Algeria’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research is targeting funding for 1,300 projects through the second edition of its national Proto Market challenge.
The preliminary selection process began on September 12, 2026, across three regional university conferences and will run for three days. A national sector committee will oversee the final selection, after which successful universities will receive funding allocations, according to Ahmed Mir, adviser to the minister and head of the National Committee for Monitoring Innovation and University Entrepreneurship.
The competition attracted 2,110 registrations through its online platform, reflecting strong interest among students in turning innovative ideas into startups. Selected participants will also continue receiving support from university business incubators as they develop their projects.
The first edition produced 131 winning projects. The company said these projects later led to the creation of 103 startups and more than 36 self-employed businesses, with support continuing after the competition.
Higher Education Minister Kamel Baddari announced the second edition on July 16, 2026. The challenge is designed to help students develop prototypes that can reach the market and eventually become startups. The ministry has set a national target of 20,000 startups by 2029.
Source: El Khabar
