Leadership and Innovation Programs
By Zamie Ayo
The Obama Foundation’s Leaders program and Mercy Corp Ventures’ AI for Financial Resilience initiative are two exciting opportunities for changemakers and innovators. The Obama Leadership Program empowers emerging leaders (ages 24-45) to drive positive change in their communities, offering leadership coaching, networking opportunities, and skills development. Meanwhile, Mercy Corp Ventures’ AI for Financial Resilience initiative seeks innovative solutions that leverage AI, blockchain, and emerging technologies to expand financial inclusion and resilience for unbanked and underbanked populations in emerging markets.
1. Organization: Obama Leadership Program
Deadline: 12th December 2025
The Obama Foundation’s Leaders program aims to inspire, empower, and connect regional cohorts of changemakers to accelerate positive and lasting change in their communities and throughout their region and across our world.
These 24-45-year-old emerging leaders from around the world forge societies and communities rooted in shared values, where all people belong, participate, and thrive.
The Leaders program launched in Africa in 2018 and expanded to Asia Pacific in 2019, Europe in 2020, and the United States in 2023. We recognize the power that lies in bringing together diverse cohorts of Leaders from many regions of the world, each with their own approach and focus and a commitment to joining a global network of changemakers.
Inspired by President Obama’s leadership approach, the Leaders program engages participants in the challenges, opportunities, and skills of making positive change. Supported by full group sessions, small group discussions, and individualized leadership coaching, participants define a values-based foundation for sustained leadership, cultivate relationships with others to catalyze more inclusive, lasting change, and prepare to engage with issues at the systems level.
Upon completion of the program, Leaders will have gained a deeper understanding of how values-based leadership advances their work. They will be inspired to take further action, propelled by new ideas and skills. Most importantly, Leaders will continue to gain a broader global perspective by joining the Obama Leadership Network, a growing global alumni community of over 1,500 active changemakers.
Eligibility
For leaders working in the public sector, civil society, and the private sector who have demonstrated a commitment to advancing the common good.
Registration: https://www.obama.org/programs/leaders/
2. Organization: Mercy Corp ventures
Application period: 4th Nov 2025- 1st December 2025
CALLING ALL INNOVATORS: Apply for the AI for Financial Resilience
Opportunity
Emerging technologies like AI are rapidly reshaping the landscape for digital consumer products. When deployed responsibly, these tools can significantly expand access and improve the wellbeing of the 1.4 billion unbanked people around the world by building inclusive and user-friendly financial services.
By reimagining technology to build systems that say yes to those long excluded, AI expands who gets to be a part of the future. As our pilot partner Mercedes Bidart at Quipu elegantly explained at TED AI Vienna, “because when you say yes to people who have always been told no, you unlock dignity, growth, and opportunity.”
MCV’s AI for Financial Resilience initiative leverages AI, blockchain, and emerging technologies to close financial service gaps for unbanked, underbanked, and climate-vulnerable populations in emerging markets, primarily in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Asia. The initiative pilots and scales solutions such as AI-driven insurance, parametric credit, savings via bond tokenization, and anticipatory cash transfers and remittances, aiming to improve financial access, economic resilience, and trust in digital finance.
Program Goal
Expand financial inclusion and resilience through innovation: Leverage AI, blockchain, and other emerging tech to create accessible, affordable financial services (insurance, credit, savings, remittances) for unbanked and low-income individuals.
Bridge climate resilience and financial access: Pilot and scale solutions that enable vulnerable communities to withstand and thrive despite climate shocks via improved protection mechanisms.
Build robust evidence and share sector learnings: Produce insights and best practices to inform future investments and replicate effective models across markets.
Scope
We are looking for innovative financial products for unbanked and underbanked people in emerging markets. This can range from using AI to drive financial literacy through education and training to increasing access to insurance, savings, credit, and emergency payments using AI- and blockchain-powered digital financial products.
Primary beneficiaries: Unbanked and underbanked populations, with a strong emphasis on low-income individuals, women, immigrants, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Geographic focus: Emerging markets, with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Selection Criteria
Impact first
a) How will this proposal build financial resilience for unbanked people in emerging markets? Who will be reached, how many people, and to what depth of impact?
Innovation edge
a) How ‘first-of-a-kind’ is this solution? What signal would this send to the wider ecosystem?
Sustainability
a) What is the business model? How will this product sustainably scale to build financial resilience for millions of unbanked people?
Likelihood of success
a) What’s the technological readiness level? Does the partner have a captive user base? What’s the likelihood of seeing results within the pilot timeframe?
Application:
https://airtable.com/appJAv8TTVADetfVI/pagKsSL6BLnxKmA7m/form
