PLACE accelerates and leverages the innovation newcomers bring to Europe.

European societies need more and stronger voices with a recent history of migration to bring their perspectives and make their contributions to key economic sectors.

By unlocking this new talent and matching it with organisations looking for new players in the areas of business, entrepreneurship, public leadership, and media & arts, we are shifting the perspective of migration from a burden to a unique asset for the development and growth of Europe.

PLACE champions migrant-led innovation: since 2016, we offer transformative and innovative learning experiences to newcomers and host societies, while also giving newcomers space for self-determination to find their version of power.

We do this through designing and running programs and events, from our flagship pop-up innovation labs in European capitals to 9-month fellowships online, from public events to retreats, hackathons, training of trainers, exhibitions and more. Our formats are migrant-led, apply next-generation learning methodologies and ed-tech, and involve groups from 10 to 100 people. They all share one aim: create the link in practice between migration and innovation in the sectors concerned.

We accelerate talent and match it with opportunities for new talent in 4 sectors. Find out what role you can play!

Business

Upskilling for meaningful employment
in a shifting economy

PLACE creates a pipeline that is win-win for both newcomers and the private sector: newcomers master new skills and opportunities to access meaningful work and companies get matched with the diverse talent they seek.

Entrepreneurship

From a choice by default to a self-defined life project, entrepreneurship can be a way to find a place in a new society.

PLACE offers a pathway to start and test entrepreneurial projects which takes newcomers further on their empowerment journey: successfully integrating a business incubator or starting their own business.

Public
Leadership

We need new voices of influence on the complex challenges our societies are facing. We need newcomer voices in the public sphere.

PLACE runs the first of its kind public leadership incubator, to create capacity and room for new voices on key topics and invent new leadership models. We create the conditions for eye-level interactions for emerging leaders, and provide new talent to established leadership networks for new conversations that need to happen.

Media &
the Arts

Our complex societies need new conversations and forms of dialogue that only new voices can catalyze.

PLACE develops bold proposals with diverse voices who speak for themselves, to challenge mainstream views of migration, leadership and other conversations wanting to be born.

Facilitation services

Knowing how to facilitate a group and lead collaboration online and offline, is a form of power. PLACE trains past learners of its programs to be Facilitators for online and offline learning, experiences and events. All PLACE events are migrant-led, and we also facilitate external events.

Interested in facilitation services?

get in touch

Become a coach or an expert

PLACE monitors all learning outcomes through external experts, who assess the participants’ learning journey. We also provide a personal coach to all our participants, to help them to reach their goals.

Interested in being a PLACE expert or coach?

get in touch

%

of PLACE program participants are refugees or asylum seekers

%

of learners have gained innovation skills exceeding industry standards for the future of work

learners in PLACE programs since 2017

%

of learners receive training-of-trainers and train on average 30 more people through PLACE

PLACE is working towards 5 Sustainable Development Goals

The place team

8 nationalities, 4 continents and 14 languages… we come from all walks of life, but here are a few points we have in common:

We care above all about people

We are perfectionists, self-motivated and relentless until we get results

We communicate openly and honestly

We need playfulness and challenges

We breathe through feedback

We put results and the team first

We excel at working across locations and cultures

Devika Singh

Head of Programs

Léa Drougard

Design & Events Coordinator

Shawgi Ahmed

Public Leadership Program Manager

Sophie Gholami

Community Animator & Social Media Manager

Razan Ismail

Catalyst Manager

Miora Ranaivoarinosy

Event Host

Hugo Pilate

Business Program Manager

Sedera Ranaivoarinosy

Communications Manager

Charlotte Hochman

Co-founder & Head of Innovation

Michele Caleffi

Co-founder & Head of Design

Yazen Waked

Co-founder & Talent Expert

PARTNER WITH US

PLACE gets its strength and impact from the power of community. Our work is heightened by the collaborative efforts of our partners: forward-thinking actors from different sectors and countries, who push the boundaries so new embodiments of power can arise. Together, we’re changing the narrative of migration and transforming it into a vision of innovation. Join us today: work with us to change the game on a sector-level as a strategic partner.

drop us a line!