Ecobank has official opened applications to the 7th edition of its Fintech Challenge. This annual competition invites early-stage and mature fintech startups to partner with Ecobank, offering a grand prize of $50 000 and a chance to scale their solutions across Ecobank’s extensive network spanning 35 African countries.
Despite the fintech eruption in the African continent, a McKinsey report reveals that fintech start-ups in Africa are still facing several challenges such as reaching scale, navigating an uncertain regulatory environment, or managing scarcity of funding.
The Ecobank Fintech Challenge provides an opportunity for fintech entrepreneurs to address these challenges by not only offering financial rewards but by also providing Ecobank’s expertise in diversified markets operations and the right solutions to scale across its pan-African footprint and international presence such as France.
“Building partnerships with fintechs is a catalyst for driving financial inclusion in Africa. At Ecobank, we prioritize fintechs in our growth, transformation, and returns strategy,” says Jeremy Awori, CEO of Ecobank Group. “We have enhanced this new edition of the Ecobank Fintech Challenge to continue to provide fintech entrepreneurs with a premier platform to showcase groundbreaking solutions, while creating unparalleled opportunities for growth and expansion across 35 markets in Africa.”
Ecobank Fintech Fellows will gain access to numerous opportunities through collaboration with Ecobank and its partners, potentially including:
* Multinational product rollout: an opportunity to integrate their solutions with Ecobank, opening doors to potential product launches within Ecobank’s expansive 35-country pan-African network.
* Service provider partnerships: Selected fintechs may become Pan-African service partners within the bank’s ecosystem.
* Access to Ecobank’s pan-African Banking Sandbox: Fellows will receive exclusive access to Ecobank’s cutting-edge APIs, enabling them to test and develop their products for the pan-African market.
* Priority access to Ecobank’s venture capital partners for funding exploration.
Since inception, 60 fintech startups have been inducted into the Ecobank Fintech Fellowship.
Interested parties can find out more about the competition and submit their applications through the official website: EcobankFintechChallenge.com. The deadline for entries is 7 July 2024.