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Hidden Advantages of Migrant Founders
Event by: Diaspora Business Hub Vienna
Location: Impact Hub Vienna, Lindengasse 56, Wien - Neubau
About event
From Overlooked to Unfair Advantage
How Migrant-Led Founders Turn Outsider Status into a Business Edge
Most startup events focus on the challenges migrant founders face.
Language barriers. Limited networks. System complexity.
And yes, those challenges are real.
But they’re only half the story.
What if your biggest disadvantage is actually your strongest edge?
At this Diaspora Business Hub event, as an official side event of ViennaUP, we shift the conversation.
Instead of focusing on obstacles, we explore something rarely discussed:
The hidden advantages of being a migrant founder and how to actively use them to build better businesses.
What you’ll get out of this event
- A new perspective on your position in the market
- Practical insights on turning “outsider status” into a strategic advantage
- Real stories from founders who have built from exactly that position
- A clearer understanding of how to navigate and win in unfamiliar systems
What to expect
3 Founder Stories
Three entrepreneurs share how their background shaped their thinking and how it became a competitive advantage in building their businesses.
Ana Barjasic
Entrepreneur, angel investor, and policy advisor. Former Board Member of the European Innovation Council. Recognised among Europe’s top 100 most influential women in startups and VC for three consecutive years.
Dolapo Akanni is a founder building Dishpal.ai, an AI-powered platform launched in Austria, focused on solving real-world problems through technology.
Tomi Vito is Founder & CEO of LeadX Software GmbH (Vienna)
28+ years in consulting, SAP, and scaling companies. With LeadX 360 AI, he’s building a system that turns everyday conversations into qualified business opportunities — showing how networks can become a real growth engine.
Panel Discussion
We’ll go deeper in an interactive panel session exploring:
- How to navigate the realities of building a business as a migrant
- Where unique opportunities exist and how to spot them
- What it actually takes to succeed in a new ecosystem
- How different founders approach growth, positioning, and resilience
Panelists to be announced
This is not another event about limitations.
This is about reframing your position and using it intentionally.
Because the founders who win are not always the ones with the best starting point…
…but the ones who understand how to use what they have better than anyone else.
Who should attend
- Migrant founders and entrepreneurs
- Early-stage startup teams
- Business owners looking to scale in new markets
- Anyone interested in building a competitive edge in today’s startup landscape
About the Diaspora Business Hub
The Diaspora Business Hub connects entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds and creates a platform for growth, collaboration, and real business opportunities.