Visa is making its network available to drive inclusive economic growth with the goal of giving everyone, everywhere access to the global economy. This year, Visa has expanded its Visa Everywhere Initiative competition to showcase startups that are using cryptocurrency and Visa Direct, Visa’s real-time money movement platform, in innovative ways. Finalists are now ready to share their solutions worldwide on TechCrunch.

Tune in right here on TechCrunch on August 29th, 10:00 AM PST / 12:00 PM CT / 1:00 PM ET to watch five startup finalists go head-to-head in the Visa Everywhere Initiative North America competition. In front of a panel of industry judges, finalists will present their innovative solutions. Judges will select an overall winner, as well as a winner for its innovative approach to using Visa Direct. An audience favorite will also be named.

 

Finalists: 

• Raffi Kayat of borderless — To pay anyone anywhere in seconds with simple global bank payments.
• Duy Vo of Productfy — Empowering organizations to become fintechs in a few weeks
• Christine De Wendel of Sunday — The fastest digital payment for restaurants and the industry’s future
• Tammy Camp of Stronghold — Providing fast, secure, and accessible financial services through a simple API
• Jorge Sun of Lendingfront — Embedded finance solution for small businesses

Monetary prizes:

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

Judges:

• Wade Arnold, Co- Founder & CEO, Moov Financial
• Yu Chuck, VP Digital Partnerships, Head of Global Fintech
• Edward Galvin, VP, Head of B2B Commercial Sales, Visa Business Solutions North America
• Michael West,  Head of Global Commercialization and go to market strategy for Visa Direct
• Jennifer Anopolsky,   VP-  Global Product Marketing at Visa
• Peter Ackerson, General Partner, Fin Capital

North America finals event will bring together Visa and industry thought leaders and previous Visa Everywhere Initiative winners to celebrate the innovative startups and their ideas. Dr. Jen Welter, motivational speaker and former NFL coach, is returning to the Visa Everywhere Initiative to host the North American Finals. Dr. Welter hosted a fireside chat at the Women’s Special Edition finals competition in March to discuss the impact women can make across industries, including tech. Wade Arnold, founder and CEO of Moov Financial and 2021 Visa Everywhere Initiative North America and Global winner will return as a judge. Additionally, Visa’s Nicole Stiller and Shawn Holmes will participate in a fireside chat about why startups want to work with Visa Direct, and Visa’s Patrick Williams will announce the winners. 

The Visa Everywhere Initiative North America finals concludes the North American competitions for the 2022 year following the LGBTQ+, Black Community and Women’s Special Editions that were hosted earlier in the year. These competitions highlighted diverse and inclusive founders who are solving unique problems in the world of payments. The overall winner will have the opportunity to compete in the global finals in Qatar in November 2022 alongside overall winners from the regional competitions.

Since its launch in 2015, over 8,500 startups from more than 100 countries have applied to the Visa Everywhere Initiative. These startups have gone on to collectively raise more than $16 billion in funding, addressing one of the biggest challenges that entrepreneurs face in their startup years. Every year, Visa has expanded the Visa Everywhere Initiative to include unique startups solving unique problems in the world of payments. This year, they intentionally focused on reaching a more diverse group of innovators. In the U.S., the Visa Everywhere Initiative 2022 Special Editions spotlighted Black, Women and LGBTQ+- founded startups during Black History Month (February 2022), International Women’s Month (March 2022), and Pride Month (June 2022), respectively.