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House of Geeks gives Moroccan developers a reason to stay | wamda

Today, wamda’s Aline Mayard writes about the Agadir-based tech incubator “House of Geeks.” Co-founder Kamel Magour explained that “The goal with The House of Geeks is to help developing countries build their resilience by retaining the best engineers and helping them develop their emotional intelligence, and their entrepreneurship and leadership sense.” More from the story:

A large part of Morocco’s talented graduates leave the country, according to Magour, because management style doesn’t match what they’re looking for, the technologies they use are too old, or opportunities are simply not interesting enough. And those who stay rarely get to choose jobs they are passionate about because their families need them to find a well-paying job fast.

To hang on to those talented individuals you have to offer not only good salaries, but opportunities and working conditions that are competitive with those in Europe or the US. For Magour and his partner, this means offering a geeky and comfortable house where developers can relax and have fun with others developers, and which also spares them the stress and waste of time that goes with commuting to work.

The duo also decided to add non-material advantages…. The entrepreneur has put together an eclectic library of tech and geek books, but also philosophical and psychological books that are difficult to find in Morocco. He also organizes a yoga session each week, and encourages his team to meditate and talk about their feelings. [fully story]

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