Startup Refugees Opens Awards Nominations for Women in Finland

The 2026 Startup Refugees Entrepreneurship Awards for Women is now accepting nominations to support migrant and refugee women entrepreneurs based in Finland. The awards are a dedicated initiative aimed at helping migrant and refugee women entrepreneurs develop sustainable business ventures in Finland.

Organized by Startup Refugees in collaboration with The Foundher Table, the program is geared towards helping women view entrepreneurship as an opportunity to become financially independent.

The chosen winners will be granted investments ranging from €5,000 to €10,000, together with additional assistance that will facilitate their progress on the entrepreneurial path. In addition they will gain access to mentoring, entrepreneurial networking, business assistance, and development of their ideas and ventures.

Key Highlights:

• Startup Refugees opens nominations for migrant and refugee women in Finland
• Winners receive €5,000–€10,000 investment plus mentoring and business support
• The programme helps women founders build sustainable and scalable businesses

Businesses owned by migrants and refugees background women could find several challenges for growth and development, ranging from the lack of financial backing, networking, mentoring, and resource allocation that other businesses around them receive.

Not only does this program ensure that women entrepreneurs receive initial funding, but it also helps them learn and gain practical insight, enhance their strategies and build important professional contacts. Business networks and mentoring provide ample amount of assistance to entrepreneurs in building relationships in the business environment of Finland.

The provision of extra business support allows founders to further develop their business idea, solve their problems, and create sustainable businesses. The support system is able to assist women who have good ideas to develop them into viable businesses, and those who already run a business can use the resources to grow it further.

The applicants for the award need to be 18 years or older and will have to come from a refugee or migrant background similar to that of the target audience. The women who hail from the Global South or those who have had to leave their homes due to war or persecution get special emphasis on this project.

The candidates should also have stayed in Finland for less than ten years and should have a residence permit which enables them to engage in entrepreneurial activities. Women who already own businesses, who are planning to start their own businesses, or who have well thought-out ideas for a business can all be considered. The applicants should posses an unwavering entrepreneurial spirit and a clear vision for their business as the program is aimed towards entrepreneurs who aspire to create sustainable business and scale up their operations.

Since 2015, Startup Refugees has supported newcomers with access to local employment and entrepreneurship environment, thus creating an opportunity for them to build professional careers and create businesses within their new environments. Through its Business Program, the organization has reached out to over 1,300 individuals by offering mentoring, information, and skills development opportunities to women entrepreneurs. It has also facilitated the creation of over 140 companies.