Application Deadline: April 14th 2019
Visa Everywhere Initiative is a global innovation program that tasks start-ups to solve payment challenges of tomorrow, further enhance their own product propositions and provide visionary solutions for Visa’s vast network of partners.
The program first launched in the U.S. in 2015 and quickly expanded into other regions of the world with more than 4,000 participating start-ups, which have collectively raised over $2.5 billion in funding, with more than 221 finalists and 70 winners selected. The program activates in North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa, touching over 75 countries.
For the first time ever, Visa is pleased to present the first-ever Visa Everywhere Initiative: Women’s Global Edition. Read more below to find out what challenges are available and how to apply.
How it Works:
Two challenges. Twelve finalists. Celebrating women entrepreneurs and their innovative ideas, solutions, and organizations.
Finalists will be invited to Paris, France in early June 2019, to pitch their solutions live in front of Visa leaders and clients.
To reward the most impactful solutions, Visa will provide $100,000 USD to each challenge winner!
Submissions will be accepted until April 14th, 2019.
Challenge Questions
Challenge 1 – Fintech
Leveraging your company’s unique capabilities, how could your solution help transform consumer payments and/or commercial experiences locally, regionally, or globally?
Your solution could apply to financial institutions, online-only banks and lenders, merchants, marketplaces, digital wallets, data analytics, loyalty programs, payment solutions or payment infrastructure
Areas we are 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
Prize Structure
Visa will select 1 finalist per region to travel to Paris for the opportunity to pitch their solution live at the Finals Event and attend the opening match of the FIFA Women’s World Cup™.
The overall grand prize winner of the fintech challenge will receive $100,000 USD plus a potential opportunity to run a pilot with Visa and/or a Visa client.
Challenge 2 – Social Impact
How can women entrepreneurs around the world drive social impact by supporting sustainable and equitable livelihoods and strengthening local / regional economies?
Visa is looking for women entrepreneurs focused on social impact outcomes across micro and small business development, environmental and social responsibility, and community engagement.
- 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.
- Note: Social Impact Challenge applicants do *not* have to be a Fintech or tech-based startup
Areas we are interested in (charter):
Micro and small business development
- Business skills development
- Financial education / literacy
- 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.
Prize Structure
Visa will select 1 finalist per region to travel to Paris for the opportunity to pitch their solution live at the Finals Event and attend the opening match of the FIFA Women’s World Cup™.
The overall grand prize winner of the social impact challenge will receive $100,000 USD.
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the Visa Everywhere Initiative global innovation program 2019
3 comments
what are the criteria to take in such activities as emerging leaders
[…] Initiative Visa Everywhere est un programme d’innovation ouverte qui aide les startups comme la vôtre à débloquer de nouvelles opportunités et vous offre une plate-forme mondiale pour présenter vos solutions révolutionnaires. Le programme a été lancé pour la première fois aux États-Unis en 2015 et s’est depuis étendu aux quatre coins du monde, recrutant des startups de plus de 100 pays. Au cours des cinq dernières années, plus de 7 000 startups y ont participé et elles ont collectivement levé plus de 2,5 milliards de dollars de financement. […]
[…] Visa Everywhere Initiative is an open innovation program that helps startups like yours unlock new opportunities—and gives you a global platform to demonstrate your ground-breaking solutions. The program first launched in the U.S. in 2015, and has since expanded to every corner of the world, recruiting startups from over 100 countries. Over the past five years, more than 7,000 startups have participated, and they’ve collectively raised more than $2.5 billion in funding. […]