On 25 March 2026, the Ministry of the Knowledge Economy, Start-ups and Micro-Enterprises of Algeria, together with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), organized a webinar on the promotion of intellectual property (IP) in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.
The webinar was opened by Noureddine Ouaddah, Minister of the Knowledge Economy, Start-ups and Micro-Enterprises and Marco Alemán, WIPO Assistant Director-General of the IP and Innovation Ecosystems Sector. It was part of an overall effort to strengthen the role of IP as a strategic driver for innovation, competitiveness and economic development in Algeria. More than 80 businesses participated, clearly reflecting the growing interest in this strategic matter.
During this event, various experts and contributors from the Ministry and WIPO highlighted the importance for start-ups and SMEs to protect their creations, whether inventions, trademarks or digital content. IP was presented not only as a legal tool, but also as a real strategic asset, helping to attract investors and to gain a competitive edge.
Indeed, IP is particularly important for start-ups and SMEs. These entities, often built on innovative ideas but with limited resources, must secure their intangible assets in order to develop sustainably. Patent filing, trademark registration and the protection of designs and models help to prevent the risk of copying, but also raise a business’ market profile. A well-honed IP strategy can thus facilitate access to financing, build credibility with partners and open the door to international opportunities.
Discussions also addressed the challenges facing young innovative enterprises, including limited awareness of protection mechanisms and the complexity of administrative procedures. In this regard, WIPO reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Algeria in the development of policies that foster innovation.
The webinar also highlighted the key role played by Algeria’s technology and innovation support centres (CATI). These centres are a cornerstone of the innovation ecosystem, as they enable access to IP databases, particularly relating to patents and technological information. Researchers, entrepreneurs and project developers can thus conduct prior art searches, analyze technology trends and identify innovation opportunities. The centres provide support and training, helping to make technological information more widely accessible and to build local capacity in IP management.
The Ministry underscored efforts made to forge a start-up creation ecosystem, focusing on training, support and financing. Working together with WIPO is thus key to accelerating this transformation, and this joint effort will soon be further strengthened through the establishment of an IP for Business Centre.
The webinar marked a further step in the Government of Algeria’s commitment to positioning IP as a cornerstone of knowledge-based economic development.
This joint initiative thus reflects the growing importance given to innovation and to its protection in national strategies, and confirms the key role of the partnership between WIPO and Algeria in building a robust and sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystem.