UM6P, Syensqo Join Forces to Build AI Lab for Sustainable Industry
Benguerir, October 21, 2025 — In a landmark step toward advancing sustainable industry through artificial intelligence, University Mohammed VI Polytechnic (UM6P) and Syensqo, a global materials science company, have signed a strategic partnership to establish a new AI laboratory dedicated to developing innovative and sustainable industrial solutions.
The collaboration was formalized at UM6P’s Benguerir campus, marking the creation of the Syensqo AI Lab, which will operate within UM6P’s Accelerated Research Center in Artificial Intelligence (AI-ARC). The initiative aims to bridge the gap between academic research and industrial application by leveraging “next-generation agentic AI technologies” for chemistry and materials science.
Syensqo has opened a dedicated office on campus, where its engineers and scientists will work alongside UM6P’s researchers, doctoral candidates, and students to foster a dynamic environment for experimentation and real-world innovation.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ilham Kadri, CEO of Syensqo, reflected on her journey from Casablanca’s Derb Sultan to leading one of the world’s major science-driven companies. She emphasized that “the future of sustainable industry will be shaped by the intelligent fusion of materials science and artificial intelligence.”
“With this lab, we aim to turn this vision into action — accelerating innovation, empowering young talent, and creating solutions that have real impact on people and the planet,” she said.
Kadri praised UM6P as “one of the best universities in Morocco, probably in Africa, but definitely in the world,” noting that the partnership offers Syensqo access to top-tier talent in generative and agentic AI. She also celebrated the transformation of Benguerir into a hub of world-class academic infrastructure.
From UM6P’s side, President Hicham El Habti underlined the importance of applied research and innovation:
“At UM6P, we measure the value of research by its ability to create tangible solutions. Our collaboration with Syensqo allows us to integrate advanced AI with industrial applications, transforming laboratory discoveries into technologies that enhance efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and generate new economic opportunities.”
The lab will be jointly led by Professor Lamia Azizi, Director of AI-ARC at UM6P, and Vincent Colegrave, Syensqo’s Head of AI. Together, they aim to apply cutting-edge AI research to create sustainable, high-performance materials that can be brought to market.
Azizi described the partnership as “a great marriage between the technical and the applied,” emphasizing its strategic role in transforming research into real-world industrial innovations.
The initiative also extends beyond the lab itself. Both institutions plan to expand their collaboration into new research areas and develop executive training programs, while UM6P students gain hands-on experience tackling real industrial challenges.
The partnership builds on the existing relationship between UM6P and Syensqo, who are already founding partners in Bertrand Piccard’s Climate Impulse project, an initiative to develop the first hydrogen-powered aircraft capable of non-stop global flight.
Through this alliance, UM6P and Syensqo reaffirm their shared commitment to innovation, sustainability, and the training of future generations—driving forward a vision of industry where advanced AI and materials science work hand in hand to serve both people and the planet.
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