14% of startup founders were born abroad, and the figure for unicorns is as high as 23%.
For the fourth time, the Migrant Founders Monitor takes a look at the importance of founders with a history of immigration for Germany as a start-up location. The study is backed by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom and the German Startup Associations. Three results are highlighted:
What distinguishes Migrant Founders?
According to their own assessment, migrant founders are particularly resilient (57%), willing to take risks (44%) and have vision (54%) and are therefore above the average for founders in general (51%, 47%, 36%).
Perceived hurdles
At the same time, migrant founders perceive more hurdles in accessing the ecosystem. These include: Convincing investors at 42% vs. 37% and finding co-founders at 20% vs. 12%.
86% therefore actively attend networking events, more than founders in general at 77%. They also attend more English-language events (48% vs. 38%).
University location – this is where innovation is born
An exciting aspect for everyone in science: 57% of startups from Migrant Founders are created in the environment of universities and research institutions. This is an important signal for offers such as the Startup Port.
Conclusion: Great potential with room for improvement
The results – you can find the complete study here – clearly show that migrant founders are a real asset for Germany as a start-up location. However, more targeted offers and approaches are needed to provide migrant founders with the best possible support.
