2020 Inclusive Fintech 50 White Paper

Drawing on the data submitted by the 2020 cohort of applicants, this paper provides insights as to how early-stage fintechs are adapting to the current economic uncertainty and continuing to advance financial inclusion and resilience for the estimated 3 billion financially underserved people worldwide.

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AUTHORS

Chrissy Martin Meier, Simon Agez, Matthew Barger

Topics

Program

Inclusive Fintech 50

COVID-19 has reinforced the importance of financial services in helping people navigate the effects of the pandemic and lay the foundations for recovery. The rapidly changing context presents a unique opportunity for fintechs and other digitally driven business models to step in and onboard new customers to meet this evolving demand.

The 2020 iteration of the Inclusive Fintech 50 competition maintained the core value proposition of the 2019 initiative — a transparent methodology, independent judging panels comprised of industry experts, and a strong focus on inclusion — while iterating to ensure relevance in a particularly challenging year. The 2020 competition attracted 403 qualified applicants operating in 111 countries and reaching 116 million customers.

Chrissy Martin Meier

Fintech Data Solutions Lead, MIX

Chrissy has 10 years of experience in expanding access to financial services, working with a diverse set of stakeholders ranging from MNOs, social enterprise, donors, non-for-profits, and multilateral institutions. At MIX, she is leading the development of the Fintech Data Solution through a user-centered product design process. Chrissy started her career launching the first mobile money product in Haiti with the mobile network operator Digicel. Since, she has served as the Customer Experience Manager at the social enterprise Zoona in Zambia and Malawi, and as Senior Digital Finance Specialist with USAID’s Digital Development team.

Simon Agez

Simon Agez is a data analyst supporting the design and implementation of Inclusive Fintech 50 —an initiative that recognizes promising early-stage fintechs driving financial inclusion and resilience around the globe. Simon is a seasoned financial inclusion professional with experience in operational, advisory, and research activities. He worked alongside MFIs in India, Vietnam and Cambodia, and holds a Specialized Master’s degree in Microfinance from the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management.