Startups Without Borders

Startups Without Borders connects migrant and refugee entrepreneurs to opportunities and resources to build their businesses, wherever they are. We’re building the startup ecosystem for entrepreneurs on the move. Why? Because we believe that migrants and refugees have immense potential that is untapped. Because we believe they are the best possible people to come up with innovative ways to respond to their own needs. Because we want to change perceptions on refugees and migrants as a social burden. Because it’s time they moved on from being seen as job seekers to job creators; from technology consumers to innovators. Because we believe there are new realities in the making. Our research indicates that there are over 130 incubators for refugees and migrants across European countries, as well as countless migrant and refugee entrepreneurs who have built successful startups. They are not the exception to the rule; they are a new reality that needs to be told. Migrant entrepreneurs are not the exception to the rule; they are a new reality that needs to be told. Because, if there is an entrepreneurial ecosystem for every city and every country, what’s stopping us from having a transnational ecosystem for those whose country has become any place in the world? Because we don’t want to give them an opportunity; we believe that they are the opportunity. How are we going to do it? Startups Without Borders is creating the entrepreneurial ecosystem for migrant and refugee entrepreneurs through 3 main tracks: - Connecting them to resources such as incubators, accelerators and startup competitions through a personalised Facebook chatbot. - Creating networking events such as ‘Mentor Mingle,’ bootcamps, and the SWB annual summit, giving them an opportunity to network, access training and mentorship. - Storytelling, inspiring younger generations to build their business initiatives and raising the profile of refugee and migrant entrepreneurs.