Algerian University Launches First University Investment Company to Finance Innovation and Startups
Higher Education Minister Kamel Baddari inaugurates Algeria’s first university-based financial investment company at the University of Algiers 3, alongside two national digital platforms, as authorities seek to expand venture financing for innovation and support the government’s objective of creating 20,000 startups by 2028.
By Dr. Hana Saada
ALGIERS — Algeria has launched its first university-based financial investment company, marking a significant step in the country’s strategy to transform higher education into a driver of innovation, entrepreneurship and economic diversification.
Higher Education and Scientific Research Minister Kamel Baddari on Thursday inaugurated the Financial Investment Company of the University of Algiers 3 (SIF-UA3), describing the initiative as a new financing mechanism designed to help innovative student projects evolve into commercially viable businesses and startups.
Established within the Faculty of Information and Communication Sciences, SIF-UA3 begins operations with an initial capital of 188.8 million dinars and combines two complementary financing mechanisms: direct venture capital investment and the management of venture capital investment funds dedicated to innovative, high-potential projects.
The launch was accompanied by the unveiling of two national digital platforms: one enabling project holders to apply for financing through the new investment company, and another dedicated to registrations for the second edition of Proto Market, Algeria’s national programme supporting the transformation of research ideas into market-ready industrial prototypes.
Baddari said the latest Proto Market projects demonstrated the growing maturity of Algeria’s innovation ecosystem, noting that many student-developed prototypes had reached a stage suitable for commercialisation.
“The Algerian university is no longer limited to awarding degrees,” the minister said. “It now accompanies students in creating wealth, generating employment and contributing directly to the national economy.”
He said the initiative aligns with President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s 2024–2029 programme, which places innovation, entrepreneurship and knowledge-based industries at the centre of Algeria’s economic transformation.
The minister announced the launch of the second edition of Proto Market, under which selected projects will receive financial support ranging from 1 million to 2 million dinars to accelerate their transition from prototype development to industrial production and commercial deployment.
Authorities expect the programme to expand both the number of innovative students and the pipeline of university projects capable of becoming competitive economic enterprises.
“The Algerian university is becoming a genuine engine of national development,” Baddari said, adding that universities are increasingly expected to deliver technological solutions that strengthen national economic sovereignty.
The inauguration also represents an important milestone in the development of Algeria’s venture capital market.
Youcef Bouznada, President of the Commission for the Organisation and Supervision of Stock Exchange Operations (COSOB), described the new institution as the country’s first investment company authorised to conduct both venture capital investment and venture capital fund management under Algeria’s updated regulatory framework.
He said COSOB granted the company its licence on 25 February 2026, allowing it to operate under Regulation No. 24-02 governing collective venture capital investment institutions.
According to Bouznada, the reform reflects a broader shift away from relying exclusively on conventional bank financing toward diversified investment instruments better suited to supporting innovative enterprises during their early stages of development.
He noted that internationally, universities increasingly rely on venture capital structures to finance research commercialisation and technology-based companies, many of which later become major players in global innovation sectors.
Bouznada added that cooperation between COSOB and the Ministry of Higher Education has expanded rapidly, including efforts to facilitate the future listing of university economic entities on the Algiers Stock Exchange, while promoting modern investment vehicles capable of supporting innovation-driven growth.
He said these financial instruments are expected to contribute to the government’s strategic objective of establishing 20,000 startups by 2028, describing SIF-UA3 as a pioneering national model that could encourage other institutions and companies to establish similar investment funds.
The investment company’s director, Ahmed Hatfaoui, said the university ecosystem currently includes more than 2,200 certified innovative projects, over 200 startups, and approximately 20,000 university micro-enterprise projects.
Despite this significant innovation pipeline, only around 12% of projects currently receive financing, leaving an estimated 88% of potential investment opportunities yet to be explored.
Hatfaoui said SIF-UA3 aims to mobilise financial resources to identify and invest in the highest value-creating projects, helping bridge one of the principal financing gaps facing Algeria’s emerging innovation ecosystem.
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