937 Innovative Projects Selected for Funding Under the Second Edition of the National ProtoMarket 2 Challeng

937 innovative university projects selected for funding, with a total allocation of 1,188,400,000 Algerian dinars In a significant step toward strengthening innovation and entrepreneurship within the university community, the final results of the second edition of the National ProtoMarket 2 Challenge led to the selection of 937 innovative projects for funding out of a total of 2,110 projects submitted through the national platform. The total funding allocated amounts to 1,188,400,000 Algerian dinars, with an average of approximately 1.27 million Algerian dinars per project. This initiative is part of the efforts undertaken by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research to promote the innovative potential of students, graduates, and doctoral students, and to support them in transforming their creative ideas into marketable prototypes with economic value. This, in turn, enhances the technological value of university-developed products, opens up new opportunities for establishing startups, and contributes to wealth creation. Regional Distribution Reflects the Expanding Reach of University Innovation At the regional level, the selected projects were distributed across the country’s three regions: 333 projects in the East, 317 in the Center, and 287 in the West. This distribution reflects the growing participation base and the increasing momentum of innovation and entrepreneurship across the country’s higher education institutions. Digital Applications and Artificial Intelligence Lead the Selected Projects - In terms of technological fields, the selected projects covered eight main areas. Digital applications and platforms ranked first, with 314 projects, followed by artificial intelligence-based applications and platforms, with 171 projects; electronic equipment and devices, with 146 projects; and connected solutions and the Internet of Things (IoT), with 136 projects. - The selected projects also covered biological and food products; materials, chemicals, and manufactured products; pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and healthcare products; as well as services and training. This diversity reflects the broad range of innovative fields and technological solutions being developed by university talent. 98 University Institutions Benefiting Out of 117 Targeted Incubators In terms of supervision and support, 98 university institutions benefited from these results out of 117 targeted university incubators. This highlights the scale of investment directed toward supporting innovative projects and strengthening their capacity to progress from the idea stage to practical implementation. These results reaffirm the central role of university incubators as strategic spaces for hosting innovative initiatives, supporting project developers, advancing their technological maturity, and developing prototypes that address economic and social needs. This momentum also reflects the Algerian university’s commitment to fostering a culture of initiative and innovation and strengthening the links between education, scientific research, and development needs. These efforts support the development of a knowledge- and technology-based national economy and reinforce the university’s role as a key contributor to wealth creation, startup development, and sustainable national development. It is worth recalling that ProtoMarket is a national mechanism designed to support and finance the development of innovative ideas into prototypes, paving the way for their transformation into products ready for manufacturing and marketing.