Around 1.4 billion people remain unbanked, most of them women in developing countries. Barriers such as limited access to financial services, lack of identification, high costs, and low digital literacy prevent them from joining the global economy. The AI for Financial Resilience Initiative 2025 aims to close this gap by supporting innovative solutions that use artificial intelligence, blockchain, and other emerging technologies to provide affordable, secure, and inclusive financial services to unbanked populations in emerging markets.
The program focuses on pilots and scalable projects that drive access to insurance, credit, savings, and digital payments while helping communities build resilience against climate and economic shocks. Selected projects will strengthen financial inclusion, improve economic stability, and build trust in digital finance systems across Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
Program Details
Expand financial inclusion and resilience through innovation: Leverage AI, blockchain, and other emerging tech to create accessible, affordable financial services (insurance, credit, savings, remittances) for unbanked and low-income individuals.
Bridge climate resilience and financial access: Pilot and scale solutions that enable vulnerable communities to withstand—and thrive despite—climate shocks via improved protection mechanisms.
Build robust evidence and share sector learnings: Produce insights and best practices to inform future investments and replicate effective models across markets.
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What we Are Looking For
We are looking for innovative financial products for unbanked and underbanked people in emerging markets. This can range from using AI to drive financial literacy through education and training to increasing access to insurance, savings, credit, and emergency payments using AI- and blockchain-powered digital financial products.
- Primary beneficiaries: Unbanked and underbanked populations, with a strong emphasis on low-income individuals, women, immigrants, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
- Geographic focus: Emerging markets, with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Selection Criteria
Impact first
a) How will this proposal build financial resilience for unbanked people in emerging markets? Who will be reached, how many people, and to what depth of impact?
Innovation edge
a) How ‘first-of-a-kind’ is this solution? What signal would this send to the wider ecosystem?
Sustainability
a) What is the business model? How will this product sustainably scale to build financial resilience for millions of unbanked people?
Likelihood of success
a) What’s the technological readiness level? Does the partner have a captive user base? What’s the likelihood of seeing results within the pilot timeframe?
Benefits
To selected startups, MCV will provide:
- Financial support: Milestone-based, equity-free grants of up to $50,000 per startup
- In-kind support: mentorship, impact measurement advisory, access to partnership opportunities, knowledge exchange, and brand exposure.
For more Information: Visit the website for Mercy Corps Ventures AI for Financial Resilience Initiative
