The 7th edition of the Algeria Startup Challenge (ASC 2025) concluded this week in Algiers, solidifying its role as a key driver of open innovation by facilitating nine strategic agreements between emerging startups and established economic operators. The event, which culminated in the launch of new pilot projects, showcased the growing maturity of Algeria’s tech ecosystem.
The closing ceremony was presided over by the Minister of Knowledge Economy, Start-ups and Micro-enterprises, Noureddine Ouadah, and attended by key government officials, including the Minister of Vocational Training, Nacima Arhab, and the Minister of Agriculture, Yacine El-Mahdi Oualid.
From Competition to Commercialization
In his keynote address, Minister Ouadah highlighted the program’s significant evolution from a traditional ideas competition into a robust platform for commercial contracting. He emphasized the importance of this shift for the ecosystem’s sustainability and called on organizers to establish a dedicated investment fund to provide continuous support for promising young ventures.
“Bringing innovative initiatives closer to economic operators is crucial,” added Minister Nacima Arhab, pointing to the vast opportunities for collaboration within the vocational training sector.
Abdelfettah Herizi, Director General of Leancubator, the organizing body behind ASC, noted that the initiative has become a national benchmark for innovation. He stated that ASC has launched over 20 open-innovation programs in recent years, enabling startups to deliver tangible, market-ready solutions to major corporations.
Five Startups Awarded in Strategic Sectors
From a pool of sixteen finalists, five startups were declared winners of the sectoral challenges, presenting solutions in key areas like AI, sustainability, and digital inclusion. The winning ventures include:
- Tahwissa (Digital Inclusion): An integrated digital tourism platform, which secured a partnership with telecom operator Djezzy.
- Woven (Circular Economy): A startup focused on transforming sheep down and hides into high-quality organic fertilizers.
- Sanox (Risk-reduction Technologies): An AI-powered medical chatbot designed to assist with patient orientation.
- Clean Truck (Innovative Care and Hygiene): An IoT solution that provides real-time, optimized management of public cleanliness resources.
- Martece (Innovative Insurance): A connected buoy that offers early detection of natural disasters for aquaculture farms.
Salim Tamani, Communications Manager at Djezzy, reiterated the company’s commitment to the program, stating that it reflects their strategic goal of supporting digital transformation and fostering the creation of technology-focused jobs in Algeria.
A National Platform for Innovation
This year’s edition of the Algeria Startup Challenge attracted 375 startups from 39 different wilayas, including participants from the Algerian diaspora. The event’s growing influence was reflected in the more than 25,000 visits to its dedicated digital platform.
Since its inception in 2018, the program has successfully mobilized over 3,500 innovators and provided direct support to more than 300 startups, helping them develop and commercialize their technological solutions within the national market.
About Algeria Startup Challenge
The Algeria Startup Challenge (ASC) is a national program designed to accelerate innovation and foster collaboration between startups and established corporations in Algeria. Organized by the accelerator Leancubator, ASC provides a platform for startups to develop and pilot solutions that address specific challenges faced by large companies and strategic economic sectors, promoting an ecosystem of open innovation.
Source: Africa News
