Nominate the Migrant Entrepreneur of the Year

Suomen Yrittäjät and pension provider Elo are searching for a Migrant Entrepreneur of the Year for the sixth time.

The award puts migrant entrepreneurs and their significance for Finnish business front and centre. The chosen winner will be an entrepreneur who inspires others through their success. Last year, the winner was Rizah Veseli, founder of the Rullakebabtehdas Oy kebab business in Perniö.

“We want to see competition entrants who have successfully run a business for a few years. They can be individual business owners, pairs of business partners, or teams, and their cultural background and language skills are irrelevant,” Network Coordinator Sonja Antosalo of Suomen Yrittäjät says.

In challenging times, it is even more important to highlight exemplary business owners to other entrepreneurs and people interested in running their own business.

“On top of the challenges of running your own business, a migrant entrepreneur often has to be able to adapt and learn new things. We are particularly interested in entrepreneurs who take an enthusiastic, encouraging approach to running their businesses.

“For us, it’s important to be involved in this award, because migrant entrepreneurs bring with them unique viewpoints and stories that inspire all businesses. We believe that growth and success come from people, and migrant entrepreneurs are an excellent example of innovation, grit and courage. This is necessary to bolster Finland’s economy and create jobs,” says Marianna Ahola, a director at the pension provider Elo.

Nominate your candidate

Anyone may make a nomination, in English or Finnish, by 29 September. You can submit a nomination here.

The jury will choose a winner from among three finalists. The winner will receive a €5,000 cash prize from the insurer Elo. The winner will be announced on 14 November at the Business Unplugged event in Helsinki.

Award criteria

To be nominated for the competition, the migrant entrepreneur must meet the following conditions:

– The entrepreneur was not born in Finland.

– Their native language is not Finnish, Swedish or a Saami language.

– Their business is registered in Finland.

– The entrepreneur and business have an impeccable reputation.

– The business must be capable of continued success and be in good financial standing.

– The entrepreneur’s business has been operating for at least three years by the end of this year.

– A single person-business, a pair of entrepreneurs, or team of entrepreneurs may be nominated for the competition.

– Nominees may not be a member of the Suomen Yrittäjät migrant entrepreneur network management team.

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