Hosted by the Berlin Senate Department for Economics and presented by Senator Franziska Giffey, the biennial „Vielfalt unternimmt“ prize honors outstanding entrepreneurial achievement by individuals with migration backgrounds. The 2025 awards ceremony took place at the Rotes Rathaus and celebrated founders whose businesses are not only economically successful but also socially impactful.
“Entrepreneurs with migrant roots shape this city with their ideas and resilience,” Giffey emphasized. “They create jobs, drive innovation, and make Berlin more vibrant.”
Out of over 70 applications, four businesses were selected by a jury of experts across three categories — plus one special prize for successful business succession.
These are the winners of 2025
In the category for companies with over 30 employees, Safiye Ergün was honored for her work with Dosteli GmbH, a care provider in Moabit. Ergün, who immigrated to Germany from Turkey at age 19, now runs what is considered the largest culturally specific care service in the country, employing almost exclusively women with migrant backgrounds.
In the small business category (up to 30 employees), the award went to Seneit Debese and her company Greta & Starks Apps GmbH. Their app “Greta” makes cinema accessible to people with visual or hearing impairments by syncing audio descriptions or subtitles with the movie soundtrack — and it’s already in use in more than 15 countries.
The Founders’ Prize — for businesses active for one to five years — was awarded to JUHI GmbH, founded by Ali Abderrahmane and Burak Erkovan. Their app connects young helpers with elderly people in need of everyday assistance, with services that are reimbursed through Germany’s public insurance.
This year’s special award highlighted business succession and went to Azadeh Farshidfar, who took over an established physiotherapy clinic and expanded its services to include coaching, hypnosis, and Reiki. Her leadership exemplifies how continuity and innovation can go hand in hand.
Each winner received €10,000 in prize money, a custom sculpture, and a short film portrait of their work. More than just a prize, the awards aim to spotlight the vital role migrant entrepreneurs play in Berlin’s economy and the challenges they’ve overcome to get there. berlin.de
