Algeria is negotiating a startup financing scheme with the World Bank, the Minister of the Knowledge Economy, Noureddine Ouadah, said in an interview with Asharq Bloomberg published on 8 November 2026. The announcement nevertheless remains vague on the essentials: the amount, the timetable and even the exact counterpart. It comes a month before the 5th African Startup Conference, scheduled in Algiers from 5 to 7 December.
What the minister announced
According to Algérie Eco, the talks are “advanced” and concern financial support for young companies able to expand beyond the country. According to the minister, the institution is mainly interested in startups growing in the country that could then target Africa and Europe. The scheme is expected to be launched on the sidelines of the December conference.
Algérie 360 adds a detail: the counterpart is said to be the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank Group subsidiary dedicated to the private sector, and the negotiations, described as “very advanced”, are being conducted with the Ministry of Finance. The project reportedly aims to create a dedicated investment fund. Neither its amount nor its timetable has been given.
Three readings of the same figure
The only number put forward, “more than 10 million dollars”, is reported in three ways. Algérie Eco sees it as the fundraising target of the scheme negotiated with the World Bank. For Algérie 360, it refers to the funds Algerian startups are expected to raise from international investors during the December conference. Managers, for its part, understands that the programme is meant to enable some startups to target funding rounds of more than 10 million dollars.
These versions are not equivalent: a 10 million fund would be modest for a whole country, whereas rounds of that size would signal a change of category for the ecosystem. In the absence of a statement from the World Bank or the IFC, the amount should be considered unconfirmed.
The December conference as a showcase
The 5th African Startup Conference will focus on deep tech, technologies stemming from research, applied to energy, health, artificial intelligence, agriculture and agri-food. The continent’s digital sovereignty is also on the agenda. The organisers expect more than 25,000 visitors and 40 African delegations led by ministers. Algérie 360 mentions around 150 investors, 98 of whom have reportedly already confirmed, as well as the presence of the World Bank and the African Development Bank.
To justify this theme, Noureddine Ouadah cites UNDP data: funding for African deep tech reportedly reached 1.2 billion dollars in 2023, compared with 86 million in 2015.
The tax lever, potentially larger
The other announcement could carry more weight than the fund. Since 1 January 2026, the finance law has required companies incorporated under Algerian law with a turnover of at least 2 billion dinars, around 15 million dollars, to invest in research and innovation the equivalent of at least 1% of their taxable profit. An order published in the Official Journal dated 4 November, detailed by Algérie 360, specifies the eligible expenditure: purchasing solutions from startups, subcontracting to laboratories, buying patents, equity investments, venture capital funds or funding researchers.
Each year, by 31 January at the latest, companies declare this expenditure on the innovation.gov.dz portal. Otherwise, the shortfall is taxed: with a profit of 500 million dinars and only 2 million invested, the tax would apply to the missing 0.6%, i.e. 3 million dinars, according to Algérie 360’s example. The minister expects several hundred million dollars a year from it.
What remains to be proven
The minister says the country has gone from around 200 startups in 2020 to more than 15,000 projects, startups and support structures. Algérie 360 notes that this total adds up different categories. The challenge, according to the same outlet, remains financing startups once they are past their first years. December’s announcements will show whether the partnership with the World Bank finally delivers this growth capital.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the fund negotiated with the World Bank?
It has not been announced. The figure of “more than 10 million dollars” is circulating, but Algerian and Tunisian media do not interpret it in the same way, and no statement from the World Bank has confirmed it.
When is the African Startup Conference being held?
From 5 to 7 December 2026 in Algiers, for its fifth edition, with deep tech as its main theme.
Which companies are subject to the 1% contribution?
Companies incorporated under Algerian law with a turnover of at least 2 billion dinars, across all sectors. They must invest at least 1% of their taxable profit in research and innovation, or pay the difference.
Sources
- Financement des startups : l'Algérie en discussions avec la Banque mondiale — Algérie Eco, 2026-11-08
- Start-up : l'Algérie négocie avec la Banque mondiale un fonds d'investissement dédié — Algérie 360, 2026-11-08
- Startups : l'Algérie négocie une enveloppe XXL auprès de la Banque mondiale — Managers, 2026-11-09