Algeria is intensifying efforts to promote university-based entrepreneurship as a strategic response to high youth unemployment. By expanding a network of 124 incubators across higher education and research institutions, the country aims to drive innovation and diversify its economy through startups and technology ventures.
Ahmed Mir, President of the National Commission for Innovation and University Incubators, reaffirmed on June 24 in Algiers the government’s ambitious goal of creating 20,000 startups by 2029. This target aligns with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s vision to position entrepreneurship as a key engine for economic growth.
Currently, the incubator network engages 60,000 students working on final-year projects focused on launching startups, micro-enterprises, or patent applications. These efforts have yielded 1,600 micro-enterprises, 130 startups, 1,175 certified “innovative” projects, and 2,800 patents filed.
The initiative builds on three years of work by the Ministry of Higher Education to cultivate an entrepreneurial culture within universities. Algeria produces approximately 250,000 graduates annually, including over 110,000 in technical, scientific, and digital disciplines, who are viewed as vital contributors to the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Beyond economic growth, the expanding startup ecosystem plays a crucial social role by offering pathways to job creation and social stability amid persistently high youth unemployment.
Despite this progress, challenges remain, including improving access to financing, upgrading digital infrastructure, and strengthening regulatory support to foster entrepreneurship.
