IOE and Seedstars announce finalists of 2021 Migration Challenge Start-up Competition

18 finalists will compete virtually in January 2021 to be the winner of this innovative competition.

The International Organisation of Employers (IOE) and the Swiss-based incubator Seedstars have announced the 18 finalists of the 2021 Migration Challenge Start-up Competition. This competition, in its second year, looks to identify the most promising human resources, fintech, civictech and edtech start-ups with solution-oriented products to improve migration systems that respond to labour market needs and inclusive societies.

The Migration Challenge connects the tech start-up world with the Global Forum of Migration and Development community. The goal is to find more sustainable and scalable solutions to the migration issues, showcase the latest tech businesses and support them in their scale-up phase. Moreover, in the context of the Covid-19, the Challenge increases in relevance as it offers start-ups with much-needed support as they struggle to navigate the economic challenges created by the pandemic.

A total of 99 applications from start-ups around the world were received and screened. The selected finalists are Buskeros Inc, Caspar Coding, Corvus Health, CWallet, DignifAI, Hirefreehands, Holacode, Immingo, Jobskills, Juno, LaowaiCenter Int., Plannr.eu, Powercoders International, Pravoman, Supervisa,  UHURU Wallet, UKHired, and WayLit.

IOE Secretary-General Roberto Suárez Santos said: "This second edition of the Migration Challenge Competition is even more vital as support for small start-ups is shrinking due to the global pandemic. Last year we saw how important the recognition this competition offers to young entrepreneurs looking to bridge the information divide between employers and migrants. At IOE, we believe that this competition is a major step towards promoting well-managed migration as a positive force for change."

The selected start-ups use technology to match skilled migrants – expats, seasonal workers, intra-company transferees, to different sectors of employment facing skills shortages. Their products also offer ways for governments to share information and best practices to improve their migration policies, and provide migrant workers with access to financial, educational and labour mobility services. By leveraging technologies, they provide practical solutions to shaping positive public narrative and empowering migrants.

The eighteen finalists will pitch for the prize at the Thirteenth Global Forum on Migration and Development, chaired and hosted by the United Arab Emirates in January 2021.

The winner will be awarded two personalized mentorship scholarships on the bottleneck they are facing and access to the Seedstars Global Summit. Each runner up will be awarded with one personalized mentorship session.