LEVEL UP YOUR STARTUP

Visa Everywhere Initiative 2023

If you are looking for an opportunity to showcase innovative solutions to the world and a platform to gain recognition and build credibility, the Visa Everywhere Initiative is for you. This September, 2023, we are hosting a special edition in Ethiopia. Ready to change the game? Apply now or scroll down to learn more.

Apply here

Fintechs and judges at the 2022 Visa Everywhere Initiative global finals in Qatar.

Get your startup on the world stage

Visa Everywhere Initiative is an open innovation program that helps startups like yours unlock new opportunities — and can give you a global platform to demonstrate your ground-breaking solutions. The program first launched in the U.S. in 2015, and quickly expanded into a global program. To date, nearly 12,000 startups have applied to the program — many of which now work with Visa or its clients. Applying is the first step towards getting Visa’s attention.

Apply here

Key competition details

The 2023 Ethiopia competition is going to be more exciting than ever before — with an amazing opportunity for selected finalists to get in front of Visa’s executives, potential clients, and investors. Apply now if you’re a startup with great products already in market and gaining traction — and are looking for an extra push from a global, trusted brand like Visa to gain scale.

Apply here

: Apply here.

Visa will select 5 finalists who are located in Ethiopia and/or have a significant operations in the country. These 5 finalists will be invited to present their solutions in front of a panel of expert judges.
: We are looking for products that deliver innovative payment and commerce solutions to consumers and businesses. These include but are not limited to:

Enablers of digital services and digital issuers

Blockchain and cryptocurrency

Crowdfunding

Banking as a service

BIN sponsors

Issuer/ Processors

Program managers

Digital issuance

Blockchain and cryptocurrency

Alternative lending

Personal financial management

Money transfer and remittance

Digital banking (aka neobanks)

Digital wallets, P2P, and transfers

Employee benefits

Payables

Corporate cards (aka expense management)

Value-add for merchants and/or consumers in regard to finance

Data and analytics

ID, authentication, and security

InsurTech

Loyalty

Merchant services and tools

Process and pay infrastructure 

Retail technology

Small/medium-sized business 

Money movement (disbursements, intra-account, P2P vendor, payments)

Acceptance (e-commerce, mobile acceptance)

Risk management (chargebacks, etc.)

Brand management (community building, etc.)

New categories

Sustainable Fintechs

Urban Mobility

Risk
: Winner - $25000

2nd Runner Up - $15000

3rd Runner Up - $10000
: VEI Announcement by Al: mid-June

Application Window: 1–20 August

Selection of Finalists: 21–25 August

5 finalists presentation prep.: 28 August – 8 September

Finals: 15 September
: Read the competition terms and conditions here

Apply here

Opportunities with Visa Direct

With Visa Direct, you can empower customers to send and receive money to billions of endpoints worldwide,* in any of 160 transaction currencies.

Do you already have a partnership with an acquirer? If so, let us know, as there might be additional opportunities for you. Visit our resource center for more information about how Visa Direct could help you.

*Availability varies by market. Please refer to your Visa representative for more information on availability.

Apply here

It’s rewarding to win

Validation

Winners receive recognition from one of the world’s most valuable brands.

Exposure

The finals will be attended by key ecosystem enablers, helping to provide finalists with great exposure opportunities.

Monetary Prize

Winners at the global finals receive a monetary prize (no equity taken).

2022 Visa Everywhere Initiative winners

Relive the excitement of the 2022 Global Finals in Qatar. Watch the event here

LATIN AMERICA

Alejandro Vega

Huli is a platform that connects patients, doctors and other healthcare services.

Explore Huli

ASIA PACIFIC

Mriganka Pattnaik

Merkle Science is the next generation predictive Web3 risk & intelligence platform.

Go to Merkle Science

NORTH AMERICA

Christine De Wendel

sunday is the fastest digital payment for restaurants and the industry’s future.

Learn about sunday

CENTRAL EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST and AFRICA

Ayo Arikawe

ThriveAgric provides small holder farmers access to finance, insight and distribution.

Visit ThriveAgric

EUROPE

Dan Saunders

Zeti is a fintech enabling pay per use financing of sustainable transport.

Discover Zeti

Ready to take the next step?

Start unlocking opportunities for your startup by joining the Visa Everywhere Initiative network. For questions or more information contact [email protected]

Apply here

[email protected]