The Human Safety Net and its NGO partner in France, La Ruche, together with a consortium of local organisations have launched a new incubator for refugee entrepreneurs in Saint-Denis, France.
The Saint-Denis incubator is the third set up as part of a partnership between The Human Safety Net and the French Ministry of Labour. Two other incubators have been launched in Montreuil and Strasbourg, with more planned.
The new incubator will allow newcomers under international protection (with refugee status, or subsidiary protection) in Saint-Denis and the surrounding area to acquire the skills, the networks and the tools necessary to create and develop their own businesses.
The innovative model connects incubation programmes with the municipalities, major corporations, as well as coalitions of SMEs and entrepreneurs. Together, The Human Safety Net and the Ministry of Labour have committed more than €1.4million to the partnership over three years.
La Ruche, The Human Safety Net’s partner in France, is a national network of incubators that trains and supports people wishing to set up their own businesses. To ensure that the project was firmly anchored in the local community – and to capitalise on the energy and expertise in the region – The Human Safety Net established a consortium of additional local partners including Plaine Commune, the SNCF Foundation, La Miel, the Medef and the City of Saint-Denis.
Beneficiaries of the incubator need to be eligible for international protection, have an idea for a business or project and be motivated to follow a nine-month course in French and/or English. The programme then gives them access to a collaborative workspace, individual mentoring and follow-up, connections with a network of experts and a programme of collective workshops and training organised by La Ruche. The aim is to support 60 refugee entrepreneurs by mid-2022.
The city of Saint-Denis and the Plaine Commune urban community have a long tradition of welcoming migrants, asylum seekers and refugees. The department of Seine-Saint-Denis is also a popular location for major companies, including Generali France, whose head office has been in Saint-Denis since 2003.