Germany is a country of ideas - and many of these ideas come from people with a migration background. Statistically, their start-up rate is twice that of people without a migration background. But what motivates them to become entrepreneurs? And what challenges do they face?

Especially in the start-up sector, immigrant entrepreneurs bring valuable perspectives and innovation. However, the challenges are often great: access to networks, capital and visibility are not a given for many. The Migrant Accelerator (TMA) has been supporting migrant founders in Germany since 2022. The initiative provides access to mentors, networks and financial support across Germany to help overcome the often complex challenges of the German market. Another important network is 2hearts, which supports people with a migrant background in the European tech industry. The initiative creates a diverse community and provides mentoring for young talent.

Alesia Kunz (left) from Belarus founded the training platform LearnSlice in Düsseldorf

ALESIA KUNZ: LEARNING PLATFORM FOR INTERNATIONAL TEAMS

Alesia Kunz also took part in the TMA programme. She came to Germany from Belarus 10 years ago to study IT project management at Dortmund University of Applied Sciences. In her home country, there were few career opportunities in the technology industry. Today, she is the founder of LearnSlice, an AI-powered platform that transforms corporate information and training materials into interactive quiz databases for employees. The 33-year-old entrepreneur describes her "intercultural soul" as a great opportunity in the start-up world. Kunze's intercultural experience helps her overcome language and cultural barriers. At the same time, she notes that it is often more difficult to gain the trust of investors:

‘I was glad to have my German co-founder at meetings,’ says the LearnSlice CEO. Complicated German contracts and legal issues remain a challenge. At the same time, she sees her background as an opportunity: 'I build trust more quickly with people from a migrant background.’

SHIRAZ NAEEM: SUSTAINABILITY AS A BUSINESS MODEL

Inspired by their father: Shiraz Naaem (left) and his brother Shahnawaz run the SN Group, which operates internationally.

Shiraz Naeem is the founder and major shareholder of the SN Group, a company specialising in dismantling and sustainable industrial recycling that operates across Europe. His entrepreneurial journey was strongly influenced by the story of his father, who came to Germany from Pakistan in the 1980s. ‘My father left Pakistan when my mother was pregnant with me. I didn't see him for the first two years of my life,’ says Naeem. It was only later that the family was able to follow him to Germany. His father started out as an employee and eventually set up his own leather goods company. ‘He imported and sold handbags and wallets. I helped out in the warehouse and saw how hard he had to work.’ Naeem followed in his footsteps and, while at university, recognised the potential of sustainable industrial recycling. ‘I quickly realised what a throwaway society we live in - and turned it into a business opportunity.’ Today, he runs a company with over 180 employees that specialises in sustainable recycling and project development. When asked if he has experienced any disadvantages as a founder with a migrant background, he is clear: 'Yes, there are barriers. When applying for a job or in business negotiations, you sometimes notice that a foreign name makes a difference. That's why I wanted to be my own boss.’ Like his father, Shiraz has worked very hard to build his business and, as an entrepreneur from a migrant background, he has had to work extra hard to convince business partners and be recommended. His advice to young immigrant entrepreneurs: 'Fight and don't give up. The social safety net in Germany is a good thing, but it's not a hammock. At the end of the day, you are responsible for your own success.’

SHAHNAWAZ MIAN: AI-POWERED CLOUD SOFTWARE

The best example of this is Shahnawaz Mian, 31, founder of Finokapi, a tech start-up based in Düsseldorf. He was born in Pforzheim, his parents are from Pakistan. After studying business administration in Tübingen, Warsaw and Münster, he decided to set up his own company. Finokapi develops AI-based cloud software that supports small and medium-sized companies in sustainable business management. 'My father's migration in the 70s was basically a different form of entrepreneurship. He put all his eggs in one basket. That mentality has shaped me,' says Mian. His intercultural experience helps him work with professionals from all over the world. 'I can adapt to them better and build a trusting working relationship because I understand their cultural circumstances.' He has not experienced discrimination in the start-up world so far, but everyday racism in his younger years has affected his self-confidence: 'Maybe I would have started earlier if I had had more confidence in myself.' A tech conference also made him aware of a structural problem: 'Out of over a hundred executives, only two were people of colour. This contrasts with the high proportion of PoC in the tech industry as a whole. Mian stresses the importance of networks and role models for young people from immigrant backgrounds. 'Many of them don't have anyone around to show them that starting a business is an option.'

Restaurateur and sommelier Toni Askitis continues the family tradition with Wein + Pommes. His father came to Germany as a Greek guest worker.

TONI ASKITIS: FAMILY LEGACY IN HOSPITALITY

Toni Askitis, a restaurateur and sommelier from Düsseldorf, comes from a family that has been in the hospitality business for generations. His father emigrated from Greece to Germany in the 1970s with just two shirts and a pair of trousers. His original intention was just to make a quick buck, but in the end, he decided to stay and set up his own business. In the 1980s, his parents opened a kiosk in Düsseldorf, followed by other kiosks, a snack bar and finally the Askitis restaurant. Like in many Southern European families, Toni helped out from an early age. He learned two things from his father: not to be afraid of independence and to face crises with full commitment. ‘There were times when things were going really well - and then there were times when every cent had to count. But we always carried on with the same intensity. Another important value instilled in him by his parents was a positive view of his intercultural identity. I learned to take the best of both cultures.’ This still helps him in his business today: ‘I can work with a German mentality in a professional and structured way, but at the same time I can be relaxed in appropriate moments. This balance has taken me a long way.’ The fact that Toni Askitis now runs what is probably Düsseldorf's hippest wine and snack bar, Wein + Pommes, brings the story full circle.

Text: Karolina Landowski
Pictures: Mats Karlsson, SN Gruppe, Benni Janzen, Nico Spanier für Studio Pic.Nic., Nico von Nordheim

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