African Diaspora Connect: A Full House for Diaspora Entrepreneurship in Vienna
More than 70 business owners, aspiring entrepreneurs, and partners filled the Expat Center Vienna on 23 September 2026 for African Diaspora Connect. The meet-up was organised by the Vienna Business Agency together with leading African diaspora organisations.
Diaspora entrepreneurs in Austria often face the same obstacles: limited access to finance, weak professional networks, language and administrative hurdles, and unequal access to opportunities. African Diaspora Connect was designed as a practical response. It offered a trusted space to connect, access tailored support, exchange experiences, and build new partnerships. The turnout confirmed the demand, with a packed room and conversations that carried on well into the evening.
Following an opening moderated by Hawa Kebe from SETI, the programme began with a fireside chat on building and growing a business in Vienna. Jan Riepl (Vienna Business Agency), Jakob Cencic (Austria Business Agency), and entrepreneur Miglena Hofer (Self-Employed in Austria) shared perspectives from both the institutional and entrepreneurial sides of the local ecosystem.
A cultural performance by Awoba set the tone for the second half. Rilwan Mogaji of Diaspora Business Hub then spoke on the role of community support in diaspora entrepreneurship, and Hannah Acquah of TKC Africa explored financial opportunities between Africa and Austria. An African entrepreneur then shared a first-hand success story of building a business in Austria with institutional support.
In the Creative Spotlight, Diaspora Creatives co-founder Audrey Kodjo presented a video message on a less visible barrier: isolation. "Building something new, far from home, without a room that understands your story - that's its own kind of barrier," she said. Describing diaspora communities as essential support structures, she added: "Community is infrastructure. It builds trust before contracts. Visibility before funding. Partnerships before pitch decks." She closed with a direct question to Austrian partners about the barriers to funding and sponsoring initiatives from African diaspora communities, which fed straight into the Q&A.
In the interactive Q&A, all speakers returned to the stage for a moderated discussion with the audience about how to strengthen diaspora entrepreneurship in Vienna. The evening ended with a lively networking session over food and drinks, where participants exchanged contacts, ideas, and plans for collaboration.
African Diaspora Connect showed the value of bringing public business support and diaspora communities into the same room. Diaspora Creatives thanks the Vienna Business Agency and all partners and speakers, and looks forward to building on the connections made.
Stay tuned for Diaspora Creatives' next collaboration.
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