BizGees

BizGees is an innovation driven enterprise using alternative finance for financial inclusion dedicated to improving refugees’ access to the financial tools they need to succeed. They are a born global finTech startup supporting two different refugee communities. One community is in Northern Pakistan where 2.5 million people experienced displacement. The second community is in Uganda and Kenya.

Leaf Global Fintech

Leaf offers integrated financial services to refugees and internally displaced persons, using blockchain to create a safe and secure system for individuals to store assets, receive payments, and make cross-border transfers. This suite of products works on any mobile phone (no smartphone required), providing easier access to particularly vulnerable populations. By using blockchain to facilitate digital payments, customers avoid unnecessarily high transaction costs charged by traditional money transfer companies. They can access Leaf’s digital wallet wherever they go and receive deposits from friends and family abroad straight to their mobile device. Refugees and other displaced persons are often at risk of criminal activity as a result of carrying cash, and physical currency is especially difficult to safely store and transport across borders. Leaf provides individuals with an opportunity to create a secure economic identity while also lowering the barrier to accessing key financial services.

Kiva Refugee Investment Fund

At SOCAP 2018, Kiva announced the creation of Kiva Capital, an impact-first asset manager, and with it the launch of their first fund, focused on raising $30M for refugee financial inclusion. The fund is expected to catalyze almost $100M in loans over its projected 5-year term, with direct impact to over 200,000 borrowers. The vehicle will offer a range of sub-commercial return streams for institutional investors.