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$500,000 USD in Prizes: Visa Everywhere Initiative Global Innovation Program 2022 for Startups Worldwide

Get global exposure for your startup or fintech. This year is set to be our biggest ever—with multiple competitions, over $500k in total prizes, and the chance to compete in the global finals in Qatar in November.

   

Visa Everywhere Initiative is an open innovation program that helps startups like yours unlock new opportunities—and gives you a global platform to demonstrate your ground-breaking solutions. The program first launched in the U.S. in 2015, and quickly expanded into a global program. To date, nearly 8,500 startups have participated, and have collectively raised more than $16 billion in funding.





The first step towards getting your startup worldwide attention is to join the Visa Everywhere Initiative network—the same network of startups that our product teams from all over the world access when searching for solutions.

Selection

Visa will select the top 5 regional finalists in each region listed below. Next, each region will select a winner that will move forward to the global finals event.

  • North America
  • Europe
  • Asia Pacific
  • Latin America
  • CEMEA [Central Europe, Middle East, Africa] – For this region’s five finalists, one spot is reserved for an Egyptian startup and one spot is reserved for a Saudi Arabian startup.




Enablers of digital services and digital issuers

  • Blockchain and cryptocurrency
  • Crowdfundin
  • Banking as a service
  • BIN sponsorsIssuer / processors
  • Program managers

Digital issuance

  • Blockchain and cryptocurrency
  • Alternative lending
  • Personal financial management
  • Money transfer and remittance
  • Digital banking (aka neobanks)
  • Digital wallets, P2P, and transfers
  • Employee benefits
  • Payables
  • Corporate cards (aka expense management)




Value-add for merchants and/or consumers in regard to finance

  • Data and analytics
  • ID, authentication, and security
  • InsurTech
  • Loyalty
  • Merchant services and tools
  • Process and pay infrastructure
  • Retail technology

Small/medium-sized business

  • Money movement (disbursements, intra-account, P2P vendor, payments)
  • Acceptance (e-commerce, mobile acceptance)
  • Risk management (chargebacks, etc.)
  • Brand management (community building, etc.)

Prize




Table of Contents

Five monetary prizes will be awarded during the global finals event:

  1. Overall Winner: $100,000 USD
  2. Audience Favorite: $20,000 USD
  3. Visa Direct: $20,000 USD
  4. 2nd Place: $20,000 USD
  5. 3rd Place: $10,000 USD

The overall winner, 2nd place-winner, and 3rd place-winner are all eligible to win the Audience Favorite prize.




Prior to the global finals, the following local and regional prizes will also be awarded:

Egypt:

  • Overall winner: EGP 500K (estimated value in USD: $32,000)
  • 2nd place: EGP 350K (estimated value in USD: $22,000)
  • 3rd place: EGP 250K (estimated value in USD: $16,000

Saudi Arabia:

  • Overall winner: SAR 200K (estimated value in USD: $54,000)
  • 2nd place: SAR 150K (estimated value in USD: $40,000)
  • 3rd place: SAR 100K (estimated value in USD: $27,000)
  • Audience Favorite winner: SAR 50K (estimated value in USD: $13,000)




North America

  • Overall winner: $10,000 USD
  • Audience Favorite winner: $10,000 USD
  • Visa Direct winner: $10,000 USD

CEMEA:

  • Overall winner: $25,000
  • Audience Favorite winner: $10,000
  • Visa Direct winner: $10,000

LAC: $30,000 USD

  • Overall winner: $10,000 USD
  • Audience Favorite winner: $10,000 USD
  • Visa Direct winner: $10,000 USD





Timeline:

Local Edition Deadlines:
Egypt: March 20, 2022
Saudi Arabia: April 21, 2022

Regional Competition Deadlines:
Latin America and the Caribbean: March 18, 2022
North America: March 31, 2022
Central Europe, the Middle East, and Africa: April 4, 2022
Asia Pacific: June 14, 2022
Europe: June 14, 2022





Special Edition Deadlines:
Women: : March 8, 2022
LGBTQ+: June 5, 2022

To Get More Information & Apply:

Click Here

Application Deadline: April 4, 2022

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Engr. Lucius Obilor

Lucius is the founder and editor-in-chief of Careerical.com, your trusted resource for international job opportunities, visa sponsorship guidance, and career development strategies. With over 12 years of experience driving triple-digit growth in telecom and fintech, Lucius is a certified customer relationship professional and digital ecosystem strategist. At Careerical, he combines deep industry insights with a passion for helping professionals navigate global job markets—whether you're exploring Canadian work visas, landing remote jobs in Europe, or applying for fully funded scholarships. His writing has earned him recognition as his State’s “Best Essayist,” and he continues to deliver research-backed, reader-focused content that ranks and converts. Follow Careerical for expert tips on visa applications, job search strategies, and how to build a career that travels.

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