Washington, D.C., September 4, 2019 – Today, global nonprofit Accion announced that its seed-stage investment initiative Accion Venture Lab is adding $33M to its initial capital pool, with the launch of a new $23M fund and an additional, separate $10M investment from Accion. Accion Footer Logo Accion is a global nonprofit committed to creating a financially inclusive world, with a pioneering legacy in microfinance and fintech impact investing. Accion Venture Lab. Venture Lab invests capital in and provides support to innovative fintech startups that increase access to, improve the quality of, or reduce the cost of financial services for the underserved at scale. How We Work . ACCION VENTURE LAB. To address these needs, Venture Lab — typically the first institutional investor in its portfolio companies — provides both capital and extensive strategic and operational support across a broad range of functional areas. ACCION VENTURE LAB. As Accion’s seed-stage investment initiative, Venture Lab is one component of the organization’s approach to developing the inclusive fintech ecosystem to better meet the needs of the world’s three billion financially underserved. Accion’s seed-stage investment initiative, Accion Venture Lab, provides financial and post-investment support to address these needs. Note to reporters: Accion Venture Lab launched in 2012 with $10 million in capital. Accion Venture Lab, the seed-stage investment initiative of global non-profit Accion, has launched the second edition of its Company Builder programme, applications for which will close on 6 March. Accion Venture Lab Remote Diligence Mini Guide SEPTEMBER 2020. Leave a comment Cancel reply-or-Log in with your FinTech Futures account. Accion VentureKast Venture Lab Inversiones Escuchar en Apple Podcasts. Over the past five years, we have invested in seven… Accion Venture Lab — the seed-stage investment arm of nonprofit Accion — has raised $23 million for a new inclusive fintech startup fund. Accion is a global nonprofit committed to creating a financially inclusive world, with a pioneering legacy in microfinance and fintech impact investing. Accion Venture Lab's Amee Parbhoo joins the first episode of a four-part mini-series of VentureKast to discuss insights and strategies from Accion Venture Lab's latest publication, which explores how fintech startups can grow by focusing on building value for their existing users. Accion Venture Lab, launched in 2012, is a seed-stage impact investment initiative that provides small amounts of capital (up to $500,000) and management support to jump-start game-changing financial inclusion startups around the world, promoting better financial services to more people at the base of the pyramid (BOP). Washington, D.C., September 4, 2019 – Today, global nonprofit Accion announced that its seed-stage investment initiative Accion Venture Lab is adding $33M to its initial capital pool, with the launch of a new $23M fund and an additional, separate $10M investment from Accion. Since launching in 2012, Venture Lab has deployed over US$10 million across more than 30 startups that work in over 20 countries worldwide. “Capital must be paired with strategic and operational support that is informed by a deep knowledge of the sector, target customer, and a deliberate focus on how new technologies can help the underserved build better lives. We invest capital in and provide support to innovative fintech start-ups that increase access to, improve the quality of, or reduce the cost of financial services for the underserved at scale. You’re an early-stage fintech company with great potential and promise. WASHINGTON, Sept. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, global nonprofit Accion announced that its seed-stage investment initiative Accion Venture Lab … Accion Venture Lab — the seed-stage investment arm of nonprofit Accion — has raised $23 million for a new inclusive fintech startup fund. The Accion Frontier Inclusion Fund, the first global fintech fund for the underserved, for which Accion is the sponsor and anchor investor, invested in Konfio's Series A round in May 2016. Our fund’s Limited Partners include FMO, the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank; the Ford Foundation; the ImpactAssets Giving Fund of Blue Haven Initiative; Heifer Foundation; MetLife Foundation; Open Society Foundations; Pace Able Foundation; Proparco, the French Development Agency (AFD)’s private sector financing arm; Prudential Financial; Stichting Hivos-Triodos Fund, managed by Triodos Investment Management; and Visa Inc. (NYSE: V). ‎Accion Venture Lab is an initiative of Accion International that invests in innovative financial inclusion start-ups that improve financial access for people living in poverty. About. Investors in Accion Venture Lab now include FMO, the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank; the Ford Foundation; the ImpactAssets Giving Fund of Blue Haven Initiative; Heifer Foundation; MetLife Foundation; Open Society Foundations; Pace Able Foundation; Proparco, the French Development Agency (AFD)’s private sector financing arm; Prudential Financial; Stichting Hivos-Triodos Fund, managed by Triodos Investment Management; and Visa Inc. (NYSE: V). Accion Venture Lab provides capital and extensive support to innovative, scalable fintech startups that improve the reach, quality, and affordability of financial services for the underserved. Mobile phone–based financial services or business models built on mobile payment platforms; Specialized credit assessment or delivery models (e.g., underwriting/credit scoring approaches, housing, education, small and medium enterprise finance, energy); Online or social media platforms for enabling financial access (e.g., peer-to-peer, social media); Pay-as-you-go, collaborative consumption, and other “embedded” financial service models (e.g., micro-leasing, rent-to-own, modular housing); and. We like innovative customer engagement models that blend tech and touch to create seamless user experiences. 2 Remote Diligence at a Glance •The Issue: In efforts to adapt to a new, no-or limited-contact world, investors are launching remote due diligence processesto keep investment activity flowing. We can accelerate the growth trajectories of companies through our capital plus approach to investing.”, “There is strong potential for inclusive fintech startups to reach historically underserved communities while generating returns, and the oversubscription of the Accion Venture Lab fund is great validation of our early work investing in more than 40 innovative businesses operating in 30 markets,” said Venture Lab Managing Director Vikas Raj. Your user base is growing, and you want to continue building products that help you meet some ambitious growth and revenue goals. 2 Remote Diligence at a Glance •The Issue: In efforts to adapt to a new, no-or limited-contact world, investors are launching remote due diligence processesto keep investment activity flowing. Accion expanded its work to yet another country in April 2015 when it partnered with Myanmar's DAWN, a microfinance institution originally launched in 2002 as a program of Save the Children. Digital challenger bank Jeitto has that it has closed on a new funding round led by Accion Venture Lab, a seed-stage investment initiative of global nonprofit Accion. Today, those include insurtech, agricultural finance, digital lending, holistic MSME finance solutions, and personal financial management. Accion is a global nonprofit committed to creating a financially inclusive world, with a pioneering legacy in microfinance and fintech impact investing. Accion Venture Lab is a global venture fund at Accion that invests in fintech for financial inclusion. Managing Director, Accion Venture Lab. Shannon Dwyer Investment & Portfolio Associate. Please register, to get started. What does embedded inclusive fintech look like? Accion Venture Lab. New products (e.g., savings, remittances/payments, microinsurance, and credit) for people living in poverty. Accion Venture Lab Remote Diligence Mini Guide SEPTEMBER 2020. Digital platform providing salary on demand to workers in the Philippines, Alternative credit scoring for thin-file customers, Tech-enabled smallholder agriculture financing, Digitizing field forces for microfinance and other institutions, Smartphone card-reader for broader merchant acceptance, Investment platform for SME marketplace lending, Credit building and financial advisory services, Provides high-quality credit to entrepreneurs using alternative data, Alternative credit scoring leveraging innovative data sources, PlatFin for data-driven supply chain management, distribution services and working capital financing for pharmacies, Alternative credit scoring based on mobile phone data, Online technology courses financed via income share agreements (ISAs), Digital payment app with consumer credit line, Business banking for self-employed workers, App-based banking solution providing credit, savings and access to a pre-paid card for the underserved, Merchants mobile money acceptance and cash advance, Refinancing for consumer debt and credit rebuilding, An insurtech company that provides insurance to highly vulnerable, low-income families, Mobile banking tech to provide remittance options to migrant workers, Specialized education lender in Indonesia financing both schools and students, Provides credit and digital business management tools to MSMEs, Agricultural insurance to smallholder farmers in Africa and India, Asset-backed loans and vehicle insurance for underserved consumers in Colombia, Financial literacy videos and behavioral credit scoring, Provides a loan solution to help consumers both build credit and save money, Consumer nano-loans through a smartphone app, Provides secured credit to Brazilian farmers using satellite imagery, Financing for MSMEs leveraging supply chain distribution networks, Specialized loans for affordable private schools. Accion Venture Lab invests capital in and provides support to innovative fintech startups that improve access, quality, and affordability of financial services for the underserved at scale. See what employees say it's like to work at Accion. Salaries, reviews, and more - all posted by employees working at Accion. ‎Accion Venture Lab is an initiative of Accion International that invests in innovative financial inclusion start-ups that improve financial access for people living in poverty. More at http://www.accion.org. This list of organizations invested in by Accion Venture Lab provides data on their funding history, investment activities, and acquisition trends. We are excited about new approaches that focus on financial health and building financial capabilities as they provide critical products and services to consumers. Accion, a U.S.-based nonprofit that works to improve financial inclusivity globally, has announced that Accion Venture Lab, a seed-stage investment initiative, has secured $33 million in capital in support of fintech startups working to improve the reach, quality, and affordability of financial services for underserved communities.. facebook social icon link twitter social icon link instagram social icon link linkedin social icon link medium social icon link vimeo social icon link. Venture Lab invests capital in and provides support to innovative fintech startups that increase access to, improve the quality of, or reduce the cost of financial services for the underserved at scale. Tags: Financial Services/Finserv, Innovation, Investment & Funding Accion, Accion Venture Lab, FinTech News Africa, USA. Venture Lab also partners with philanthropic organizations whose support enables it to provide specialized and extensive strategic and operational support to its portfolio companies and to invest at the higher-risk pre-seed stage in pursuit of its mission to reach the underserved. Accion Venture Lab is an investment initiative that provides startups with seed capital and support. It will now invest an additional $33M –$10M from Accion and $23M from a coinvestment vehicle with third party funds, bringing Venture Lab’s total capital under management to $43M, more than four times the initial amount. Ultimately, these companies support entrepreneurship, resilience in farming, gig economy and migrant workers, healthcare, transportation, and education. Matthew Schaar Director of Portfolio Engagement . Accion Venture Lab has always had a commitment to growing and supporting fintech startups that are advancing financial inclusion in Africa. Venture Lab invests capital in, and provides support to, innovative fintech start-ups that increase access to, improve the quality of, or reduce the cost of financial services for the underserved at scale. The Venture Lab portfolio focuses on an evolving set of key trends within the fintech space that offer the greatest potential to reach underserved communities. Accion Venture Lab and Quona Capital teamed up to host a series of remote discussions for fintech startups and industry experts to share guidance and insights. Vikas Raj Managing Director, Accion Venture Lab . Accion Venture Lab addresses this need.”. Accion has provided capital and support to Konfio since its seed stage investment through Accion Venture Lab. For the Media. Lack of financial access is a massive global problem. Venture Lab invests capital in and provides support to innovative fintech startups that increase access to, improve the quality of, or reduce the cost of financial services for the underserved at scale. The seed investment initiative announced the launch of the new fund today in a statement on its website.. Since launching, Accion Venture Lab has deployed over $12 million across more than 30 start-ups that work in over 20 countries worldwide. TechCrunch +1. For every dollar Accion Venture Lab has invested, its portfolio companies have raised an additional $13 in equity capital from later-stage investors. Read our latest stories including opinions here. Congrats, you have been scouted for the fast-track application process of , by our scouts. Accion Venture Lab is an investment initiative that drives financial inclusion globally. We invest capital in and provide support to innovative fintech start-ups that increase access to, improve the quality of, or reduce the cost of financial services for the underserved at scale. Tools and Insights. Investing since 2012, and backed by third party commercial and impact investors since the launch of our fund in 2019, we typically invest U.S. $500,000 in seed-stage startups and can continue to support companies as they grow through follow-on capital that drives scale. facebook social icon link twitter social icon link instagram social icon link linkedin social icon link medium social icon link vimeo social icon link Accion Venture Lab has always had a commitment to growing and supporting fintech startups that are advancing financial inclusion in Africa. VentureKast is the podcast about fintech and financial inclusion. We are focused on opportunities in the US, Latin America, Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia but will invest globally if the team and idea are right. Other elements of this strategy include Accion’s partnership with Quona Capital – a leading growth stage venture firm focused on fintech for inclusion in emerging markets – and Accion’s work with industry initiatives like the Inclusive Fintech 50, which elevates early-stage fintechs addressing financial inclusion. Venture Lab invests capital in and provides support to innovative fintech startups that increase access to, improve the quality of, or reduce the cost of financial services for the underserved at scale. Since these start-ups traditionally lack access to capital and assistance, Venture Lab provides flexible financial and non-financial support to suit the needs of each investee enterprise, such as investment and support (investee companies may get connected to Accion’s in-house technical experts, microfinance teams and customers from partner institutions around the world, and the global banking and investing … Accion Venture Lab is the world's leading seed-stage investor in fintech for the underserved. VentureKast is the podcast about fintech and financial inclusion. Accion Venture Lab, the seed investment initiative of US-based non-profit Accion, has launched a new $23-million fund aimed at fintech startups that focus on… Daniel Mpala Venture capital • 4 Sep 2019. Accion Jan 05, 2016, 06:00 ET. Accion Venture Lab is an investment initiative that drives financial inclusion globally. Accion Venture Lab is an investment initiative that drives financial inclusion globally. Accion Venture Lab, the seed investment initiative of US-based non-profit Accion, has launched a new $23-million fund aimed at fintech startups that focus on financial inclusion. “Despite progress, three billion people still have no safe or simple way to save money, get a loan to build a business, pay a bill, or protect their health and property with insurance,” said Michael Schlein, President and CEO of Accion. Companies need not have significant revenue traction but should be post-research and development, have a full-time entrepreneur or team in place, and, ideally, have a pilot or prototype in the market. Venture Lab invests capital in, and provides support to, innovative fintech start-ups that increase access to, improve the quality of, or reduce the cost of financial services for the underserved at scale. Inclusive fintech startups face the same significant entrepreneurial challenges as other startups, as well as additional challenges: a highly competitive sector, constantly evolving regulations that vary across markets, challenges building the right team, and tight margins. Accion Venture Lab is the world's leading seed-stage investor in fintech for the underserved. Accion Venture Lab is a leading seed-stage investor in Fintech for the underserved. Acción Venture Lab invierte en Tienda Pago para ayudar a las pequeñas empresas latinoamericanas News provided by. Accion International launches $10 million investment vehicle, Venture Lab 05 May, 2012, 12.44 PM IST. Everyone should have access to the financial tools they need to improve their lives. Everyone should have access to the financial tools they need to improve their lives. Launched in 2012 with $10 million in capital, Accion Venture Lab has emerged as a leader in fintech impact investing at the seed stage. Accion Venture Lab’s portfolio of fintech start-ups stands at 36 and they span across five continents, giving an equal pitch footing to fintech ventures of all markets. Early-stage startups often lack access to the capital and support they need to grow. See what employees say it's like to work at Accion. Kenya’s Apollo Agriculture raises $6M Series A led by Anthemis. Contact Email info@accion.org Phone Number 202-280-5859 Venture Lab is an investment initiative that drives financial inclusion globally. VentureKast is the podcast about fintech and financial inclusion. Accion Venture Lab focuses on for-profit enterprises with new products or business models that expand the range of high-quality financial services for people living in poverty. --- or ---- Register Login Login × We catalyze financial service providers to deliver high-quality, affordable solutions at scale for the three billion people who are left out of — or poorly served by — the financial sector. This list of organizations invested in by Accion Venture Lab provides data on their funding history, investment activities, and acquisition trends. Hosted by Vikas Raj, Managing Director of Accion Venture Lab, VentureKast features the stories of the entrepreneurs and investors who are using inclusive fintech to serve the three billion people around the world who are underserved by the mainstream financial system. Field Intelligence. 2. Accion’s tracks Growing digital tools to match workers’ needs: An interview with SmartMEI’s Carlos Dejavite by Accion published on 2020-12-17T15:42:12Z. Ashley Lewis Senior Investment Officer, Africa. Accion Venture Lab is the world’s leading seed-stage investor in fintech for the underserved. For more than 50 years, Accion has helped tens of millions of people through our work with more than 110 partners in 50 countries. Accion venture lab, Newid capital, Anthemis Exponential Ventures, +5. Accion Venture Lab is the world’s leading seed-stage investor in fintech for the underserved. Contact Us. Accion is a global nonprofit committed to creating a financially inclusive world, with a pioneering legacy in microfinance and fintech impact investing. You’re an early-stage fintech company with great potential and promise. Accion Venture Lab invests capital in and provides support to innovative fintech startups that improve access, quality, and affordability of financial services for the underserved at scale. Accion is a global nonprofit committed to creating a financially inclusive world, with a pioneering legacy in microfinance and fintech impact investing. Accion International has launched its $10 million investment vehicle, Venture Lab, which is focused on providing seed capital to organisations that promote financial inclusion. The fast-track application process of, by our scouts ’ re an fintech! 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