The Startup Refugees Entrepreneurship Awards is a competition that supports underrepresented refugee and migrant founders through seed funding, mentoring and network access in Finland.

It returns for the fifth time in 2026 and this year it is dedicated to supporting refugee and migrant women entrepreneurs living in Finland.

The Awards are open to female founders with an immigrant or refugee background who have lived in Finland for a maximum of ten years and are building a business with clear potential to grow.

This year the Startup Refugees Entrepreneurship Awards are made possible thanks to the generous support of OP Uusimaa and Relex Foundation for a Better Future. Thanks to their support, 3–5 entrepreneurs will each receive an award of €5, 000–€10,000 to help them start, strengthen, or grow their businesses. In addition, this year we have also joined forces with The Foundher Table, a network for female founders. All of them share our belief in the power of entrepreneurship to create opportunities and build a more inclusive society.

Who can apply?

Applicants must meet all of the following basic eligibility criteria:

✔️ Show ambition to build a long-term and potentially full-time business
✔️ Female entrepreneur with an underrepresented immigrant / refugee background: You are from the Global South and/or an individual forced to flee due to war or persecution (i.e. refugee)
✔️ Have lived in Finland for a maximum of 10 years
✔️ Live in Finland with a residence permit that allows entrepreneurship
✔️ Be 18 years or older
✔️ Be a founder, co-founder, or planning to start a business
✔️ If the company has multiple owners, more than 50% of the company must be owned by women founders
✔️ Have the basic skills and knowledge needed to run the business

Business status?

Applicants must fall into one of the following categories:

1️⃣ Existing business owners
Running a registered business in Finland and actively working on its operations, customers, or revenue.

2️⃣ Early-stage entrepreneurs
Actively building a business with a clear product or service, target customers and concrete steps already taken.

3️⃣ Idea-stage entrepreneurs
Developing a realistic and well-defined business idea with a clear target market, business model, and practical plan for implementation.

Applications are open from 5 September to 4 October 2026.