Networking meeting for new founders
On Tuesday, March 22, 2022, the first network meeting of 2022 took place in the premises of LOK.a.Motion GmbH at Marchlewskistraße 101. The meeting was dedicated to networking new founders with existing founders of the neustart project.
The new start assessment took place beforehand, during which the business ideas of the new founders were examined in more detail. Among other things, they are planning to open a pizzeria with a robot chef, a bakery, a tutoring center, an online shop for high-quality natural cosmetics, or the import and export of food and solar systems. The group of new founders shows that interest in self-employment among people with refugee experiences remains high and that there is a wide variety of industries.
The group of "old founders" included a building contractor, the operator of a limousine service and the operator of a catering service. They gave short presentations about their experiences with the neustart project and as founders in Germany. The main focus was on the factors that made their success. A detailed business plan that has been internalized in detail, patient dealings with authorities and the thorough study of business contracts were central points in the presentation of one founder.
But failure was also discussed: The operator of a catering service reported how the corona pandemic brought his company to its knees. But the high burden of short-term loans with high loan amounts or a lack of network were also clearly identified and discussed as risk factors.
After more than two hours of lively exchange, the networking event ended for the 30 attendees in a good mood and with high motivation among the new founders, renewed motivation for the existing founders and many fruitful contacts.
Have you come to Germany with refugee experiences, immigrated from a third country and founded your own company in Germany? Register to take part in our next network meeting in May and exchange your experiences with other founders. Register by email to: neustart@lok-berlin.de
