DR ‹ › The Moroccan startup z.systems has successfully secured $1.65 million in funding to propel the digital transformation of traditional commerce in Morocco. According to a company statement, this initiative aims to modernize «one of the most crucial segments of the Moroccan economy», which currently operates without the necessary digital infrastructure to foster transparency, efficiency, and coordinated growth across the value chain. This ambitious project targets a landscape populated by approximately 126,000 independent neighborhood grocery stores. These «hanouts» account for «over 85% of the country's food expenditures, in a market valued at around $40 billion». The statement also notes that «more than 20,000 distributors, wholesalers, and semi-wholesalers act as conduits between brands and retailers» in an ecosystem that remains largely undigitalized. The lack of digital infrastructure leads to «a fragmented value chain with limited transparency, poor coordination, and no shared infrastructure». To address this, z.systems aims to «bridge this gap through a model that enhances existing market players rather than bypassing them», as explained in the statement. The seed funding round was spearheaded by AZUR Innovation Fund, with participation from MNF Ventures via its MNF II fund, and Witamax. This marks a «decisive step» for the company, particularly with «the entry of Harambeans Prosperity Fund as the first international institutional investor in z.systems' capital». The statement emphasizes that «with this operation, z.systems has raised a total of $2.7 million to date», building on a Pre-Seed round of $1.05 million supported by initial partners, including Cash Plus Ventures and Kalys Ventures. Additionally, the company acknowledges «the joint participation of existing investors and new partners» as a vote of confidence, fueling efforts to «build the digital infrastructure layer» for a critical yet underserved economic sector.
