Hi everyone,

I’m currently working on launching a smart home / home automation service based in Tangier, and I wanted to share the project here mainly to get advice from people who have more experience with business development, marketing, sales, positioning, or finding early clients in Morocco.

My background is mostly technical. I’m an engineer in microelectronics and telecommunications, specialized in embedded systems for buildings, and over the past months I’ve been developing and testing a home automation solution focused on comfort, simplicity and reliability rather than just “connected gadgets”.

The product itself is now ready. I’ve tested it for around three months in my own home and also at a neighbor’s place, and the system has been stable. At this stage, the technical part is no longer the main blocker. What I’m trying to figure out now is how to reach the right first clients and how to build credibility without already having a long portfolio of completed projects.

The idea behind the service is to help homeowners modernize their existing apartments, houses or villas with a smart home system that is discreet, practical and adapted to their way of living. I’m not trying to sell people a random set of connected devices. The goal is to design a coherent experience around their daily habits: lights, shutters, curtains, outdoor lighting, scenes, presence simulation when traveling, central control, and useful automations that make the home easier and more comfortable to live in.

A key point in the approach is that the installation should remain as invisible and natural as possible. In most cases, I don’t want the client to replace all their switches, shutters or existing equipment. The idea is to make what already exists smarter. For example, a wall switch should still work normally, so if a guest, a family member or a child uses the house, they don’t need to understand the app or even know there is a smart system behind it. The app gives more comfort and more control, but the home should not become dependent on the app for basic actions.

Another important part of the concept is that the system is local-first. In simple terms, the house has its own small local “brain” installed inside it, which manages the automations, the app interface and the connected devices. This means that the home does not need to depend on an external cloud service just to turn on a light, close shutters or run daily automations. It improves responsiveness, reliability and privacy, and the main functions can keep working even if the internet connection is down. Remote access can still be possible when needed, but the core logic of the house stays local.

The type of client I imagine at the beginning is someone who owns an apartment, a house or a villa, probably in the middle to upper-middle segment, and who wants to modernize their home in a clean and useful way. It could also work for renters in some cases, because part of the hardware can be removed and reused in another home later, but the most natural target is still homeowners, especially people renovating or improving their existing home.

I’m based in Tangier, but I’m open to moving around for serious opportunities, especially to Rabat or Casablanca. I know that the early market may be stronger there, and I’m willing to adapt if the right type of clients or partners are easier to reach in those cities.

Where I’m struggling is not the technical part, but the go-to-market side.

For example, I’m thinking about reaching architects, interior designers, renovation companies, furniture companies, real estate people, or people working with homeowners. But since I’m still at the beginning, I don’t yet have strong professional credibility, a large portfolio, or enough real project photos to make the website look as convincing as I would like. I’ve started building the website, but I don’t want to use fake images or AI-generated project photos. I prefer to show real Moroccan homes and real installations, even if that means starting small and building trust gradually.

So my main question to this community is: how would you approach the first clients for this kind of service in Morocco?

Would you start by targeting direct clients through social media and local content? Would you try to build partnerships with architects and interior designers even without a big portfolio? Would you offer a reduced-price pilot project to a few early clients in exchange for testimonials and permission to use photos? Would you focus on one very clear entry offer, like smart shutters and lighting, instead of presenting the full smart home vision from the beginning?

I’m also interested in feedback on positioning. I don’t want the brand to sound too technical, because most clients don’t care about protocols, servers or architecture. They care about comfort, security, simplicity, elegance and value added to their home. At the same time, the technical quality is one of the main differentiators, because the system is designed to be robust, local, maintainable and not dependent on random cloud platforms. So I’m trying to find the right balance between a premium, reassuring message and a technically serious foundation.

Any advice on pricing strategy would also be very valuable. I’m not trying to compete with cheap gadgets or DIY installations. I want to position this as a serious service with design, configuration, installation, support and personalization. But I also know that for a new brand, the first clients need a reason to trust the process.

If anyone here has experience launching a service business in Morocco, especially in home improvement, interior design, architecture, renovation, real estate, B2C premium services, or anything related to selling to homeowners, I would really appreciate your perspective.

I’m also open to talking privately if someone is interested in the project, has ideas, knows potential partners, or just wants to give honest feedback on the marketing and business side.

Thanks in advance. I’m at the stage where the product works, but now I need to learn how to communicate it properly, reach the right people, and turn it into a real business.

Hi everyone,

I’m based in Tangier and I’m currently launching a small smart home / home automation project focused on making everyday life at home more comfortable, simple and secure.

I’ve been testing the system for the past few months in my own home and also at a neighbor’s place, and everything has been working reliably so far. I’m now looking for a few first real clients in Tangier who would be interested in modernizing their home in a clean, practical and personalized way.

What I do

The idea is not to turn your home into a complicated “tech gadget house”.

The goal is to make your existing home feel more modern, more comfortable and easier to live in.

For example:

• control your lights, shutters, curtains or outdoor lighting from one app
• create simple scenes like “Movie mode”, “Leaving home”, “Night mode”
• automate shutters or lights based on time, presence or your daily habits
• simulate presence when you are traveling
• centralize different parts of the house in one simple interface
• keep the home easy to use for family members, guests or children

The system is designed around your habits, not the other way around.

No need to replace everything

One important point: I try to make the installation as invisible and natural as possible.

In most cases, the goal is not to replace all your switches, shutters or existing equipment.
The idea is to make what you already have smarter.

So your normal wall switches can still work as usual.
If someone visits your home, they don’t need to download an app or understand anything technical. They can still use the house normally.

The app is there to give you more comfort and more control, not to make your home dependent on it.

Local system, not cloud-dependent

Another important part of the project is that the system is designed to work locally inside your home.

In simple terms, this means your home does not need to depend on random external cloud services just to turn on a light or open a shutter.

There is a small local “brain” installed in the home.
It manages the automations, the app, the scenarios and the different connected devices.

The advantages are:

• faster response
• better reliability
• more privacy
• less dependence on internet/cloud services
• the system can keep working for the main functions even if the internet is down

Of course, remote access can still be possible if needed, but the core of the home remains local and under control.

Personalized app/interface

Each project gets its own interface adapted to the home.

The app can be organized by rooms, by functions or by daily routines.
For example:

• Living room
• Bedrooms
• Outdoor area
• Shutters
• Lights
• Security
• Scenes
• Vacation mode

The idea is to keep it simple, clean and useful.
Not a complicated dashboard full of buttons nobody uses.

Examples of what can be automated

Some examples:

• shutters opening in the morning and closing at sunset
• lights turning on automatically in the evening
• outdoor lights switching on at night
• “Leaving home” button to turn off selected lights and close shutters
• “Vacation mode” to simulate someone being at home
• night lighting with soft brightness
• central control of several rooms from one place
• integration of some existing cameras or equipment when possible

Everything depends on the home, the existing installation and what the person actually needs.

For homeowners, but also possible for renters

Ideally, this is for homeowners who want to modernize their apartment, house or villa.

But it can also work for renters in some cases.

If you move later, part of the hardware can be removed and reused in another home. The system can be reconfigured for the new place while keeping the same general app logic and habits.

So it doesn’t necessarily have to be a “forever home” project.

Who I’m looking for

I’m currently looking for a few people in Tangier who:

• own or rent an apartment, house or villa
• are interested in making their home more comfortable and modern
• want something useful, clean and discreet
• don’t want a complicated gadget setup
• would like a personalized smart home solution
• are open to discussing their needs and seeing what can be done

This could be a small first modernization, like lights and shutters, or a more complete project depending on the home.

Why I’m posting here

I come from an engineering background, and my focus has mostly been on building and testing a reliable system.

Now that the product is ready, I’m looking for the first real projects in Tangier.

I’m also building my website, but I prefer to show real local projects instead of using fake or AI-generated images. So I’m looking for people who might be interested in being among the first clients.

Of course, we can start with a simple discussion. No pressure.

I can explain what is possible in your home, what would be useful, what is not worth doing, and give you a realistic idea of the cost and installation.

If you’re interested, curious, or just want to understand what this could bring to your home, feel free to send me a DM.

I’m also happy to meet in person in Tangier to discuss the project and show examples of how the system works.

Also, if you have any advice — especially on the marketing side or how to reach the right people locally — I’m very open to feedback. This is the early stage of the project, so any useful insight is genuinely appreciated.

Thanks!