It was announced today that MetLife Foundation and Verb, in collaboration with MetLife Ireland, have launched the ‘Inclusion Plus’ competition in Ireland which will see finalist social ventures compete for €50,000 in grant funding.
The competition is open to all entrepreneurs, not-for-profits and existing companies that help advance the financial well-being of Irish people who aren’t currently able to optimize what the financial system has to offer. It was launched to enable low to moderate income people access to financial products, services and programmes that will encourage financial well-being and knowledge.
Competitors will submit a product, service, programme or innovation to improve financial health and well-being for people in Ireland. The proposal should demonstrate that it will improve people’s access, adoption and usage of financial products and services. The deadline for entries is April 29th 2016 and finalists will compete for a total of €50,000 in grant funding.
The initiative is part of a broader partnership between MetLife Foundation and Verb that will run across at least 10 countries in multiple languages over the next three years, helping to advance financial inclusion for large numbers of the estimated 2 billion people globally who do not currently have any access, and the billions more who cannot maximize the offerings available.
Other countries that will host the competition in the next year include China and India.
CEO of Verb, Suzi Sosa says, "Our goal is to help our clients build social innovation ecosystems. Financial well-being is a complex problem that cannot be solved by any single solution. Our competition platform enables us to engage entrepreneurs, investors, corporate partners, mentors and thousands of people from the general public. By strengthening connections among these groups, we don’t just find one great idea, we actually strengthen the innovation ecosystem."
Source: www.businessworld.ie