Deadline: 30 September 2017
Applications are open for the 2017 Zambezi Prize in order to raise awareness of entrepreneurship and financial inclusion, encourage the flow of capital to financial inclusion ventures, and advance entrepreneurship and financial inclusion to fuel broad-based prosperity.
The Zambezi Prize is presented by the Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship at MIT and The MasterCard Foundation. Collectively, these organizations focus on entrepreneurship and financial inclusion as catalysts for broad-based prosperity in low-income countries—unlocking the potential of ordinary citizens to improve their livelihoods.
Prize Information
- The Zambezi Prize awards $200K USD annually to support ventures that contribute to financial inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- The first place winner receives $100K USD. An additional $100K USD is divided among second and third place winners and a small group of finalists.
Eligibility Criteria
- The prize is open to a wide spectrum of financial inclusion ventures demonstrating innovation and potential for impact, financial sustainability, and scalability.
- The venture must advance financial inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa.
- The venture must be in its early stages, having progressed beyond concept.
- Ventures could include – but are not limited to – electronic payment systems, customer-centered payment plans, new financial products, or mobile banking instruments.
How to Apply
Interested applicants must apply online via given website.
Eligible Countries: Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo DR, Congo-Brazzaville, Cote d Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Reunion, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Western Sahara, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
For more information, please visit Zambezi Prize.