Does Europes entrepreneurial ecosystem have an inclusivity problem?
Summary
One thing we can confidently add here as well is that Europe’s startup ecosystem is full of wonderful, inclusive initiatives and programmes – run by people of all different backgrounds and gender identities. • Discrimination on the basis of ethnic origin and/or skin colour • Doubt about their ability to succeed and place in society Taking this into account, Philippe said: “While these challenges prove overwhelming for many minority entrepreneurs, many others manage to overcome them, not least because they tend to have three key strengths: a burning drive to succeed, the determination to bounce back from the many challenges they face, and their diversity: their different skills, foreign contacts, original perspectives and unique experiences.” So, how does Philippe reckon that minority businesses can be supported to reach their full economic potential? For example, in Berlin, Deborah Choi, an African American entrepreneur and investor, has co-founded Founderland, a non-profit community enterprise to get more women of colour founders in Europe seen, visible and funded. In France, Advice (Agence pour la Diversité Entrepreneuriale) focuses on helping businesses located in deprived urban areas where people with a migration background tend to congregate. Xaalys – which means “money” in wolof, her native language – provides young people with an account in their own name and a bank card over which their parents have control, as well as access to fun financial education content.” Europe has an inclusion problem to overcome, that much is clear.