Türkiye 2014-2015

• Launched to address a specific and pressing need to enhance retention of newcomers, this program provides newcomers with information, advice, and contacts with the local business community.

• Specifically, this initiative focuses on the provision of information and effective connections to the business community that will lead to the establishment of new businesses and the successful settlement of client newcomer entrepreneurs and their families.

• Funded by Ontario’s joint Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Employment / Ministry of Research and Innovation, ONE is a regional network of 90 centres across Ontario that provide in-person and online advice, referrals, programs, funds, resource materials, training and connections for people who want to start and grow successful businesses.

• Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) work with startups to commercialize research originating in universities, colleges and academic hospitals and support campus-linked business accelerators and on-campus entrepreneurial activities.

• The Business Immigrant Mentorship Program is a Government of New Brunswick initiative, delivered in partnership with the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce.

• The Business Immigrant Mentorship Program allows immigrant investors in the Fredericton region to learn about ‘Doing Business in New Brunswick”. The program offers an in-depth opportunity for new immigrant investors to meet, learn from and network with business professionals from the Fredericton business community.

• Credit Unions in Nova Scotia are offering a small business loan program that aims to help immigrants who are interested in starting, expanding or buying a small business.

• Under this program, an immigrant entrepreneur can borrow a maximum amount of up to $500,000 for loans that are of a traditional debt nature, for working capital or lines of credit.

 Futurpreneur Canada is a national, non-profit organization that provides financing, mentoring and support tools to aspiring young business owners (aged 18-39).

 Its Newcomer Program provides tailored support to newcomers, including specific eligibility criteria for loan financing for young entrepreneurs (between the ages of 19-34) who have been in Canada for less than five years and who have limited or no established credit history in Canada.

TawiPay (www.tawipay.com) is a pilot project that started in 2015. Its main goal is to increase transparency in the remittance channels. SECO is currently financing the establishment of the two channels Switzerland – Serbia and Switzerland – Bosnia. The project’s objective is to enable migrants/diaspora communities to reduce the cost of sending money to their home countries.

In Morocco, IOM is assisting Moroccan expatriates based in Belgium to establish businesses in their communities by: (a) providing financial support; (b) through a partnership with the Solvay Business School, providing technical support in business planning and; (c) helping to navigate the bureaucratic procedures for establishing a business in Morocco. Through this project, IOM also manages a website that provides information on opportunities as well as how to invest and start a business in Morocco (www.guide-entreprise.org/maroc).

Link Up! Financing diaspora entrepreneurship - Feasibility study

The feasibility study serves as a basis for the development of a comprehensive programme to support diaspora entrepreneurs through networking opportunities, capacity building and seed capital. The study analyses the existing challenges in Austria to support diaspora entrepreneurs, identifies the needs of diaspora entrepreneurs so that they are better able to contribute to their country of origin and assesses the gaps that could be addressed for the benefit of diaspora entrepreneurship.

The ITHACA project is implemented by the European University Institute (EUI) in cooperation with ICMPD, Real Instituto Elcano (RIE), London Metropolitan University (LMU). The project aims to contribute to the rising research and policy interest on migrant transnationalism and its effects on countries of origin and destination as well as on migrants themselves (and their families). The project concentrates on transnational mobility for economic purposes, i.e.