The Visa Everywhere Initiative is a global innovation program that tasks start-ups to solve payment challenges of tomorrow, further enhance their own product propositions and provide visionary solutions for Visa’s vast network of partners. The first-ever Visa Everywhere Initiative: Women's Global Edition celebrated women founders and co-founders who are changing the world by solving business and social challenges. The program was launched on March 6th to celebrate International Women’s Day. The competition received nearly 1,300 submissions of women-founded fintechs and social impact organizations from over 140+ countries.
About VEI: Women's Global Edition
Fintech challenge winner
The Fintech challenge asked contestants to explain how their company could help transform consumer payments or commercial experiences locally, regionally, or globally.
Naureen Hyat, Pakistan
Tez Financial Services is the first fully-digital financial institution in Pakistan providing frictionless financial access to the unbanked and under-banked via a smart phone application. Tez is an all-encompassing platform that provides a complete slate of financial services including credit, savings, insurance, and investments, thereby reducing the financial vulnerability of the masses.
Visa Everywhere Initiative gave us the unique opportunity to expand our vision and enhance Tez’s product offering to lift financial inclusion in Pakistan. The initiative fosters a culture of innovation and every participant had a persistent belief that tomorrow is going to be much better than today. The positivity and shared optimism was infectious!
Semifinalists
Congratulations to all the semifinalists in the Fintech challenge category.
Annicelle Kungne, France
WeCashUp enables e-commerce companies in 36 African countries.
Eynat Guez, Israel
Papaya Global offers total workforce management in over 100 countries.
Stéphanie Fleury, Brazil
DinDin offers financial services to unbanked people and companies in Latin America.
Naureen Hyat, Pakistan
Tez is a digital financial institution providing financial access in Pakistan.
Garima Satija, India
PoshVine helps financial institutions in India boost activation and engagement.
Laura Spiekerman, USA
Alloy helps automate identity-related decision making in financial services.
Social Impact challenge winner
The Social Impact challenge asked how women entrepreneurs around the world drive social change by supporting equitable livelihoods and strengthening local economies.
Monique Ntumngia, Cameroon
Green Girls Organization is a Cameroonian NGO that is into a Pan-African infiltration of renewable energy which is carried out through the training of women and girls in African rural communities on how to generate energy from the sun and waste using a unique scoring model (MNKB92).
The Visa Everywhere Initiative to me is the real definition of what women empowerment is all about. What I loved and still do about participating in the program is the consistent follow up after funding.The global networking platforms and mentorship that Visa makes available to the female entrepreneur continuously goes beyond the funding received.
Semifinalists
Congratulations to all six of our semifinalists in the Social Impact challenge category.
Isabelle Mashola, France
Isahit is a socially responsible, outsourcing platform for African businesses.
Mireia Badia, Spain
Grow.ly is a P2B platform that connects SMEs looking for loans with lenders.
Fernanda Vicente, Chile
Mujeres del Pacífico works with female entrepreneurs in Latin America.
Monique Ntumngia, Cameroon
The Green Girls Organization teaches renewable energy skills in Cameroon.
Miranda Phua, Myanmar/Burma
ZigWay offers low-income Myanmar families help breaking free from debt traps.
Amanda Levinson, USA
NeedsList is a humanitarian aid platform that connects non-profits with donors.
About the VEI: Women’s Global Edition Trophies
Kiitellä is proud to custom design and hand-fabricate two distinctive trophies for VEI: Women’s Global Edition. Visa had the vision that each piece should incorporate both a helix and a globe, and Kiitellä took it from there. Hand-forged steel spirals are welded to a satin-finished, stainless steel base, and a golden-etched globe is mounted atop. In polished jet-cut brass and riveted in place, are the words “Visa Everywhere Initiative” and “Women’s Global Edition.” The unique design incorporates a mix of techniques and metals to reveal feminine lines within a strong, solid architecture. The result is an elegant, lifetime work of art that celebrates each recipient’s noteworthy accomplishments.
Meet the Artist
Lisa Issenberg, the artist and designer behind Kiitella, first discovered her interest in metalwork during a Tufts University study-abroad program in Greece. She explored all metal disciplines—from fabrication of large-scale steel sculptures to small-scale jewelry design, studying at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts in Boston and then to San Francisco to fully immerse herself in metal design and fabrication. Kiitellä thoughtfully designs and fabricates innovative, modern-industrial, custom awards and recognition projects. All projects are fabricated primarily in metal—steel, brass, or bronze—using both industrial and hand techniques, and often incorporate other creative materials. Each piece is slightly different or “delightfully imperfect” (Wabi-sabiin Japanese). Lisa founded Kiitellä (Finnish word “to thank, applaud or praise”) in 2012 to honor her passion for award-design. Her love for the outdoors and nature synthesized in one-of-a-kind pieces that celebrate the accomplishments, victories, humanity and philanthropy of her fellow humans.
Value to women entrepreneurs
There are a number of reasons for entrepreneurs to participate in the Visa Everywhere Initiative. See a few below.
Exposure
Women entrepreneurs may receive increased attention from the press and other sources as they engage with one of the world’s leading payment companies
Partnerships
VEI can be the starting point for lasting partnerships and the opportunity for women entrepreneurs and Visa to innovate together
Support
Visa provides mentorship and expert advice on the payments industry
Prize Money
Two Final Global winners will each receive $100,000 USD