Internationalization Trajectories of Green Start-ups in Morocco : A Multiple Case Study within the Renewable Energy Cluster

Abstract

This paper analyses the internationalization trajectories of Moroccan green start-ups operating within a cluster-based environment. Using a qualitative multiple case study of six start-ups belonging to the Renewable Energy Cluster (ENR), the study explores the roles of incubation, networking, and innovation in the international process. Data were collected between March and June 2025 through semi-directed interviews completed by a questionnaire and analyzed using a thematic analysis. The results show that cluster membership constitutes a structuring context for internationalization without being a direct determinant. Incubation and networking contribute indirectly to the international path, with innovation acting as a mediating mechanism through which cluster-related resources are transformed into competitive capabilities for foreign markets. The results also highlight the conditioning role of contextual factors such as proximity and entrepreneurial behaviors. The study also contributes to the literature on start-up internationalization by proposing a contextualized understanding of cluster-based mechanisms in an emerging economy.