Algerian travel-tech startup Völz has secured 600 million DZD (approximately $5 million) in a new funding round. The investment was led by local private groups Tell Group and Groupe Industriel Babahoum Algérie (GIBA). The transaction ranks among the more notable locally denominated startup rounds in Algeria and marks an important moment for the country’s emerging venture capital market.
A Milestone for Algeria’s Tech Ecosystem
The round represents the first reported exit for the Algerian Startup Fund (ASF), the state-backed vehicle created to stimulate early-stage investment in the country. ASF recorded an estimated 3.35x return on its initial investment in Völz, offering early validation of its public venture capital model. The exit provides a tangible signal to private investors that public seed capital can generate viable follow-on opportunities.
Solving a Localized Payment Challenge
Founded by Mohamed Abdelhadi Mezi and Hacene Seghier, Völz focuses on addressing a key friction point in the Algerian travel market. The platform enables users to book international flights while paying in Algerian dinar, responding to the practical difficulties associated with foreign-currency payments for international travel.
To further align with local consumer behavior, Völz also offers cash-on-delivery and offline-friendly payment options, a critical feature in markets where card penetration and digital payment adoption remain uneven. This approach has helped make international travel bookings more accessible to a broader segment of Algerian consumers.
Strategic Capital for Ambitious Growth
The company plans to deploy the new capital toward automating backend operations, reducing booking errors, and expanding its technical team. CEO Mohamed Abdelhadi Mezi stated that the funding will support Völz’s mission to simplify travel for Algerian users and scale its operational capabilities. He also highlighted the company’s long-term ambition to build a category-defining travel platform from Algeria.
Alongside the funding, Völz has entered a commercial partnership with Turkish Airlines, providing access to the airline’s corporate partner ecosystem. The move signals a strategic push into the B2B travel segment, which typically offers more predictable demand and higher-margin contracts compared to purely consumer-focused travel sales.
The Shifting Investment Landscape
GIBA’s participation reflects a broader shift within Algeria’s investment environment, as established industrial and family-owned groups begin allocating capital to digital and technology-driven businesses. Traditionally rooted in sectors such as consumer goods and manufacturing, these groups are increasingly viewing technology platforms as strategic growth assets.
This growing involvement of private capital is a critical step in the maturation of Algeria’s startup ecosystem. While public funding has played a foundational role, long-term sustainability depends on deeper private-sector participation. The Völz transaction demonstrates that local private investors are increasingly willing to back scalable, homegrown technology companies.
Völz’s funding round stands as more than a single company milestone. It underscores the emergence of a functioning public-to-private investment pipeline, rising confidence from domestic investors, and early signs of a maturing venture cycle in Algeria. The deal offers a practical blueprint for future public–private collaboration in the country’s innovation economy.