New Reality TV Show Will Support Up-and-Coming Entrepreneurs in Algeria

August 27, 2019

Entrepreneurship is key to helping economies thrive.

But start-ups across the world face serious obstacles — from wooing funders to navigating regulatory issues. That’s why it’s critical to make sure entrepreneurs have the support they need to thrive, too.

In Algeria, a new reality TV series aims to do just that.

Andi Hulm — Arabic for “I Have a Dream” — will feature 60 young Algerian entrepreneurs competing in challenges presented by representatives of leading U.S. companies operating in Algeria.

It marks World Learning’s first foray into the television business, and a new addition to its growing crop of entrepreneurship support programs worldwide. World Learning Algeria Field Director Andrew Farrand will host the 10-episode series, which has been conceived and sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Algiers and the American Chamber of Commerce in Algeria. World Learning will oversee development of the program alongside the local production company Wellcom Advertising.

“Algeria is full of dynamic young people with big ideas who struggle to get started or to sustain new ventures,” Farrand says. “Ultimately, the goal of Andi Hulm is to give them a boost that can make the difference between success and failure, while also reinforcing the expanding ties between Algeria and the U.S., which benefit people in both countries.”

The U.S. Embassy selected Farrand to host the show given his high profile as a development practitioner, blogger, and photographer who has lived in Algeria for more than six years.“They were interested in having someone who straddles the line between U.S. and Algerian cultures,” he says. “When they reached out to see if I might be interested, it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.”

As one of the partners producing the show, World Learning tapped into its extensive alumni network to recruit young entrepreneurs to participate in the series. Andi Hulm will also draw on the NGO’s experience designing programs that offer the comprehensive support these entrepreneurs need to thrive.

“We will be helping to guide the show’s production so it resonates with Algerian youth and considers the real-life hurdles they face in pursuing their professional dreams,” Farrand says.

Each episode of the show will feature different challenges to test contestants’ perseverance and entrepreneurial skills, such as defining a brand identity, recruiting qualified staff, pitching investors, and connecting with potential customers. A four-member panel of judges — composed of three Algerian entrepreneurs, plus the CEO of each episode’s host company — will evaluate participants’ performances and ultimately narrow the competition to a final winner.

Though the winner will take home a cash prize, the goal of the show is to ensure that all the contestants benefit. Throughout the course of each episode, participants will have the opportunity seek advice from the CEOs of leading U.S. companies as well as gain exposure among the Algerian public.

“The measure of the show’s success won’t be how grueling the competition is,” Farrand says, “but how much the contestants refine their ideas, forge useful new relationships, and advance toward their dreams.”

Andi Hulm will debut in February on the Algerian channel Ennahar TV and will later be rebroadcast online. Watch the trailer below to learn more: