underscored a results-first mindset: convert scientific discovery into technologies that improve efficiency, cut environmental impact, and create new economic opportunities.
What the lab will focus on
- Agentic AI for chemistry and materials R&D
- Industrial-grade AI applications-bridging lab results and production constraints
- Sustainability-first product and process design
- Hands-on collaboration across students, researchers, and industry engineers
The lab will be co-led by Prof. Lamia Azizi, Director of UM6P's Accelerated Research Center in AI, and Vincent Colegrave, Syensqo's Head of AI.
Why this matters for researchers and industry
Materials and chemical innovation often stalls between promising experiments and scaled deployment. Agentic systems-capable of coordinating experiments, simulations, and evaluation-can shorten that loop, improve reproducibility, and surface viable pathways earlier.
- Closer feedback cycles: iterate faster from hypothesis to measurable performance
- Industry context from day one: focus on manufacturability, cost, and compliance
- Embedded sustainability: integrate lifecycle metrics into design decisions
- Talent pipeline: train students and teams on real data, real constraints, real impact
Training the next generation
- Advanced materials research with AI
- Industrial AI applications with production-grade requirements
- Agentic AI system design and evaluation
- Sustainability-focused product and process development
Joint executive training and additional research initiatives are planned, building a skills base aligned with Morocco's AI and advanced manufacturing ambitions.
Strategic vision
- Advance generative and agentic AI capabilities
- Develop sustainable, efficient industrial materials
- Build Morocco's AI and advanced manufacturing talent pipeline
- Strengthen North Africa's position in global deep-tech innovation
Related initiative: Climate Impulse
UM6P and Syensqo also collaborate on Climate Impulse, a project targeting the first non-stop hydrogen-powered aircraft-an effort that demands high-performance materials and system-level AI. Learn more about the mission at Climate Impulse.
What to watch next
- Pilot projects in areas like catalysts, batteries, membranes, and lightweight composites
- Open datasets, benchmarks, or model releases that standardize evaluation in materials AI
- Internships, fellowships, and executive programs that connect labs and factory floors
- Industry partnerships across Morocco to validate and scale results
- Clear metrics: energy savings, emission reductions, time-to-prototype, and yield improvements
The Syensqo AI Lab signals Morocco's intent to become a hub for intelligent materials and green industrial technology-anchored by tight collaboration between academia and industry. If you're building skills for agentic systems and industrial AI, explore curated learning paths by role at Complete AI Training.
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