Visa Everywhere Initiative is an opportunity for businesses to partner with Visa. In 2019, a special edition for women entrepreneurs is inviting you to apply for the chance.
Watch the Testimonial:
https://youtu.be/MSwVvUAnEgo
Visa Everywhere Initiative was launched in 2015, in the USA, to reward innovative entrepreneurs who solve “challenges of tomorrow.” The program has since grown worldwide. More than 4,000 startups have been part of this.
A Kenyan startup won the first Visa Everywhere Initiative for the Africa region. That was in 2018. This year, Visa wants to celebrate women entrepreneurs. Women will pick one of two challenges to solve. The regional winners will head to Paris in June, fully funded, to pitch to Visa clients and leaders. You would represent Africa. Also, overall winners of the challenges will get sh.10 million ($100k) in funding.
Sounds good? Let’s talk about the two challenges.
Challenge 1: Social Impact (business does not have to be tech-based)
How can women entrepreneurs drive social impact by supporting sustainable and equitable livelihoods and strengthening local or regional economies?
Visa is looking for:
- Women-founded/ co-founded organizations (2 to 50 employees) with a mission (or project) that resonates with Visa’s Social Impact charter
- Organization should have traction in market – live product / service, clients, sales revenue, etc.
And Visa’s Social Impact Charter touches on the following areas:
Micro and small business development – Business skills development, Financial education, Access to capital/credit, Transition to digital payments, Improving connectivity, Building resilience through financial products (e.g., savings, insurance) etc.
Environmental and Social Responsibility – Environmental sustainability (e.g., renewable energy, sustainable products or manufacturing, environmental protection), Responsible sourcing (e.g., employment practices, supplier diversity, human rights across supply chain, etc.), UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): #5 Gender Equality and #8 Decent Work and Economic Growth.
Community Engagement – Diversity and inclusion, Address challenges (e.g., gender pay gap, unconscious bias), Fair and equal ability to demonstrate potential and grow careers, Community giving, Humanitarian and disaster relief etc.
Challenge 2: FinTech
Leveraging your company’s unique capabilities, how could your solution help transform consumer payments and/or commercial experiences locally, regionally, or globally?
Visa is interested in:
Issuer – ID, authentication and security, Direct business/Consumer lending, Online banking, Process and pay infrastructure
Enabler – Fin services and infrastructure, Blockchain/crypto currency, Data and analytics, Investment management, Payments, wallets, transfers, Retail tech.
Value Add – Process and pay infrastructure, Crowdfunding, Insuratech, Marketplace lending, Loyalty, Merchant services and tools, Money transfer and remittance, Personal finance, Wealth management
Deadline to apply for Visa Everywhere Initiative 2019 – Women Edition is 14th April, 2019. Visit the Official Website to learn more and apply.