240223 - MWI - The Malawi Fintech Challenge: Inclusive Innovations to Increase Access to Finance For Msmes and Smallholder Farmers
Opens Feb 23 2024 00:50 (EST)
Deadline Mar 24 2024 23:59 (EDT)
$50,000.00 to $100,000.00
Description

In Malawi, the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) supports the development of new use cases, products and business models that could help drive outcomes around Inclusive Digital Economies and the expansion of Digital Financial Services for segments currently left behind, such as women, youth, and other vulnerable low-income groups.

The purpose of this Request for Application (RFA) is to invite local and global FinTechs that have market-ready solutions to apply and help address the following identified problem statement of the implementing partner, Centenary Bank Limited , in Malawi: Through this partnership, both entities aim to utilize their collective strengths to improve the provision of financial services in Malawi to Build and Deploy an effective Loan Management Solution that helps facilitate uncollateralized loans and provides a platform for MSMEs and smallholder farmers to gradually build their credit history.

With this RFA, UNCDF plans to invest up to a total of US$100,000 USD (disbursed in local currency) in grant funding towards implementing the solution. Applicants can be operational in any country or region and apply independently or in a consortium, provided a consortium agreement is attached to the candidate’s submission. Only applicants who meet the eligibility requirements for the submission, as indicated in section 3.1 of the RFA document, will be evaluated.

Selected applicants will be signing a Performance-Based Agreement (PBA) with UNCDF. Please refer to the PBA sample available on this RFA publication. 

The grant, awarded to one applicant will depend on the investment readiness level and outreach potential of the proposed solution.  UNCDF also reserves the right not to award any applicant with grant funding. Selected applicants will be expected to fund at least fifty percent (50%) of the total project cost for monetary or in-kind costs such as technical resources, staff, and operational expenses.

Shortlisted applicants may be invited to attend a Bootcamp hosted in Malawi, location to be confirmed. The Bootcamp intends to provide shortlisted applicants with the opportunity to meet with implementing partners and key players to help fine-tune their proposals. During the Bootcamp, applicants will be encouraged to revise their proposal if necessary and pitch to a panel of judges for final evaluation.

Inquiries to this request for applications may be submitted by email to iIris.kissiti@uncdf.org and mercilina.lwanda.kadewa@uncdf.org cc uncdf.rfa@uncdf.org. For any email enquiries, please include in your subject line: “Enquiry: The Malawi Fintech Challenge”

Please submit your proposal trough this e-investment platform. Submissions using other templates or sent by other electronic or non electronic means will not be eligible. 

For more information please download the following documents:

240223 - MWI - The Malawi Fintech Challenge: Inclusive Innovations to Increase Access to Finance For Msmes and Smallholder Farmers


In Malawi, the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) supports the development of new use cases, products and business models that could help drive outcomes around Inclusive Digital Economies and the expansion of Digital Financial Services for segments currently left behind, such as women, youth, and other vulnerable low-income groups.

The purpose of this Request for Application (RFA) is to invite local and global FinTechs that have market-ready solutions to apply and help address the following identified problem statement of the implementing partner, Centenary Bank Limited , in Malawi: Through this partnership, both entities aim to utilize their collective strengths to improve the provision of financial services in Malawi to Build and Deploy an effective Loan Management Solution that helps facilitate uncollateralized loans and provides a platform for MSMEs and smallholder farmers to gradually build their credit history.

With this RFA, UNCDF plans to invest up to a total of US$100,000 USD (disbursed in local currency) in grant funding towards implementing the solution. Applicants can be operational in any country or region and apply independently or in a consortium, provided a consortium agreement is attached to the candidate’s submission. Only applicants who meet the eligibility requirements for the submission, as indicated in section 3.1 of the RFA document, will be evaluated.

Selected applicants will be signing a Performance-Based Agreement (PBA) with UNCDF. Please refer to the PBA sample available on this RFA publication. 

The grant, awarded to one applicant will depend on the investment readiness level and outreach potential of the proposed solution.  UNCDF also reserves the right not to award any applicant with grant funding. Selected applicants will be expected to fund at least fifty percent (50%) of the total project cost for monetary or in-kind costs such as technical resources, staff, and operational expenses.

Shortlisted applicants may be invited to attend a Bootcamp hosted in Malawi, location to be confirmed. The Bootcamp intends to provide shortlisted applicants with the opportunity to meet with implementing partners and key players to help fine-tune their proposals. During the Bootcamp, applicants will be encouraged to revise their proposal if necessary and pitch to a panel of judges for final evaluation.

Inquiries to this request for applications may be submitted by email to iIris.kissiti@uncdf.org and mercilina.lwanda.kadewa@uncdf.org cc uncdf.rfa@uncdf.org. For any email enquiries, please include in your subject line: “Enquiry: The Malawi Fintech Challenge”

Please submit your proposal trough this e-investment platform. Submissions using other templates or sent by other electronic or non electronic means will not be eligible. 

For more information please download the following documents:

Value

$50,000.00 to $100,000.00

Opens
Feb 23 2024 00:50 (EST)
Deadline
Mar 24 2024 23:59 (EDT)