IDEO Last Mile Money is once again seeking promising early-stage startups that are connecting underserved communities in emerging markets to digital financial services.
IDEO last mile in partnership with the Gates Foundation is looking for startups bringing the promise of the digital economy closer to the people who need it most the unbanked and the underserved.
Selected startups will get access to design support, between US$30,000 and US$50,000 equity-free grant funding, access to IDEO’s partner network, and membership of CICO Collective, which gives companies access to webinars, and co-creation opportunities with an online community of 1,200 other founders and experts building for the last mile.
Some of the last cohorts includes ; Alsoung.com of Sudan’s biggest free online classifieds marketplace which brings together Sudanese buyers and sellers. Dunia Pay A banking app powered by crypto that allows users in Sub-Saharan Africa to save, spend, invest and transfer money to any phone number anywhere in the world. Tanda A FinTech startup that turns your everyday neighborhood dukas into one stop shops for essential financial services such as airtime, bill payments, banking and insurance. Pesakit A last mile agent network platform that aims to provide last mile financial and e-commerce services for mobile money agents and merchants across Africa.
It is believed that mobile money & banking agent business models face a challenge in viably serving rural customers, creating a last mile agent coverage gap. Even when they can serve last mile customers, today’s digital financial services aren’t designed for new internet users, making it difficult for billions of people to participate in the burgeoning digital economy hence the reason for the accelerator program to help provide necessary support to as many of this startups as much as possible.
Interested startups are to apply before 15th of July CLICK HERE TO APPLY