Germany's economy in transition | Making the tech scene more diverse

“If you grew up with two hearts, with two cultures, got to know different perspectives as a child, were always different, then you become resilient. You develop perseverance and tenacity. Things that make a good founder.” Gülsah Wilke's grandparents came to Germany from Turkey in the 1960s. The granddaughter has set herself the goal of making the German tech scene more diverse and therefore founded the non-profit association 2hearts in 2020. Her mission: to support and network students, job starters and founders with a migration background. Wilke has already worked as a consultant at McKinsey, in various positions in the German media group Axel Springer, and she was also the founder and until recently a member of the management team of the startup Ada Health.

Broad network and mentorship as the most important starting aids

“We have great potential, ideas and entrepreneurial spirit. But even if you have completed a great degree, doors don't automatically open if you have a foreign-sounding name or a different appearance,” says Wilke. Many young people with a migrant background also often do not have a large network. “My parents have always been my biggest role models. My mother in particular set very important course in my life. She organized trial lessons for me at high school and encouraged me to skip a grade,” says Wilke, looking out of her office window at the Brandenburg Gate. This family support is very important, but some of the privileges of their peers are still lacking. “People with a migrant background often do not have the luxury of their family or friends being able to subsidize or fully finance their project. So-called 'angel money' is often non-existent,” explains Wilke. The risks and hurdles are therefore higher. This financial injection can make the difference between success and failure. “The heart of 2hearts is therefore our mentoring program, a broad network of people who have had similar experiences and were socialized in a similar way.” They give their mentees advice, establish contact with investors and accompany them on their professional path.