The FIWAM program, a collaboration between Seedstars and the Impact Linked Finance Fund (ILFF), addresses the significant challenges faced by women affected by migration in accessing financial services. By supporting fintech companies that offer innovative solutions tailored to the unique needs of this underserved population, the program aims to promote financial inclusion and improve the lives of migrant women and their families in underserved markets.

The program focused on four key modules: Impact, Product, Growth, and Financing. Participating fintech companies received intensive training, personalized mentorship, and access to innovative tools like Uptiq to facilitate their growth and capacity to track and measure their impact for improved product/market fit.

Prior to the global event in Malta, the FIWAM program organized three regional events in February 2024, held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia (7-9th), Nairobi, Kenya (13-16th), and Dubai, UAE (20-23rd). These events provided participants with opportunities to pitch their businesses to potential investors and participate in prestigious tech conferences, including the Africa Tech Summit in Nairobi and the Step Conference in Dubai.

The global event in Malta featured a diverse range of activities designed to foster knowledge-sharing, networking, and collaboration among the 81 attendees, including 17 speakers and 9 investors. Participants engaged in panel discussions, interactive roundtable sessions, and investor networking opportunities with organizations like Symbiotics, 212, Women's World Banking Asset Management, Seedstars Africa Ventures, Ascend Network, Seedstars International Ventures, and Global Ventures.

Maxime Bouan, General Partner at Seedstars Africa Ventures, emphasized in one of the panel discussions, "It is critical for startup founders to have a gender strategy that is reviewed towards progress and driving towards the set matrix."

The event also included invaluable first-hand experiences and networking opportunities with women affected by migration, shedding light on the financial struggles many migrant women face. "As a migrant, we often have to loan money to send it to our families back home when they request it before our salary arrives," shared Marieta Escaro, Country Representative of ENFID (European Network of Filipino Diaspora), highlighting the pressing need for accessible and inclusive financial solutions.

The success of the FIWAM program underscores the importance of collaboration between diverse stakeholders in promoting financial inclusion for underserved communities. With enhanced knowledge about impact investment and preparedness to raise funding, the participating fintech companies are well-positioned to continue their impactful work as the program concludes.

For more information about the FIWAM program and the participating fintech companies, please visit the program website at seedsta.rs/fiwam.

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ABOUT IMPACT-LINKED FINANCE FUND (ILFF)

The Impact-Linked Finance Fund (ILFF) provides finance to high-impact enterprises and directly rewards these for positive outcomes generated through their business activities. It was established by Roots of Impact and iGravity to pool their know-how and activities for implementing scalable Impact-Linked Funds. The Fund, set up as a Dutch foundation, is acting as a capital provider and knowledge hub for the practice of Impact-Linked Finance. The ILFF also advocates for embedding impact-related principles and terms in other areas of business, policy, and finance.

ABOUT THE SWISS AGENCY FOR DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATION (SDC)

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is the agency for international cooperation of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). The SDC is responsible for the overall coordination with other federal authorities of development cooperation and cooperation with Eastern Europe as well as for humanitarian aid delivered by the Swiss Confederation. Learn more at https://www.eda.admin.ch/deza/en/home/sdc/portrait.html

ABOUT THE AUSTRIAN DEVELOPMENT AGENCY

Combating poverty, ensuring peace and preserving the environment: These are the three major concerns of the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), the operational unit of Austrian Development Cooperation. ADA currently funds projects and programs with a total volume of more than 720 million euros to improve living conditions in developing countries. Together with the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs, partner countries, public institutions, civil society organizations and businesses, ADA seeks to ensure that sustainable development works to the benefit of all people in Africa, Asia, Southeast and Eastern Europe. Learn more at https://www.entwicklung.at/en.

ABOUT SEEDSTARS

Seedstars is a Swiss-based company with a mission to impact people’s lives in emerging markets through technology and entrepreneurship. Seedstars works with the private and public sectors to implement entrepreneurial capacity-building programs in order to create jobs and fuel economic growth.

The group runs Seedstars Programs that are designed to support entrepreneurs in varying stages of growth via training, education, mentoring, and access to resources. The company also partners, operates, and invests in emerging venture capital funds in emerging markets and makes direct co- and follow-on investments in their portfolio companies through Seedstars Capital. To further support the next generation of changemakers, Seedstars Academy, a talent incubator, provides digital skills and startup-based immersive education.

Through these initiatives and partnerships, Seedstars is building a world-class community and network of changemakers in over 90 emerging ecosystems. For more information, visit https://www.seedstars.com/.

CONTACTS

Program

Elizabeth Jones

Global Head Program Operations

[email protected]

Media

Michaela Villaroman

Media Relations

[email protected]