Immigrant Entrepreneurship Social Hackathon

A half-day social hackathon bringing immigrant entrepreneurs and ecosystem partners together to co-design inclusive solutions.

Join us for a half-day Immigrant Entrepreneurship Social Hackathon focused on co-designing practical, equity-driven solutions to better support immigrant entrepreneurs in Newfoundland and Labrador.

📅 Date: January 28, 2026
⏰ Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
📍 Location: Whale Atrium, Memorial University
🏛️ Address: 45 Arctic Ave, Memorial University, St. John’s, NL
A1C 5S7

Hosted by Expertise Hub Cooperative in partnership with NLWIC, this event brings together immigrant entrepreneurs, service providers, government representatives, funders, and ecosystem partners to collaboratively explore what a more inclusive and responsive entrepreneurship support ecosystem can look like. This hackathon centres lived experience, systems thinking, and collective problem-solving.

What to Expect
Participants will work in small, mixed-stakeholder tables using real-world case studies of immigrant-led businesses. Each group will:

• Identify key challenges and systemic barriers faced by immigrant entrepreneurs
• Examine where existing supports work—and where gaps remain
• Co-design actionable solutions that can inform future programming, policy, and incubator models

Each table will present their insights and proposed solutions at the end of the session, contributing to a shared body of ideas that will inform next steps toward an immigrant-focused entrepreneurship support model.

Who Should Attend

• Immigrant entrepreneurs (early-stage, growing, or established)
• Business and entrepreneurship service providers
• Government and program funders
• Community organizations and ecosystem partners
• Anyone involved in shaping entrepreneurship, economic integration, or inclusive innovation

Why Attend

• Contribute your perspective to shaping more equitable entrepreneurship supports
• Learn from lived experiences and cross-sector collaboration
• Connect with entrepreneurs, policymakers, and service providers
• Be part of an initiative that aims to move beyond consultation toward practical, system-level change

Additional Information

• All materials (case studies, facilitation tools, and discussion guides) will be provided
• No advance preparation is required
• Refreshments will be provided

Space is limited to ensure meaningful collaboration. Registration is required.
We look forward to welcoming you to this collaborative space and building more inclusive pathways for immigrant entrepreneurship together.