Mapping Refugee & Migrant Entrepreneurship Ecosystems in Europe
V.
Key Findings: Characteristics of Newcomer Entrepreneurs Entrepreneurial Motivations: Necessity & Opportunity Newcomers may be entrepreneurs of necessity or opportunity, depending especially on the availability of employment in the context. Entrepreneurial support organisations support people in both categories, but most often support individuals who choose to be entrepreneurs based on experience working in (family) businesses in the country of origin and prefer being independent. Women newcomer entrepreneurs reportedly often additionally pursue entrepreneurship for the flexibility to balance work with domestic roles they may fulfil; meanwhile, combining such activities with the domestic roles assumed within cultures can also present barriers to successful entrepreneurship.
Sector Focus of Newcomer Entrepreneurs Newcomer entrepreneurs most often focus on sectors with low entry requirements (e.g. qualifications) and where they can provide value based on their cultural background or experience of resettlement. The most common sectors across contexts are: ● Food/Gastronomy ● Small-scale trade (import-export) and retail ● Integration-related services for fellow refugees/migrants ● Handicrafts Meanwhile, SINGA Germany highlight that Tech entrepreneurship is also pursued: “In people’s minds, refugee entrepreneurship is often imagined as a one-man / onewoman or small-scale business (such as food trucks, catering, supermarkets) and while these entrepreneurs are just as important and valuable, there are also those who would like to start a bigger company with growth-opportunity (e.g. in the tech scene).”
16
