- Conference will showcase innovative startups using AI, cross-border payments, insurtech, and other technologies to help reach financially underserved populations in emerging markets
- Speakers to include Matt Oppenheimer (Co-Founder and Chairman of Remitly), Bunita Sawhney (Chief Consumer Product Officer at Mastercard), Eimear Creaven (President, Global Partnerships at Mastercard), and TS Anil (Vice Chair of Monzo)
London, August 4, 2026— Accion Ventures, the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, and the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank FMO, today announced the Fintech for Inclusion Global Summit will take place in London on Wednesday, September 2.
The summit will bring together over 250 attendees from 30 countries, representing startup founders, investors, regulators, and other stakeholders in the global inclusive fintech community who are building new solutions for financially underserved small business clients. Globally, 1.3 billion people[1] are excluded from the financial system, and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) face a $5.7 trillion financing gap[2]. Without access to financing, savings, and insurance, these populations may be unable to improve their livelihoods, grow their businesses, or plan for the future.
Amee Parbhoo, Managing Partner of Accion Ventures, said, “We are bringing this group of fintech innovators together in London, one of the world’s most dynamic financial capitals, to explore new ways of expanding access to high-quality financial solutions for underserved clients globally. Discussions will focus on the forces reshaping the industry, from AI in fintech to cross-border payments, helping to forge partnerships that aim to advance financial inclusion.”
The event will spotlight founders who are driving inclusive innovation and shaping the future of affordable, technology-enabled services. From connecting small business owners in Brazil to affordable credit so they can purchase surplus inventory from major brands and reduce textile waste, to deploying AI so small hospitals in India can digitize their operations and focus on providing high-quality patient care, they are solving pain points for small businesses and the people they serve across emerging economies.
“This convening coalesces the ideas, expertise, and partnerships needed to expand meaningful uptake and usage of financial services and opportunities for underserved individuals and small businesses around the world,” said Payal Dalal, Executive Vice President of Global Programs at the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. “As part of our commitment to connect and protect 500 million individuals and small businesses on their journey to financial health by 2030, forums like these bring us alongside partners that have a shared vision to advancing financial health through innovation, collaboration, and responsible growth. We are proud to continue our longstanding partnership with Accion to turn that vision into action.”
Marieke Roestenberg, Manager of FMO Ventures, added, “We’re pleased to once again co-host this important convening with Accion Ventures, in partnership with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. This year’s programming, with a focus on AI and MSME resilience, comes at a critical moment for the industry, and the caliber of founders, investors, and operators in the room makes this one of the most effective gatherings of its kind for advancing inclusive fintech.”
Accion Ventures organizes the Fintech for Inclusion Global Summit as part of its work to grow and scale responsible fintech solutions for underserved individuals and small businesses globally. Since 2012, Accion Ventures has deployed capital into 80 early-stage startups that operate in over 30 countries, delivering both social and financial objectives. With its global team, it provides hands on strategic and operational support that is critical to the success of early-stage companies, while quickly spotting and responding to global trends, and sharing learnings across geographies.
Speakers at the Fintech for Inclusion Global Summit will include Matt Oppenheimer, Co-Founder and Chairman of Remitly, Bunita Sawhney, Chief Consumer Product Officer at Mastercard, Eimear Creaven, President, Global Partnerships at Mastercard, and TS Anil, Vice Chair of Monzo. For more information on speakers and tickets, see www.fintechforinclusionsummit.com.
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About Accion Ventures
Accion Ventures is an investment strategy that today pursues early-stage investments as part of Accion Impact Management. Accion Ventures deploys capital into early-stage fintech startups that operate in countries worldwide. Investments managed by Accion Ventures have shown that early-stage companies can be highly impactful and have delivered multiple exits. More at https://www.accion.org/ventures
About Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth
The Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth advances equitable and sustainable economic growth and financial inclusion around the world. The Center leverages the company’s core assets and competencies, including data insights, expertise, and technology, while administering the philanthropic Mastercard Impact Fund, to produce independent research, scale global programs, and empower a community of thinkers, leaders, and doers on the front lines of inclusive growth. For more information and to receive its latest insights, follow the Center on LinkedIn, Instagram and subscribe to its newsletter.
About FMO
FMO is the Dutch entrepreneurial development bank. As a leading impact investor, FMO supports sustainable private sector growth in developing countries and emerging markets by investing in ambitious projects and entrepreneurs. Through FMO Ventures, its early-stage investment program, FMO invests in innovative and impactful technology-enabled businesses and venture capital funds across Africa and emerging Asia. The program focuses primarily on fintech, agritech and cleantech companies that drive financial inclusion, improve livelihoods and contribute to sustainable economic development in underserved markets. More at www.fmo.nl/ventures-program
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About Matt Openheimer
Matt Oppenheimer co-founded Remitly in 2011 and serves as Chairman of the board of directors. Prior to co-founding Remitly, Matt worked for Barclays plc, a multinational bank and financial services company, from August 2009 to May 2011. He has served on the board of directors of BECU since 2018. Matt was named EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2016 in the Pacific Northwest and has been recognized as a Puget Sound Business Journal “40 Under 40” honoree for his work with Remitly. He holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a B.A. in Psychology from Dartmouth College.
About Bunita Sawhney
Bunita Sawhney is the Chief Consumer Product Officer at Mastercard and a member of the company’s management committee. She oversees all consumer and issuer product offerings, including the company’s credit, debit and prepaid products, and ESG product innovations. At Mastercard, Bunita was previously the executive vice president of U.S. Financial Institutions, and also led the company’s Global Debit & ATM Products business. Prior to joining Mastercard in 2016, she held various management positions at HSBC, JPMorgan Chase, Citibank, and Wells Fargo Bank. Bunita holds a master’s degree in strategic communications from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the Walter A. Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.
About Eimear Creaven
Eimear Creaven is President, Global Partnerships and a member of the company’s management committee. In this role, Eimear is responsible for driving Mastercard’s efforts around revenue diversification and secular growth through innovation and co-creation with global banking, fintech, and digital marketplace and platform partners. At Mastercard, Eimear previously held a series of senior positions spanning over a decade, including Division President for Western Europe, leadership roles within the U.K. and Ireland and European Market Development teams, and Chief of Staff to the President of International Markets. Prior to joining Mastercard, Eimear was a Director with Alvarez & Marsal, and held various roles with Allied Irish Banks. Eimear holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the National University of Ireland, Galway, and an MBA from INSEAD in France and Singapore.
About TS Anil
TS Anil is the Vice Chair of the board and was until recently Group CEO at Monzo, the largest digital bank in the UK. He worked across the financial services, banking, and payments industry with Visa, Citi, Capital One, and Standard Chartered, before finally reaching Monzo. Monzo has grown to over 15 million customers in the UK and recently obtained a banking license from the European Central Bank and the Central Bank of Ireland. He has lived and worked in several countries.
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[1] The World Bank, Global Findex Page 12 of Section 1.1