A New Era for Innovation: ASF, CERIST & DeepMinds Unite to Build 1,000+ Tech Ventures Across Algeria

In a milestone moment for Algeria’s innovation future, the Algerian Startup Fund (ASF), the Center for Scientific and Technical Information Research (CERIST), and DeepMinds™ have signed a landmark agreement to launch the National Venture Studio Program — a bold national partnership that will mobilize over $600 million in public-private capital to launch more than 1,000 high-impact tech ventures across all 58 provinces over the next five years.

This groundbreaking program brings together investment capital, national scientific infrastructure, and full-cycle venture-building expertise to build on Algeria’s growing innovation ecosystem and accelerate its capacity to meet national development goals and contribute to a knowledge-driven economy with global relevance.

Fueling Algeria’s Innovation Economy from the Ground Up

With over 45 million citizens, 1.8 million university students, and a network of 150+ research centers and higher education institutions combined , Algeria holds unmatched potential to lead in frontier technologies. The National Venture Studio Program aims to:

• Mobilize over $600 million in blended public-private capital
• Launch 1,000+ tech ventures from research labs and entrepreneurial talent
• Create tens of thousands of innovation-led jobs while activating a national ecosystem across all 58 provinces
• Position Algeria as a regional hub for deep tech and future industries

This program is more than a pipeline — it’s an engine for sovereign tech, job creation, and economic resilience.

Built on a Government-Backed Vision

The program supports Algeria’s long-term vision for a sustainable innovation economy — as outlined by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, Startups, and Microenterprises, and key national institutions.

It complements national programs like Digital Algeria 2030, university-linked incubators, and initiatives from Algeria Venture and public research centers. Together, these efforts are laying the groundwork for a new generation of Algerian-born ventures capable of driving national progress and global relevance.

Priority Themes and Innovation Focus

The program is open to a wide range of innovation opportunities, but will prioritize ventures that align with Algeria’s strategic strengths and advance its role in shaping future technologies.

A key focus will be on emerging technologies that embed artificial intelligence and AI-agent systems, with an emphasis on building sovereign, localized solutions rooted in deep tech capabilities. The goal is to foster innovations that are not only technologically advanced, but also aligned with national priorities, scalable across industries, and relevant to the broader African and global context.

Capital. Infrastructure. Execution. Aligned for Impact.

Each partner brings a unique and complementary mandate to power this national initiative:

• ASF will serve as the anchor investor, providing early-stage capital and attracting follow-on investment to ensure strong financial momentum behind the ventures.
• CERIST will lead the program’s deployment through its national network of incubators, research labs, and university partnerships, offering equitable access to Algeria’s scientific and technological infrastructure.
• DeepMinds™ will drive the design, build, and execution of the program, turning research-driven ideas into market-ready ventures through its structured venture-building approach.

Together, these combined strengths form a national force for deep tech development — one built to turn Algeria’s intellectual capital into scalable, investable companies that solve real problems at home and contribute globally.

Mr. Anys Rahabi, General Manager of ASF, stated:

“This partnership reflects Algeria’s national ambition to unlock entrepreneurial energy and build ventures that deliver real value. ASF is proud to serve as anchor funder and will work to bring in strategic investors to fuel long-term success.”

Dr. Imane Benkhelifa, Director of the CERIST Incubator/Accelerator, said:

“With access to Algeria’s top researchers, data centers, and public R&D assets, CERIST is uniquely positioned to convert our scientific strength into venture-ready innovation. This partnership enables us to do so at national scale.”

Dr. Abdenour Haddou, CEO at SARL DeepMinds Technology, added:

“At DeepMinds, we believe in speed, structure, and real outcomes. We work side by side with entrepreneurs to go from concept to company in months, not years — transforming Algerian innovation into ventures that scale globally.”

Designed to Scale with the Ecosystem

The National Venture Studio Program is open by design — created to work in collaboration with universities, incubators, accelerators, private companies, investors, and public institutions across Algeria. Rather than replacing existing efforts, it complements and amplifies them, adding structure, funding, and execution capacity where needed.

This initiative reflects a shared national ambition — driven by a country ready to boost its capacity in science, technology, and entrepreneurship, and to accelerate inclusive economic growth built on innovation.

Imagine a breakthrough health solution developed in a university lab, supported through coordinated national resources, and scaled to reach people across Algeria and beyond.
That’s the kind of momentum this program is designed to help unlock.