Immigrants today represent 3.3% of the world’s population. But what does this mean for the European economy? We meet the team crowdfunding the migrant innovation map.
By SWB Team
Today, immigrants today represent 3.3% of the global population, with several of the top destinations based in Europe. Germany currently hosts 12.0 million, while the United Kingdom includes 8.5 million, according to the Pew Research Centre. But what does this mean for the European economy?
“Migration is an opportunity,” says the driven team behind Startup Migrants, Maria Amelie, Nicolai Strøm-Olsen and Esther Hayes Grossman. That’s why the trio embarked on the thrilling task of gathering the stories, the facts, and the figures that not only prove the enormous contribution migrants make to the European economy, but also help make it happen.
The result of their work is Startup Migrants, a book that is the result of 250 interviews across 20 different countries to map out the innovation output of migration in Europe and the Middle East. “Migrants and refugees are resilient, brave and more inclined to start new businesses. It can be anything from a falafel shop to a tech startup, like Google. Each of them contributes to shaping a new Europe, creating new jobs and adding diversity,” the authors say.
Based in Norway, Germany and Jordan, the team is a combination of three brilliant minds who have written, translated and edited more than 20 books for the past 10 years. Its CEO, Maria Amelie, is an award-winning writer of four books on immigration, freedom of speech and entrepreneurship. Her first book, which narrates her life as a refugee in Norway, boosted a huge debate and a movement on refugees, later contributing to new legislation on immigration in the Nordic country.
Her Co-founder Nicolai Strøm-Olsen, has also written books on entrepreneurship, focusing in Europe, Israel and Norway.
Startup Migrants co-founder Maria Amelie at the Nordic Startup Awards 2018.
Recently, the team co-organized the Brave Founder Beginnings prize at the Nordic Startup Award, the first of its kind in the Scandinavian startup event.
Now, their quest now needs help. In order to publish, copyedit, and distribute the book – and help make it easier for anyone to start a business in Europe – the team has launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign, aiming to raise a $17,675 goal. “We can keep missing out on diverse talent, or adjust our policies for a more inclusive and entrepreneurial society,” they say.
Check out the book on Shopify here.
Main photo: Courtesy of Startup Migrants.
