Migrant Startups in Berlin: A Win-Win for Europe's Economy and Innovation

The programme is supported by key IT industry players, including the international tech company SOFTSWISS

GZIRA, Malta , Feb. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Polish startup accelerator Axios held its final event in Berlin, where 21 entrepreneurial teams pitched their projects to the jury. Showcased innovations ranged from AI-powered pet care solutions to health apps for people with insulin resistance.

Axios received 52 applications for its first cohort and closed submissions early due to high demand. The winning startup, Meealthy, is an AI assistant that provides personalised nutrition and wellness recommendations for women. Second place went to HabbyApp, a gamified platform that helps children develop healthy habits. H&H Travel, an intelligent trip-planning assistant, secured third place.

Led by Sergey Krasakovich, Axios Programme Director, and Galina Drozd, CEO, the programme combined online learning with in-person events. "One of our greatest achievements is that a third of the startups reconsidered their ideas after thorough testing and mentors' feedback. This is a key indicator of the accelerator's effectiveness," says Krasakovich. "We believe that individual mentorship has strengthened teams' offerings and better equipped them for market entry."

Many of the projects were founded by migrants, showcasing how diverse expertise fuels Europe's innovation ecosystem. The accelerator helped these entrepreneurs refine their concepts, bringing them closer to contributing to their host countries' economies.

The final-round jury featured professionals and experts in investment, technology, and management, including Ivan Montik, founder of SOFTSWISS, one of the leading international IT companies operating in Europe and beyond.

"I enthusiastically accepted the invitation to join the Axios accelerator jury because I consider such initiatives crucial for both social and economic development," says Ivan Montik. "As an entrepreneur and investor, I understand the importance of support at this stage of their project cycles. Programmes like Axios not only help startup founders structure their ideas but also lay the groundwork for securing early investments."

Despite Europe's strong economy, early-stage entrepreneurial activity (TEA) lags behind regions like North and South America. While the Baltics, the UK, and Portugal lead Europe in TEA, Germany and Poland rank 14th and 20th, respectively (Statista, 2024). A key reason is Europe's social protection system and employment conditions, which often makes traditional jobs more attractive than entrepreneurship.

However, integrating migrants into the startup ecosystem could be a game-changer. Rather than competing for jobs, migrant founders create new opportunities, driving innovation and economic growth across Europe.

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