EIT pilot migrant workshop held in Helsinki
EITDuring the first weekend of March, the EIT, as part of its pilot Migrant Initiative, co-organised a workshop for newcomers in Helsinki.
The Startup My Business Weekend, where participants were taught how to start a business in Finland and to gain the necessary skills and networks to move forward with their business ideas, was held in cooperation with Startup Refugees, a non-profit voluntary network supporting refugees with employment opportunities and entrepreneurship.
The three-day programme had a very detailed agenda, designed to give participants a solid understanding of the world of entrepreneurship.
The second day was taken up with a series of inspirational and educational topics:
- Customers and budget are crucial issues for successful businesses
- How to know who your customers are and what your customers want?
- How much should a product or service cost?
- Customer relations and financial matters
The final day of the event involved pitching and the development of entrepreneurial skills as well as on business planning, including aspects related to marketing. The workshop ended with participants pitching their ideas to a jury with support from mentors who outlined the steps to be taken after the training. Inspiring speeches spaced out the several sessions during the whole event.
According to Catherine Bounsaythip, a Business Developer from EIT Raw Materials who attended the event, 'The teaching of entrepreneurship to migrants is a really great initiative and a source of new creativity to be pursued, extended and supported. The participants were eager and active, the mentors were inspiring and enthusiastic, and the atmosphere was vibrant and full of energy.'
Aside from its involvement in the development of the agenda, the EIT Community was presented to participants during, while the EIT also provided motivational speakers and experienced EIT Alumni to give on-site coaching to the business ideas being developed over the weekend, offering pitch training, and providing advice based on their own experiences within the EIT Community.
"The Startup My Business event itself was very well-executed and organised, and participants were quite interested to learn more about what the EIT can offer them after the presentation I gave there together with my fellow colleagues. Even though I might have not been the most active member within the alumni network since I graduated, this weekend has motivated me to contribute more and has taught me that once an alumnus of EIT, you're always an alumnus."
Following the event, participants will now be able to apply for the Startup Refugees Business
Those participants who want to follow up further on their ideas, were also warmly invited to join the EIT Community through one of its many business accelerator programmes.
Photography by Wazim Khuzam
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