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international & migrant entrepreneurship

new in Germany, new in the KielRegion

special support services for your start-up

The KielRegion is home to a culturally diverse population, and this diversity is clearly reflected in the local start-up scene. In Kiel alone, around 31.1% of all residents have a migrant background. Because of this, the city offers great creative and economic potential, and more and more of this potential is being realized through migrant-led start-ups.
 
In 2024, there were around 669,000 self-employed people in Germany who had immigrated to Germany and had a migration background, out of a total of 3.5 million self-employed people.
 
According to the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), people living in Germany who have foreign citizenship are „above average in terms of start-up activity“. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, in 2022, just under 22 percent of all start-ups in Germany were founded by foreigners and people who did not have German citizenship from birth. This proportion rose to almost 28 percent by 2024.

migrant entrepreneurs face particular hurdles

Although migrant founders contribute significantly to economic growth, they often encounter specific challenges, e.g.:

  • language barriers
  • bureaucratic difficulties
  • limited access to financing
  • small local networks 

However, in the KielRegion it doesn’t matter which of these challenges you are facing. The partners in the GründungsPortal can and will support you with everything related to your business idea.

services offered in the KielRegion

Gaarden Economic Office (Wirtschaftsbüro Gaarden)

  • support with business plan creation and business development
  • information on financing options and microloans
  • courses and events on accounting, marketing, and business registration
  • support services available in several languages

starterkitchen

  • courses on entrepreneurship, prototyping and coding
  • help and information on funding and financial support 
  • co-Working space and office rental

KITZ 2

  • various start-up services
  • co-Working Space and office rental
  • located near the HAW Kiel (University of Applied Sciences)

StartUp Guide Europe and the KielRegion

special support services for your start-up

The international importance of the KielRegion is also demonstrated by its inclusion in the Startup Guide Europe, which lists Kiel alongside major cities such as London, Amsterdam, and Madrid. Being featured in this European guide to innovative start-up ecosystems shows how diverse, open, and forward‑thinking the region has become in recent years.

 

This sends a particularly strong message to international and migrant founders: the KielRegion is recognized across Europe as a dynamic environment that supports globally connected entrepreneurship and actively promotes new ideas from diverse cultural backgrounds.

 

Many of the institutions, actors, and partners mentioned in the Startup Guide Europe for Kiel can also be found here in the GründungsPortal.

the goal: greater visibility for migrant entrepreneurs

The Kiel region thrives on the commitment of its diverse entrepreneurs. That is why stories, projects, and companies should be made more visible. They enrich our economy, create jobs, and help keep the region innovative, open, and economically strong.
 

relevant entries for supporting international & migrant start-ups

starterkitchen

Wirtschaftsbüro Gaarden

opencampus.sh

KielRegion GmbH
Haßstraße 3-5
24103 Kiel

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