The European Migrant Entrepreneurship Network (EMEN) is about improving the ecosystem of support to migrant entrepreneurs in the EU. The project is funded by the EU’s COSME programme and runs from 2017 until 2020.

It will bring people supporting businesses run by migrants together, to share their approaches and the lessons they have learnt. These will be disseminated, on this website, through social media and in printed form, across public administrations, business development support and financial organisations, social enterprises, non-profit organisations, educational institutions and other public and private organisations supporting migrant entrepreneurship in cities, regions and countries.

EMEN will hold three annual conferences in different European cities, as well as a final conference in Brussels in 2020. It also aims to hold ‘piggyback’ workshops attached to relevant events organised by its partner orgaanisations, their member organisations, and external bodies.

EMEN’s first conference takes place in Munich on 23-24 April 2018.

Its aim is to develop, share and promote support schemes not only for individual migrant entrepreneurs but also for social and inclusive enterprises benefitting migrants. Ultimately the knowledge gained will be of use for those developing and promoting support schemes for migrant entrepreneurs, leading to a more inclusive society.

The network operates through three Communities of Practice (CoPs), each addressing a key component of a comprehensive ecosystem to support migrant entrepreneurship:

  • CoP 1: Coaching & Mentoring (led by Social Impact gGmbH, Berlin)
  • CoP 2: Access to Finance (led by THUAS-FINE, The Hague)
  • CoP 3: Professionalisation and Diversity Management (led by UNITEE, Brussels)

The network is co-ordinated by AEIDL and the communication and dissemination work is led by DIESIS.

The other partners are the Eurochambres, ETUC, ALDA, KMOP, CECOP-CICOPA Europe, REVES and EURADA.