10 teams to receive $1 million in total funding to support financial inclusion efforts for small businesses in emerging markets
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, October 16, 2024/APO Group/ —
The Milken Institute and the Motsepe Foundation announced the 10 teams advancing to the Semifinalist Round of the Milken-Motsepe Prize in FinTech (https://apo-opa.co/3Y0GSEY), with each team receiving $100,000 in funding.
Responding to a global call for applications, this prize supports innovative solutions to expand access to tools necessary for financial inclusion across emerging and frontier markets.
The Semifinalists will participate in an Innovation Showcase at the Milken Institute’s Middle East and Africa Summit December 5-6, 2024, in Abu Dhabi, UAE. During this event, the 10 teams will pitch their innovations to a panel of expert judges and investors, and three teams will be selected to move on to the final round of the prize. The judges will evaluate the pitches based on the teams’ ability to deliver solutions that improve financial inclusion for under-resourced groups in emerging and frontier markets.
The prize will ultimately award $2 million in total prizes, including a $1 million Grand Prize. Following the December showcase, the Grand Prize will be awarded at the Milken Institute’s Global Conference in Los Angeles, in May.
“By supporting these pioneering teams, we aim to foster financial inclusion and empower entrepreneurs who drive economic growth and opportunities in their communities,” said Emily Musil, senior director, Milken Institute. “Our prizes help identify, support, and celebrate talent to ignite the entrepreneurial spirit and empower visionaries to turn their ideas for a better future into reality.”
These teams operate in nearly 30 countries across three continents, and their innovations hold the potential for significant breakthroughs in financial inclusion for underserved communities on a global scale. Over the next four months, the Semifinalist teams will test and scale their solutions, which will be evaluated for impact, scalability, and sustainability.
AZA Finance is a B2B FinTech company offering businesses low-cost, efficient, and secure financial services, including payments, currency exchange, and treasury, across all major currencies.
Chapa is an online payment gateway company with a developer-friendly API that simplifies integrating payment processing into websites and applications for Ethiopian businesses.
Our prizes help identify, support, and celebrate talent to ignite the entrepreneurial spirit and empower visionaries to turn their ideas for a better future into reality
Farmpawa is a crowd farming platform that connects investors with real farming assets, empowering farmers and driving sustainable agricultural growth.
Paycloud is a digital banking platform that addresses late payments in Africa by offering seamless payment processing, payment splitting, automated invoicing, and financial tools.
Nyla Bank is building Africa’s first digital Islamic bank with a goal of empowering 1 billion people with innovative, Shariah-compliant products and services that align with ethical principles.
Oze is a digital lending platform that bridges Africa’s credit gap by providing banks with a small and medium-sized enterprise- (SME) focused app that digitizes financial data, enabling risk assessment and lending to small businesses.
Trade Lenda is a banking platform tailored to SMEs, where loans can be accessed within one to six hours, and micro-savings can be achieved for business goals.
Verto is a business-to-business cross-border payments platform for businesses in emerging markets, powered by a unified network that eliminates intermediary fees, handles 49 currencies, and settles transactions faster.
Officially supported by Venezuela’s Ministry of Hydrocarbons and national oil company PDVSA, the Houston Industry Showcase will take place on 19 August, convening U.S. energy leaders ahead of Venezuela Energy Week 2027 in Caracas
HOUSTON, United States of America, August 10, 2026/APO Group/ –The organizers of Venezuela Energy Week (VEW) have confirmed that the Houston Industry Showcase will take place on 19 August 2026 at The Post Oak Hotel. Officially supported by Venezuela’s Ministry of Hydrocarbons and national oil company PDVSA, the event will bring together U.S. energy companies, investors and policymakers to explore commercial opportunities ahead of Venezuela Energy Week 2027 in Caracas in February.
The showcase will feature Minister of Hydrocarbons Paula Henao as a keynote speaker, providing an update on Venezuela’s energy priorities, investment agenda and opportunities for international partnership. Her participation underscores the country’s commitment to strengthening engagement with global industry as it seeks to expand production and unlock new upstream investment.
Bringing together exploration and production companies, independent operators, oilfield service providers, engineering firms, technology companies and financial institutions, the Houston Industry Showcase will examine opportunities across exploration, production optimization, infrastructure rehabilitation and field development.
As Venezuela works to increase oil and gas production, demand is expected to grow for the technical expertise of U.S. service providers in drilling, well intervention, completion services, production optimization, artificial lift, digital oilfield technologies and infrastructure rehabilitation. Houston-based industry leaders – including SLB, Halliburton, Baker Hughes, Weatherford and a broad network of EPC contractors, equipment manufacturers and specialized service companies – are well positioned to support the modernization of mature fields, improve operational efficiency and deliver the technologies and services needed for future upstream projects.
The Houston event follows a successful Industry Showcase in London, which brought together international investors, operators and energy service companies to explore Venezuela’s evolving investment landscape. Building on that momentum, the Houston edition will deepen engagement with the U.S. energy industry and strengthen commercial dialogue ahead of Venezuela Energy Week 2027.
Venezuela Energy Week – the country’s largest energy investment platform to date – has been confirmed for 22–25 February 2027 in Caracas. Organized by Energy Capital & Power, the event will bring together government leaders, investors and industry stakeholders from across the global energy value chain.
To register for the Houston Industry Showcase on August 19, visit https://apo-opa.co/4g0TncR. To learn more about delegate, sponsorship and partnership opportunities for the showcase or to secure your place at Venezuela Energy Week 2027 in Caracas, contact info@venezuelaenergyweek.com.
Supporting Venezuela’s Earthquake Recovery Our thoughts are with the people and communities affected by the recent earthquakes in Venezuela. As the country begins the long process of recovery, we encourage members of the global energy community to support relief and reconstruction efforts through the CAF Recovery and Reconstruction Fund for Venezuela, which channels contributions from individuals, companies and organizations to emergency assistance, essential services and long-term rebuilding efforts.
To learn more or make a contribution, please visit the CAF Recovery and Reconstruction Fund for Venezuela (https://apo-opa.co/4hkvteE).
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.
The Smart Stabilization System is a pioneering digital market infrastructure designed to stabilize asset markets by intelligently managing supply-demand gaps and mitigating excessive volatility
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia, August 10, 2026/APO Group/ –The Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI) (https://IsDBInstitute.org) is pleased to announce that the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) has granted a new patent for its innovative Smart Stabilization System.
The patent was granted on 10 July 2026 under Singapore Patent No. 10202250873B for the invention titled “A Computer Network Stabilization System and Method.” The patent application was filed on 1 September 2022 and was formally granted following a comprehensive review process.
This achievement reflects our commitment to translating pioneering research into practical solutions that contribute to economic resilience and sustainable development
The Smart Stabilization System is a pioneering digital market infrastructure designed to stabilize asset markets by intelligently managing supply-demand gaps and mitigating excessive volatility. Leveraging sophisticated algorithms and advanced simulation models, the system is designed to anticipate supply and demand imbalances and implement programmable stabilization measures before they escalate into market disruptions.
Unlike traditional stabilization mechanisms that rely on capital reserves, buffer funds, or external interventions, the Smart Stabilization System introduces a next-generation framework for achieving autonomous market stabilization through proactive and programmed stabilization mechanisms. By incorporating distributed ledger technology and cryptographic trust mechanisms, the platform enhances transparency, trust, and operational resilience for digital asset and commodity markets.
The successful patent grant reflects IsDBI’s growing contribution to technological innovation and its commitment to developing knowledge-based solutions that address contemporary economic and development challenges.
Since filing the patent application back in 2022, the Institute has continued to advance the Smart Stabilization System through ongoing development and testing, aimed to expand its practical applications and support future capitalization opportunities. These advancements have positioned the system as a potentially transformative solution for enhancing stability and resilience in increasingly digital and interconnected economies.
Commenting on this occasion, Dr. Sami Al-Suwailem, Acting Director General of IsDBI, said, “The grant of this patent by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore further strengthens the Institute’s position as a leader in developing innovative knowledge-based solutions that leverage modern technologies to address complex development challenges. This achievement reflects our commitment to translating pioneering research into practical solutions that contribute to economic resilience and sustainable development.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Islamic Development Bank Institute (IsDBI).
The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority will host operators, investors and partners in Houston on August 19 to preview future licensing opportunities and showcase the exploration potential of its offshore basins
HOUSTON, United States of America, August 7, 2026/APO Group/ –The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA) will present its strategy for the country’s next offshore licensing round at Liberia Investor Day Houston on August 19, bringing together international exploration companies, investors, service providers and energy leaders to discuss the next phase of Liberia’s upstream development.
Hosted in partnership with Energy Capital & Power, the event will provide a platform for the LPRA, led by Director General Hon. Marilyn T. Logan, to outline Liberia’s regulatory framework, investment priorities and plans to attract new participation across the country’s offshore sector. Discussions will focus on upcoming licensing opportunities, exploration prospects and the subsurface data supporting future investment decisions.
Liberia’s offshore sector is entering a new phase of exploration activity, with renewed international participation and a growing pipeline of opportunities. Following the award and ratification of eight Production Sharing Contracts in 2025, Liberia has re-established itself as a frontier exploration destination, with international operators advancing work programs designed to further evaluate the country’s petroleum potential. TotalEnergies is progressing exploration activities that include offshore geochemical surveys, 3D seismic acquisition and seabed mapping, while Oranto Petroleum has also signed contracts to explore Liberia’s offshore.
At the Liberia Investor Day Houston, the LPRA will provide industry stakeholders with insight into the priorities shaping the next licensing round, including the anticipated process, qualification requirements, available acreage and access to technical data. The engagement will give prospective investors a clearer view of Liberia’s exploration landscape and the opportunities emerging across its offshore basins.
The event will also facilitate direct dialogue between LPRA and the global upstream community, connecting companies with policymakers and industry stakeholders involved in shaping Liberia’s next chapter of petroleum development.
As exploration companies continue to seek new frontier opportunities, Liberia Investor Day Houston will highlight the role of regulatory certainty, data availability and strategic partnerships in unlocking long-term investment across Liberia’s offshore sector.
Registration is now open for attendees. Companies interested in Liberia’s emerging offshore opportunities are invited to join LPRA, investors and upstream leaders in Houston for insights into the country’s licensing strategy and exploration outlook. For more information contact info@energycapitalpower.com.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital & Power.
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