Published 1 min read
By Ed Brennen
Two dozen people pose for a group photo taken from above in a room. Image by Ed Brennen

The Wilson Center for Entrepreneurship, along with Kennedy College of Sciences Dean Noureddine Melikechi, recently welcomed 27 guests from the Algerian Startup Learning Expedition Program to Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center (ETIC).


After visiting innovation hubs in China, South Korea and Silicon Valley, a delegation of more than two dozen Algerian entrepreneurs recently added UMass Lowell to its itinerary.

The 27-member group was part of the Algerian Startup Learning Expedition Program, a national initiative that connects founders from the North African country with international universities, research centers, incubators and technology companies. The goal is to help them gain global business insights, build professional networks and strengthen their country’s entrepreneurial landscape.

The group toured the New England Robotics Validation and Experimentation (NERVE) Center, the Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center (M2D2) and the Rist Institute for Sustainability and Energy before concluding its visit with a networking session at the Mark and Elisia Saab Emerging Technologies and Innovation Center.

Three men talk to another man who is standing with his hands behind his back. Image by Ed Brennen

Kennedy College Dean Noureddine Melikechi, right, chats with members of the visiting delegation from Algeria at Saab ETIC.

The visit was hosted by the Jack M. Wilson Center for Entrepreneurship, in collaboration with Kennedy College of Sciences Dean Noureddine Melikechi, an Algerian-born physicist who helped bring the delegation to campus.

Melikechi said he was eager to show the thriving culture of innovation at UMass Lowell, which includes the Rist DifferenceMaker Institute and the Lowell Innovation Network Corridor (LINC).

“People need to know at the international level what we do at UMass Lowell,” he said. “When they come to our campus, they see some of the great things going on here.”

Program Manager Abdel Fateh was impressed by how UMass Lowell connects research, education and entrepreneurship.

“It’s inspiring to see how this great university supports innovation,” said Fateh, who noted how companies at M2D2 are encouraged to engage students. “That kind of support helps students understand business while they’re still in school. It gives them the chance to explore ideas, get inspired and maybe even launch their own startups.”

Fellow Program Manager Ryma Hassani was struck by the inclusivity of the university’s innovation ecosystem.

“What I really appreciate is the strong leadership among women,” she said. “It’s fantastic to see such an inclusive approach to entrepreneurship.”

A woman is recorded while speaking by another woman holding a camera on a selfie stick. Image by Ed Brennen

A visiting entrepreneur from Algeria records a video during her visit to campus.