Call for proposals: AI for Financial Resilience, Up to $50K equity free Funding for Startups. Apply by December 1, 2025.

Call for Proposals: AI for Financial Resilience

Location: Primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Asia

Organization: Mercy Corps Ventures

Deadline: December 1, 2025

Job Description

Mercy Corp Venture’s AI for Financial Resilience initiative leverages AI, blockchain, and emerging technologies to close financial service gaps for unbanked, underbanked, and climate-vulnerable populations in emerging markets, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Asia. The initiative pilots and scales solutions such as AI-driven insurance, parametric credit, savings via bond tokenization, and anticipatory cash transfers and remittances, aiming to improve financial access, economic resilience, and trust in digital finance.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

Emerging technologies like AI are rapidly reshaping the landscape for digital consumer products. When deployed responsibly, these tools can significantly improve the wellbeing of the 1.4 billion unbanked people around the world by building inclusive and user-friendly financial services.

MCV’s AI for Financial Resilience initiative leverages AI, blockchain, and emerging technologies to close financial service gaps for unbanked, underbanked, and climate-vulnerable populations in emerging markets, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Asia. The initiative pilots and scales solutions such as AI-driven insurance, parametric credit, savings via bond tokenization, and anticipatory cash transfers and remittances, aiming to improve financial access, economic resilience, and trust in digital finance.

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.

Program Details

The program is 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.

Benefits

Selected ventures will receive up to $50,000 in equity-free funding, along with strategic mentorship, impact measurement support, partnership opportunities, and global brand exposure.

During this session, we’ll share more about the goals of the AI for Financial Resilience initiative, and what we’re looking for in pilot-ready solutions. We’ll also walk through the application process and answer questions from prospective applicants.

How to Apply

ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS

This FORM must be completed in English
We review applications on a rolling basis, so the earlier you apply, the earlier you will hear back from us
We recommend that you prepare your responses in a separate document to ensure you do not lose longer answers
Please check your spam mailbox regularly, as our messages regarding your application status might end up there.
After submitting your application, you will automatically receive a copy of your application to the email address you provided
If you have questions, review the FAQ (link below). If you have additional questions, join our webinar

The deadline for submitting applications is December 1, 2025.

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