Meet 4 fintech Impact startups joining us at Web Summit 2022

Four fintech startups taking part in Web Summit’s Impact programme this year are crowdlending platform EthicHub, solar panel leasing company MySolarWealth, blockchain investment site Borderless Money, and financially inclusive loan platform Plend.

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a set of 17 goals adopted by all UN Member States in 2015. The SDGs are a blueprint for a better and more sustainable future for all.

They address the global challenges we face, including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice. The SDGs are interconnected and each goal has specific targets to be achieved by 2030.

Here at Web Summit, we feel the SDGs are vital because they provide a common framework for all countries to work towards a more sustainable future. They also offer a unique opportunity to end poverty and build a more prosperous, equitable and peaceful world.

To that end, the fintech startups we select as part of our Impact startups programme are chosen for the innovation they show in following these SDGs either through their operations, enterprise objectives, solving industry problems, or prioritising social collaboration and idea-sharing over competition and profit.

Here are some of the Impact startups with a fintech focus that will be joining us in Lisbon this year:

EthicHub

In a nutshell, EthicHub is crowd-lending fuelled by blockchain technology. This Spanish startup is a decentralised lending platform that allows users to connect with ethical lenders around the world.

The platform offers a transparent and fair lending process, as well as a way to connect with like-minded individuals. EthicHub strives to create a more ethical and sustainable lending ecosystem, and to empower borrowers to make responsible borrowing decisions.

Plend

Plend is an online open banking platform that makes it easy for people to access loans. Since its launch in 2020, it has helped thousands of people get the loans they need by offering a simple, fast, and transparent process coupled with competitive rates and terms.

The London-based startup is dedicated to the concept of financial inclusion, having published a report on this topic in collaboration with Nationwide Building Society, Stepchange and others. The report aims to highlight the UK’s financial exclusion crisis and those most at risk in society.

MySolarWealth

MySolarWealth is a startup that allows homeowners to lease solar panels and receive a monthly payment for the electricity they generate. The company installs, maintains, and owns the solar panels, and the homeowner agrees to a 20-year contract. At the end of the contract, the homeowner has the option to purchase the solar panels for a reduced price.

MySolarWealth is a viable option for homeowners who want to go solar but don’t have the upfront cash to purchase solar panels. The Hong Kong-based startup aims to help users save money on their electric bill while doing their part to help the environment.

Borderless Money

Borderless Money is a Caribbean blockchain platform allowing users to invest in SDG-related causes such as community improvements projects.

This is how it works: Set up a wallet, choose a sustainable goal, deposit your money for a set time, and track your progress. Each goal has a variety of verified causes, for example, Brazilian organisation Todos Pela Agua is listed under ‘clean water and sanitation’.

If you’re a fintech startup – or any startup – working to meet the UN SDGs, join our Impact startup programme today.

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