Urban Refugees
Urban Refugees is a Paris-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit (founded 2013) that supports the 60% of refugees living in cities across 40 countries via training programs for refugee leaders, an NGO knowledge-sharing network, and policy advocacy in Health, Education, Livelihoods, and Safety.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Urban Refugees does
Urban Refugees is a Paris-headquartered nonprofit organization (also structured as a US 501(c)(3)) founded in 2013 that focuses exclusively on the roughly 60% of the global refugee population residing in cities rather than camps. Its three operational pillars are: (i) intensive in-person training of refugee leaders so they can serve their own communities; (ii) an NGO knowledge-sharing network spanning 40 countries that documents and disseminates effective solutions to urban refugee challenges; and (iii) policy advocacy that amplifies refugee voices in international forums. Programs are organized around four sectors — Health, Education, Livelihoods, and Safety — and have produced documented outcomes including 3,700 refugees with improved education/livelihood access, 490 children in educational programs, 700 women supporting their families, and 650 refugees receiving healthcare/safety information.
The organization's core technology is a privacy-first website platform currently under development for the Boston and Greater Boston Area, with a launch planned for May 11, 2026 under a Boston University Pardee School project. The platform is intended to help refugees locate essential services, and is backed by a January 2026 BU Crowdfunding award of over $5,000. Legacy technology consists of the urban-refugees.org WordPress site (English/French via Polylang), a YouTube channel, and online donation flows via PayPal — there are no AI/ML capabilities, mobile apps, APIs, or proprietary software products described.
Revenue mechanics are donation-driven: tax-deductible contributions from US donors (501(c)(3) status), crowdfunding campaigns (e.g., BU Crowdfunding), and support from institutional partners including UNHCR, Ashoka, Lateral Eco, AgirSaVie, Fondation RVB, Human Impact Fund, and others. The organization runs an ambassador program and accepts volunteers (e.g., French-English translators), with no commercial pricing tiers, products, or enterprise contracts. After COVID-19-related inactivity from roughly 2020 to 2025, Urban Refugees is rebuilding with a small team (1–10 employees) and a Boston-anchored relaunch.
Urban Refugees firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Urban Refugees
- Legal name
- Urban Refugees
- Website
- https://urban-refugees.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Urban Refugees is a Paris-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit (founded 2013) that supports the 60% of refugees living in cities across 40 countries via training programs for refugee leaders, an NGO knowledge-sharing network, and policy advocacy in Health, Education, Livelihoods, and Safety.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Urban Refugees industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Refugee and humanitarian support services
- NAICS
- Individual and Family Services (6241), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Refugee, Migration & Displacement Support (BPAGABAH), Immigrant & Refugee Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAG), Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH), Refugee & Migrant Integration Enterprises (Livelihoods, Services) (BPAGALAN), Immigrant & Refugee Workforce Integration Programs (EDAAAOAJ)
Keywords
Where Urban Refugees is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Urban Refugees business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: The organization operates as a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit and generates revenue primarily through donations from individual supporters, crowdfunding campaigns, and partnerships with financial sponsors. All donations from US citizens are tax deductible.
- Crowdfunding: Revenue generated through crowdfunding initiatives such as the BU Crowdfunding award of over $5,000 received in January 2026 to support platform development.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Urban Refugees product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Urban Refugees is a nonprofit organization that supports the 60% of the global refugee population living in cities through three interconnected pillars: (1) WE SUPPORT — intensive in-person training programs for refugee leaders enabling them to serve their communities; (2) WE CONNECT — documenting and sharing best-practice solutions with a global NGO partner network across 40 countries; and (3) WE ADVOCATE — amplifying refugee voices to influence policies affecting their lives. Operations focus on four core sectors: Health, Education, Livelihoods, and Safety.
Product overview
Urban Refugees operates as a nonprofit organization working exclusively to support the 60% of the global refugee population residing in cities. Their service portfolio consists of three interconnected pillars: (1) refugee leader support through intensive in-person training programs enabling communities to serve themselves, (2) an NGO knowledge-sharing network that documents and disseminates effective solutions across 40 countries, and (3) policy advocacy to amplify refugee voices and increase international commitment to urban refugee challenges. The organization focuses on four core sectors: Health, Education, Livelihoods, and Safety, serving urban refugees in countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 3,700 refugees have better access to education and livelihood opportunities
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Urban Refugees
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Urban Refugees technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Urban Refugees partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- NGO Partner NetworkcoreGlobal network of 40 countries where partner NGOs implement solutions to urban refugee challenges, sharing best practices through the Urban Refugees platform
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Urban Refugees competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cohere (formerly Xavier Project): Supports refugee-led organizations serving urban refugee communities in East Africa, mirroring Urban Refugees' refugee-led, capacity-building model.
- Asylum Access: Works on refugee rights and community-led empowerment in urban settings across the Global South, overlapping with Urban Refugees' advocacy and support pillars.
- RefugePoint: Focuses on self-reliance and services for urban refugees, closely aligned with Urban Refugees' livelihoods and support mission.
- Refugees International: Advocacy organization amplifying displaced people's voices to shape policy, comparable to Urban Refugees' 'We Advocate' pillar.
Broad incumbents
- HIAS: Global refugee protection and support nonprofit with far larger scale; overlaps in refugee services and advocacy but across a broader mandate.
- International Rescue Committee: Major humanitarian NGO delivering education, livelihoods, and health services to refugees worldwide, an incumbent covering Urban Refugees' focus sectors at scale.
- Norwegian Refugee Council: Large displacement-focused NGO providing relief and support to refugees and IDPs, overlapping the humanitarian assistance dimension of Urban Refugees.
Emerging players
- Talent Beyond Boundaries: Nonprofit connecting refugees to livelihood/employment pathways, intersecting Urban Refugees' focus on refugee livelihoods.
- Tent Partnership for Refugees: Mobilizes networks to integrate refugees economically, overlapping the workforce and livelihoods integration angle of Urban Refugees.
Others
- Samuel Hall: Research and advisory firm specializing in migration and urban displacement, an ecosystem partner producing the kind of best-practice knowledge Urban Refugees documents and shares.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Urban Refugees social profiles
Digital presenceUrban Refugees financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Urban Refugees leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Urban Refugees funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Urban Refugees M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Urban Refugees
What does Urban Refugees do?
Urban Refugees is a nonprofit organization that supports the 60% of the global refugee population living in cities through three interconnected pillars: (1) WE SUPPORT — intensive in-person training programs for refugee leaders enabling them to serve their communities; (2) WE CONNECT — documenting and sharing best-practice solutions with a global NGO partner network across 40 countries; and (3) WE ADVOCATE — amplifying refugee voices to influence policies affecting their lives. Operations focus on four core sectors: Health, Education, Livelihoods, and Safety.
Is Urban Refugees a public or private company?
Urban Refugees is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Urban Refugees founded?
Urban Refugees was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Urban Refugees based?
Urban Refugees is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does Urban Refugees make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are crowdfunding.
Who are Urban Refugees's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cohere (formerly Xavier Project), Asylum Access, RefugePoint and Refugees International. Broad incumbents are HIAS, International Rescue Committee and Norwegian Refugee Council. Emerging players are Talent Beyond Boundaries and Tent Partnership for Refugees. Samuel Hall is listed as an others.
Does Urban Refugees have an API?
No public API is recorded for Urban Refugees.
What industry is Urban Refugees in?
Urban Refugees's product category is Refugee and humanitarian support services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAI, Refugee & Immigrant Support Services, with a secondary code of BPAGABAH, Refugee, Migration & Displacement Support. Its NAICS code is 6241 and its SIC code is 8300.