#FoundersFridays: Meet Laura Di Santolo of Forward Inc.

For this month’s Founders Fridays, we spoke with Laura Di Santolo, Managing Director and Co-Founder of Forward· Inc., an Amsterdam-based organisation devoted to helping newcomers pursue their entrepreneurial ambitions by empowering them to launch, grow, fund, and sustain their businesses. Forward Inc. has trained over 3,000 newcomers and supported the launch of 220 firms. 

Could you tell us a little more about Forward Inc. and the various programs?

Forward Inc. is an NGO that helps people with a refugee background launch, grow, fund, and sustain their businesses. We do this through a variety of programmes that support (aspiring) entrepreneurs at every stage of developing their business, whether it's just an idea or they’re looking for support with a funding round. We can’t promise newcomers that their business will thrive. Still, we can guide them, help them understand the local culture, expand their professional network, and make them part of our community, which is a major driving force. 

How did your career path lead to founding Forward· Inc.? How do you go from working for the European Space Agency to here?

My co-founder, Diederick van der Wijk, and I met during our studies at Erasmus University in Rotterdam. During our studies, we heard a lot of talk about the 'refugee crisis' — a topic that remains a major concern in European politics and people's minds. We wanted to find a solution, a way to help people who have been displaced to rebuild their careers on the other side of the world. 

So, how did you start? There’s still quite a leap between hearing people talk about a refugee crisis and founding your own NGO.

Diederick, David (Hwan), and I were still studying when we came up with the idea for a workshop for refugees interested in starting their businesses, and we decided to organise something. I think ignorance is bliss — we had no idea what we were doing, no real responsibilities, and we thought: let’s just do this one weekend and see how it goes. We had some contacts with entrepreneurs and (student) experts who wanted to help. It was messy and informal, but right after that weekend,  we received positive feedback from potential funders like the Oranje Fonds. We ran our first incubation programme in 2018 and have grown steadily every year since. 

Did you realise then that this might become a company?

We had no idea that this could become a career, but we saw the potential in that first incubation programme. You know the saying, “It takes a village”? When you’re displaced, that supportive village is gone. Our ambition is to rebuild that village — that network — for everyone. That’s not to say everyone who joins our programme will go on to build a hugely successful business, because some won’t. But in the end, that’s what being an entrepreneur is all about. 

Is Amsterdam a good place for a startup?

This is the best city to start a new business. People always describe cities as "vibrant", but Amsterdam truly is. If you want to, you can attend three events a day. The city prides itself on being welcoming — a place of diversity, trade, and innovation — values that align beautifully with our mission at Forward·Inc. That said, if you’re already here and have a brilliant idea, just start. If you’ve got the idea but need a bit of a push or someone to show you around the ecosystem, join one of our programmes.  

What’s the most valuable advice you’ve ever received?

Start small and focus on what you can control — because there are many things you can’t. One of the world’s biggest challenges is forced migration. That can make you feel small or afraid, but we chose to look at it differently. At the Forward·Inc Festival, we want to show the start-up sector that these newcomers have brilliant ideas and deserve to be welcomed into the city. 

How do you stay inspired and innovative in a rapidly changing market?

The people in our programmes inspire not just me, but the entire team. The resilience of these entrepreneurs, not only in building successful businesses in a new country but also in raising families, is incredibly motivational. When I see participants who’ve lost everything but still find the strength to start again, it pushes me to work even harder and reach more people, to spread Forward·Inc’s mission further. 

The Forward·Inc Festival 2025, taking place on 19 June in Amsterdam, shines a spotlight on refugee entrepreneurship with startup pitches, a panel discussion, and an interactive market. The event brings together newcomers, investors, and policymakers to foster inclusion, economic independence, and collaboration. Highlights include the Challengers Pitch Competition, the Test & Taste Market, and a panel featuring, among others, Constantijn van Oranje from Techleap. You can sign up for free tickets to the event here.

If you’re an Amsterdam-based founder working on an innovative solution that solves an urban or social challenge, and you’d like to share your story with our audience, email impact@amsterdam.nl