The Migrant Accelerator (TMA), a Germany-based, early-stage startup accelerator for founders with a migration background, including Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), has just announced its first cohort of 10 startups.
TMA aims to create a softer landing and sense of belonging for BIPOC founders who encounter discrimination on a structural and individual basis.
“Migrant founders in Germany are overlooked and underfunded,” said Laila Zohaib, Stuttgart-based startup coach and investor relations manager.
“Since the 1960s, migrant led-businesses have served as the backbone of the local German economy and are either linked to the cities’ ethnic hinterlands, which are often associated negatively or simply don’t get credit at all.”
The accelerator has onboarded more than 70 mentors, secured two sponsorships, and is growing a network of international partners.
Founders will access individualized support led by migrant experts and founders, have exclusive VC office hours, and receive €6,000 ($6,500) cash prizes from global investment advisor ALARIN CAPITAL.
Meet the ten startups
Studeez – An innovative platform that connects university students to help them succeed in their exams.
Founder: Ahmad El-Ali.
Proteineer – This startup helps firms discover better biocatalysts using AI and High-Performance Computing.
Founder: Joseph Heenan.
MyBeautyHero – A clean beauty marketplace for conscious consumers of sustainable beauty brands.
Founder: Diana de Castro.
Kidsimply – An inclusive marketplace for kids’ toys and books.
Founder: Peter and May Kamya.
Slumber – An AI-Enabled Medical Billing Software.
Founder: Samim Multaheb.
Deepfile – An AI-powered file and document search.
Founder: Bayangmbe Mounmo.
Myracle – A mixed reality learning app.
Founder: Omkar Pimple
CodeMe – A coding assistant software designed to help developers and non-coders write code efficiently and effectively.
Founder: Angelina Ishnazarova
DevisionX’s Tuba.AI – A No-Code AI platform for labeling and training data to automate machine learning processes.
Founder: Mahmoud AbdelAziz
SafeStreets – An app that assists and supports affected groups of people by providing the safest routes while walking alone.
Founder: Kira Dianova and Maksym Bondarenko.
Each startup will participate in a 12-week online program with live workshops and 1:1 mentoring with founders, experts, and investors from Techstars, 10X Founders, FTTF, and many others.
“Being a founder is tough, but being a migrant founder is even tougher,” said Zakaria Jaiathe, founder and CEO of WAANDA.
“On top of day-to-day business challenges, you have to deal with visa, language, cultural differences, and a lot of other issues. I joined the program to tell every migrant entrepreneur never ever to give up.”
The first cohort will pitch online on September 20.
