Mercy Corps AI for Financial Resilience: Transforming Inclusion with Innovation
What Is the Initiative?
In 2025, Mercy Corps Ventures (MCV) launched its AI for Financial Resilience program, a bold call for early-stage startups to develop and scale AI-powered financial tools that serve the unbanked, underbanked, and climate‑vulnerable populations.
The initiative explicitly targets emerging markets—especially in Sub‑Saharan Africa, Latin America, and Asia—where the financial inclusion gap remains large.
Key Objectives
MCV’s program has three core goals:
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Expand financial access: Use AI and blockchain to build products like parametric credit, digital savings, micro‑insurance, and cash transfer systems tailored for low-income, underserved communities.
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Enhance climate resilience: Focus on tools that help vulnerable populations better absorb shocks from climate change by using predictive and anticipatory financial mechanisms.
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Generate and share learning: Support pilots and evidence-based models, then document outcomes and best practices to scale successful solutions.
What’s on Offer for Startups
Selected startups can receive:
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Equity-free grants of up to US$50,000, disbursed based on milestones.
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Technical and program support, including mentorship, impact‑measurement advisory, and ecosystem access.
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Partnership and visibility: Grant winners may collaborate with Mercy Corps’ network, gain exposure, and pilot their solutions in real-world settings.
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Who Can Apply: The funding is open to early-stage startups (seed to Series A) that are:
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Building AI-driven financial products for underserved populations.
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Focusing on key beneficiary groups like low-income individuals, women, immigrants, MSMEs, and climate-impacted communities.
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Operating (or planning to operate) in emerging markets, primarily Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
The application window ends on December 1, 2025.
Why It Matters
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Closing financial gaps: Over 1.4 billion people remain unbanked globally. MCV’s initiative could unlock new access to credit, savings, and financial tools for this massive underserved population.
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Responsible innovation: By emphasizing climate resilience and ethical AI, the program encourages solutions that aren’t just profitable, but socially impactful.
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Evidence-driven impact: Mercy Corps isn’t just funding pilots—it’s building a body of knowledge that can guide future investments and public policy in digital financial inclusion.
Challenges & Considerations
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Scalability risk: For AI tools to reach millions, startups must prove that their models are not only effective but also economically sustainable.
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Regulatory complexity: Deploying financial AI in multiple countries means navigating different regulations around fintech, data protection, and AI.
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Trust & adoption: Low-income populations might be skeptical of automated financial tools. User education, clear UX, and transparency will be critical.
Final Thoughts
Mercy Corps’ AI for Financial Resilience initiative is a powerful example of how emerging tech and social mission can align. With equity-free funding, mentorship, and global reach, the program can help catalyze financially inclusive innovations that empower the most marginalized communities. For startups in fintech or climate tech, this opportunity offers not just capital—but also a real chance to build technologies that matter.
Closes on 1/12/2025. Get more information and how to apply Here
