Ecobank, the pan-African financial services Group, officially opens call for 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 US$50,000 and a chance to scale their solutions across Ecobank’s extensive network spanning 35 African countries.
“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,” said Jeremy Awori, Chief Executive Officer of Ecobank Group.
He said bank has enhanced the 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.”
Last year’s competition attracted 1,490 entries of real quality, which underscores the significance of this pan-African challenge.
Successful applicants reaching the Grand Finale and Awards Ceremony in October 2024 will have the chance to join the highly coveted Ecobank Fintech Fellowship programme, with the overall winner receiving a cash prize of US$50,000.
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-Africannetwork.
-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.
The Ecobank Fintech Challenge is designed in partnership with international advisory firm, Konfidants, and is supported by various partners
