Mastercard Strive

Small businesses in Europe often lack cybersecurity plans due to funding, skills, and awareness gaps. But with our partner Lupasafe, small businesses can now leverage AI-driven insights and a tailored dashboard to assess cyber risks 24/7. Lupasafe helps scan endpoints, websites, emails, and more, while addressing risks like invoice fraud, outdated software, and insecure cloud storage. Through Mastercard Strive’s support, Lupasafe will also integrate cyber awareness training for employees, supporting European small businesses to protect themselves and go digital safely. ?? Learn more about Lupasafe’s digital solution: https://lnkd.in/d9pUQhAs #SmallBusiness #DigitalSolutions #CyberSecurity Willemijn van de Lagemaat, Phil Edelin

Meet Ejigayew and Zerihun, two small business owners from Ethiopia who have successfully expanded their businesses online, thanks to the Digital Presence Pack offered by our partner, Africa 118 Inc. With the support of Mastercard Strive, Africa 118 is supporting thousands of small businesses in Ethiopia to sell and establish a presence online, increase their revenues, and leverage digital marketing techniques to reach new markets. Learn more in the video. #SmallBusiness #DigitalTransformation Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, Ezana Raswork? Einstein Wanambiro,?Subhashini (Shuba) Chandran, Natasha Jamal

Embedded finance is transforming how small businesses access financial services—seamlessly integrating payments, credit, and insurance into the digital tools they already use. These solutions streamline operations, unlock growth opportunities, and strengthen the financial resilience of micro and small businesses. In the EU, we work alongside fintech experts like Kilian Thalhammer, a Mastercard Strive EU Small Business Council member, to provide our Innovation Fund winners with the guidance and support they need to scale and bring embedded finance and other digital solutions to small businesses across Europe. #EmbeddedFinance #SmallBusiness #Fintech #FinancialHealth

Many women micro-retailers in Latin America extend informal credit to their customers—but what happens when they don’t have enough financial resources to cover unpaid debts? Our partnership with Nilus is exploring how credit can empower women-led community buying networks, enabling them to offer flexible payment options while improving access to affordable, nutritious food. By leveraging insights from in-depth research, we're testing solutions to enhance financial inclusion and economic resilience. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/dnTnWdq8 #FinancialInclusion #WomenInBusiness #FinancialHealth #DigitalEconomy Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, Ady Beitler

We wrapped up a successful venture-building bootcamp in Bucharest yesterday! It was great to see financial institutions, small business support organizations, startups, and policymakers come together to discuss the future of micro and small businesses across Europe—and the role Romanian innovations can play in shaping it. Participants learned more about small business needs, how to tailor strategies to address them, and explored different funding and support opportunities alongside potential challenges. We look forward to seeing Romania’s innovative minds contribute to driving the digitalization, resilience, and growth of micro and small businesses across Europe! Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, Cosmin Vladimirescu, Eva Lacinová Shabnam Akhter, Zsuzsanna Bódi

Small businesses are the backbone of our economies, yet access to finance remains a persistent challenge. At Mastercard Strive, we’re working with partners around the world to break down these barriers—helping small businesses secure the capital, digital tools, and financial services they need to grow. From innovative loan solutions to embedded digital finance tools and learning networks that connect partners across regions, our local partnerships—with fintechs, civil society, governments, and more— are unlocking new pathways for financial access to drive real impact. Learn more about how our partnerships are shaping the future of small business financial health: https://lnkd.in/eMevsecx #FinancialInclusion #FinancialHealth #SmallBusiness #DigitalEconomy Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, CARE, Accion

Women-led small businesses in the Dominican Republic are unlocking new opportunities through hands-on digital skills training. Through a 3-day bootcamp last week, our partner, INCAE Business School, equipped 48 women entrepreneurs with essential digital skills to digitize and grow their businesses. The in-person training covered business operations, digital finance and access to credit, digital marketing, and the leadership skills needed to succeed in today’s rapidly changing market. Learn more about our program in the Dominican Republic: https://lnkd.in/eeAmDztN #SmallBusiness #DigitalUpskilling #WomenInBusiness Luz Gomez, Gabriela Lucke

Innovation Funds aren’t just about financial support—it’s also about opening doors to new markets and increasing visibility. Nearly 22% of applicants to our EU Innovation Fund highlighted that, beyond funding, the partnerships and exposure with Mastercard Strive would help them navigate challenges and scale faster. Excited to see how these partnerships unlock new growth opportunities for small businesses across Europe. Read all insights in the full report: https://lnkd.in/dXg-6Uac #SmallBusiness #InnovationFund #DigitalSolutions

Small hotels in Spain face many challenges in adapting to the digital landscape. But our partnership with Connectycs, is set to support them to overcome these barriers through AI, data, and digital payments. Using the Connectycs AI-powered B2B solution, small hotels—like Youroom’s 11 independent properties—can now tap into global markets, optimize operations, make informed decisions, accept digital payments, and strengthen their financial health.? The impact is already visible,? proving that small players can thrive alongside industry giants. Read our latest blog post to learn more: https://lnkd.in/dngbpcQd #DigitalTransformation #SmallBusiness #AI #Financialhealth Javier Soriano, Natasha Jamal

Women entrepreneurs are driving change—but financial resilience is key! ???Short-term stability? Only 16% of women would use business specific savings in a crisis, with most others relying on personal savings or borrowing. ???Digital tools? Only half of respondents use digital tools for their business. ???Debt stress? Over 70% worry about loan repayment. CARE’s Strive Women program, supported by Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, is equipping women with the financial tools they need to thrive. Stronger businesses mean stronger futures. ?? See how we can build long-term resilience together. ?? Explore the report now: https://ow.ly/OvM050VhxTp #WomensHistoryMonth #FinancialResilience #StriveWomen