Meet the 18 potential entrepreneurs from 11 countries hoping to establish companies in fields ranging from restaurants to makeup, marketing and health!

They’re enrolled in Newcomers Entrepreneurship Training, one of several new ANC programs designed to help newcomers bridge the gap towards employment; others are focused on agriculture, construction, coding and youth pathways.

Dr. Arifusalam Shaikh, Employment Program Manager at Association for New Canadians, says, “These programs have the potential to lead newcomers to further contribute into NL’s economy. The Entrepreneurship Training Program was among the most popular, with the highest number of applicants.”

The 14-week program, funded by the provincial Office of Immigration and Multiculturalism, is designed to introduce concepts ranging from business idea development to launching a product, while also teaching specifically the requirements to establish a business in Newfoundland and Labrador. This program aims to provide potential entrepreneurs with both theoretical and practical knowledge to enhance their entrepreneurial skills and build an entrepreneurial mindset.

Dr. Davoud Ghahremanlou leads the Newcomers Entrepreneurship Training Program. He combines work experience in international affairs, the academic environment and entrepreneurship with a great understanding of the business ecosystem in NL. Davoud also teaches graduate students at the Faculties of Engineering & Applied Science and Business Administration at Memorial University of Newfoundland.

The future entrepreneurs, aged from 20 to 60 years old, come from Ukraine, Afghanistan, Peru, Thailand, Mexico, Columbia, UK, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia. Some of them have had years of entrepreneurship experience before coming to Canada, and are now hoping to learn the prerequisites to establish their businesses here.