CAF Financial Inclusion Laboratory 2022

CAF -development bank of Latin America- organizes the fourth edition of the Financial Inclusion Laboratory (LIF 2022) focused on the regional level and with the aim of promoting technological solutions that contribute to improving the financial inclusion of women and MSMEs with the participation of women in Latin America and the Caribbean.

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This year's edition has nearly 70 allies from the public and private sectors of CAF member countries.

The 10 best fintech companies will be accelerated by Seedstars and Endeavor, and all participants will be able to receive financing from CAF and the allies of LIF 2022.

¿How does it work?

CAF poses challenges in two categories (check them out here) and the entrepreneurs propose solutions that are already working in the market.
A committee made up of the allies of LIF 2022 will evaluate the projects and select the best ones to present at the pitch day.
All the partners of the laboratory, both from the public and private sectors, will participate in the pitch day & matchmaking event, so there could be parallel opportunities for financing or strategic alliances.
The top 10 startups will be selected to participate in the acceleration programs offered by Endeavor and Seedstars.
On the pitch day, the entrepreneurs will have potential access to financing and/or technical advice from the different allies of the laboratory, both regionally and by country.

Prizes and rewards

The initiatives that are presented at the LIF 2022 will have a wide variety of financing and acceleration possibilities, among which the following stand out:

The 10 winning proposals will participate in the Endeavor or Seedstars acceleration programs, which will start in January 2023 and will last between 3 and 6 months.
All proposals will have the possibility of entering a round of financing by CAF and the private sector allies that are part of the laboratory, after showing interest on the part of the actors involved.
The first winning proposal will receive 1 year of membership to the Financial Alliance for Women, and all proposals will have the opportunity to participate in a virtual workshop on how to develop Fintech with a gender approach organized by the Financial Alliance for Women.

Key dates

The deadline for the presentation of the projects will be from July 25 to September 9, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. in Colombia.
The review of the projects will take place between September 12 to September 30, 2022.
The organization of the Financial Inclusion Laboratory will inform the contestants about the shortlisted proposals between October 3 and October 7.
Presentation of the pitch & matchmaking event: October 20, 2022.
Acceleration activities by Seedstars and Endeavor: between January and June 2023.

Allies

Accelerators: Endeavor and Seedstars.
Regional partners: UNDP, FinEquityALC, UN Women, Financial Alliance for Women, Felaban, Red Iberoamericana de Mujeres en Fintech (WeFintech), FintechU.

Partners by country: 

• Argentina: Banco Ciudad, Banco Central de Argentina, Cámara Argentina de Fintech, Fundación Flor, Resiliencia SGR.
• Bolivia: Banco Nacional De Bolivia, Banco Sol, Banco de Desarrollo Productivo, Banco Central Bolivia, Asoban Bolivia, Asofin, CRECER IFD, FINRURAL, Innova UP – CAINCO, Coordinadora de la Mujer. 
• Brazil: Banco Central de Brasil, Ministério da Mulher, da Família e dos Direitos Humanos.
• Chile: Banco Estado, BCI, Asoc. Fintech Chile.
• Colombia: Asociación Bancaria de Colombia, Cámara de Comercio de Bogotá, Colombia Fintech. 
• Costa Rica: Centro de Innovación Financiera, Banco Central de Costa Rica, Instituto Nacional de la Mujer (INAMU).
• Dominican Republic: Banco Central de República Dominicana, Asociación de Bancos Comerciales de la República Dominicana (ABA), Ministerio De Industria, Comercio Y MiPymes de República Dominicana.
• Ecuador: Banco Central de Ecuador, Superintendencia de Bancos de Ecuador, Asofintecs Ecuador, Clúster Financiero.
• El Salvador: Ministerio de Economía
• Mexico: Comisión Nacional Bancaria y de Valores de México, Inmujeres, Secretaría de Hacienda de México. 
• Panama: AMPYME-Panamá, AEI: Alianza para el Emprendimiento y la Innovación Cámara, Instituto Nacional de la Mujer, Red de Microfinanzas de Panamá.  
• Paraguay: Cámara Fintech Paraguay, Ministerio de Hacienda de Paraguay, Secretaría General del Ministerio de la Mujer de Paraguay, Asoban Paraguay, Personal, Ministerio TIC de Paraguay, Visión Banco, Banco GNB, Banco Itaú, Banco Familiar, Banco Atlas.
• Peru: Asbanc Perú, Superintendencia de Bancos de Perú, Ministerio de la Mujer y Poblaciones Vulnerables de Perú, Fintech Perú.
• Uruguay: Banco Central del Uruguay, Universidad de la República, Centro Ithaka de Emprendimientos e Innovación, Cámara Uruguaya de Tecnologías de la Información, Asociación de Bancos Privados de Uruguay (ABPU), Banco República Uruguay.
• Venezuela: Fundación Ideas, Impact Hub Caracas, Wave Hub, IESA.