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NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
ASYLUM AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Friday, November 7, 2025, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Switzerland Innovation Park Biel

Aarbergstrasse 46, 2503 Biel

Valuing talents, strengthening the economy!

With the support of the State Secretariat for Migration, SINGA is organizing the first Swiss conference on entrepreneurship for refugees.

The goal is to promote cooperation and networking among integration and economic actors, share experiences and best practices, and identify steps and recommendations to strengthen a common perspective.

The day will feature significant participation from refugee entrepreneurs active in Switzerland: what support have they received, what problems have they encountered, what is the role of public services and the economic ecosystem, and what are their needs?

Promoting entrepreneurship among refugees is an innovative measure for professional inclusion.

It allows them to leverage their skills, develop their networks and economic independence, find a job that matches their qualifications, or create one, thereby contributing to a sustainable and strengthened economy. (e.g., Starting New policy paper, FSE+ Fund of the European Commission and guide published by the United Nations, UNCTAD, IOM, and UNHCR).

Participation is free of charge. Simultaneous interpretation will be available in German and French. 

Program: 

9:00 : Welcome speeches

    • SEM, authorities, and economic partners

9:45 : Plenary Sessions

    • Testimonies from entrepreneurs with a refugee experience 
    • Overview of the European context (Starting New) and the Swiss context (UNINE, OFS, SINGA), and legal framework
    • Roundtable with field partners (incubators, economic promotion, and associations)

12:40 : Lunch 

14:00 : Thematic exchange workshops

When booking your ticket, you can select three out of four workshops. Afterwards, two of these will be assigned to you definitively.

      1. Inclusive Financing: How to open access to financing for refugee entrepreneurs? (banks, grants, foundations)
      2. Social welfare and entrepreneurship: what are the expectations for job coaches and social workers after the identification of an entrepreneurial project ? (identification of a measure, support, transmission of information)
      3. The role of the ecosystem: what strategies can support the engagement of economic actors and authorities in their support for businesses led by refugees?
      4. Business Models and Income: What models should be prioritized (self-employment, cooperatives) and what sources of income are most relevant (grants, microcredit, crowdfunding, etc.) for refugee entrepreneurs?

17:00 : Results of exchanges and perspectives

17:30 : Conclusion of the day

      • Closing of the exchange day, followed by a networking aperitif