In 2025, SINGA Deutschland took a significant step forward in its entrepreneurial support model by organising two major events: the 7th edition of the Berlin Newcomer Startup Award and the launch of the Rheinpreneur Newcomer Award in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Beyond the pitches and prizes, these events represent months of hands-on support delivered by SINGA’s teams: personalised mentoring, group workshops, project structuring, access to experts, and integration into local professional networks.

Above all, they tell a deeper story: how newcomers transform their experiences, skills, and migration journeys into concrete entrepreneurial projects, rooted in contemporary needs.

In Berlin, a stage to make newcomer talent visible

On 5 November 2025, the Berlin Newcomer Startup Award celebrated its 7th edition. Five finalist startups took the stage to present projects spanning technology, ecology, responsible design, and financial inclusion.

Among the recognised projects:

• SpeechyLift, founded by Laura Soto, a public speaking training tool designed for people navigating a new language;
• Handstree, led by Lia Ivolhina, a platform connecting artisans and individuals around sustainable practices;
• MAD (Material Alternative Design), developed by Manuela Garcia, a studio creating alternative materials to reduce the environmental impact of industry;
• CapitalSnapshot, created by Shruti Kubér, an app making financial markets more accessible to non-specialists.

Throughout the evening, the pitches revealed far more than business models: stories of rebuilding, learning, and perseverance.

The event also received strong institutional backing. As godmother of this edition, Berlin’s Senator for Economic Affairs, Energy and Public Enterprises, Franziska Giffey, acknowledged the role played by SINGA-supported entrepreneurs in driving the German capital’s economic vitality:

“Berlin stands for openness, innovation, and the conviction that diversity is the foundation of our shared success.”

This recognition highlights a reality that remains too often forgotten in public debate: people with migration backgrounds are actively contributing to the transformation of local economies, innovation ecosystems, and European territories.

In Düsseldorf, a first edition with its eyes on the future

A few months earlier, on 10 July 2025, SINGA Deutschland launched the very first edition of the Rheinpreneur Newcomer Award in Düsseldorf, supported by TARGOBANK.

This new initiative marks an important step in expanding SINGA’s entrepreneurial model to other regions across Germany and Europe.

Over several months, Rheinpreneur programme participants benefited from mentoring, resources, and tailored support to accelerate the development of their projects. The evening of July 10th was the public culmination of that journey.

Six finalists took the stage with projects at the intersection of tech, services, and the circular economy:

• EcoComply, led by John Iwueke, an AI-powered tool helping European businesses navigate despite increasingly complex regulations;
• Amendio, founded by Zarangez Muminova, a platform facilitating home repairs through video-assisted support;
• Rohrpappe, developed by Abdulwadoud Alikhwan, a recyclable alternative to industrial polystyrene;
• WeFind, created by Hani Ismail, a connected solution for locating lost objects via QR code;
• MechConnect, led by Zafeer Khan, a reimagined approach to vehicle management through intelligent diagnostics;
• Sparrow, founded by Chandni Ranganath-Schulz, a more transparent approach to cosmetic product selection based on real usage data.

At the end of the evening:

• EcoComply won first prize (€10,000);
• Amendio took second place (€7,500);
• Rohrpappe received both third prize (€5,000) and the Audience Award (€5,000).

Beyond the prizes, the evening created meaningful connections between entrepreneurs, partners, investors, and members of the local ecosystem.

Inclusion as a driver of innovation

In both Berlin and Düsseldorf, the projects on show shared a common logic: drawing on lived experience to develop solutions that are directly useful, actionable, and grounded in real-world needs.

These events also serve as a reminder that inclusion is not solely a social issue. It is equally a driver of innovation, value creation, and economic dynamism.

At the heart of this success, SINGA Deutschland’s teams and volunteers worked to build spaces where everyone could feel empowered to start a venture, test ideas, learn from failure, and grow their project.

“The SINGA Startup Awards show that migration journeys are not only paths of adaptation, but also paths of creation, innovation, and economic transformation.”

SINGA Deutschland

Building more accessible entrepreneurial ecosystems

Through the Startup Awards, SINGA Deutschland is pursuing a clear ambition: making entrepreneurial networks more accessible to those who remain too often excluded from traditional financing, support, and visibility channels.

Because behind every startup on that stage, there is also a broader question: how do we build ecosystems capable of recognising talent regardless of where people come from or the path they have walked to get here?