Algerian innovators and leaders of start-ups and micro-enterprises took top spots in competitions held alongside the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF-2025), which took place at the Exhibition Centre of Algiers and wrapped up Wednesday.
The contests attracted many innovators from various African countries, with Algeria distinguishing itself with several innovative projects in the fields of artificial intelligence, technology and healthcare digitisation.
In the competition for the best start-up in technological innovation, “Qareeb” took first place with its product “Q farming,” dedicated to smart agriculture, providing farmers with information on soil and weather conditions while allowing them to remotely control irrigation systems, even in areas without coverage.
In addition, participants in the hackathon organised as part of the fair and dedicated to health services presented various digital solutions to promote healthier lifestyles for the continent’s populations.
This hackathon was also a success for Algerian competitors, namely Samia Bounab, a student at the School of Food Science and Agri-Food Industries (Essaia), and her colleague Tamara Ndlovu, who took second place for their project “Amira Fertility,” which aims to design a platform for women’s health and monitoring pregnant women.
In the competition for young start-up entrepreneurs, Farah Bouras, from Algeria, took second place for her project to create a platform to reduce the risks faced by patients and monitoring possible drug interactions.
The Jury said that the standard of the African projects submitted reflected the development of the entrepreneurial environment in Africa and demonstrated the ability of young talent to compete.
