The GSMA has opened applications for its Innovation Fund for AI-Enabled Financial Health, inviting small and growing enterprises across Africa, South Asia and South-East Asia to seek grant funding of between £100,000 and £250,000. The programme is designed to support businesses developing artificial intelligence-based solutions that improve financial health among underserved populations, with particular attention to women and girls and people with disabilities. Pakistan is included among the eligible countries, creating an opportunity for locally registered and operating enterprises developing technology-driven financial services for communities with limited access to suitable financial products. Applications will remain open until December 17, 2026, and successful applicants will receive funding alongside tailored venture-building support and opportunities to establish partnerships across the GSMA ecosystem.
The fund focuses on solutions that can help individuals manage financial shocks, make informed financial decisions and build long-term financial security. This may include AI-enabled services that improve financial planning, support access to suitable financial products, help users manage income and expenses, or provide tools that increase their ability to respond to unexpected financial difficulties. The programme places particular importance on measurable benefits for people who face barriers to financial services, rather than solutions that only increase access to digital accounts or payment channels. Applicants are expected to explain how their technology addresses a clearly identified problem, how it will reach its intended users and how its impact can be assessed. The initiative also reflects growing interest in applying AI to financial inclusion, where data-driven tools may help service providers understand customer needs and develop more relevant products for communities that are often underserved by conventional financial systems.
The funding opportunity is intended for established, commercially oriented enterprises rather than individuals or organisations seeking support for an untested concept alone. GSMA’s eligibility framework requires applicants to be for-profit private-sector small and growing enterprises with no more than 250 employees, active users and commercial revenue, and an existing registered presence in the country where the proposed project will be implemented. Businesses must also demonstrate how AI and other relevant emerging technologies will work alongside mobile or digital technology to deliver the proposed solution. A matching contribution of at least 25% of the requested grant amount is required, and applicants must be able to demonstrate that the contribution is secured during the proposal process. The grant is intended to cover eligible project costs over a period of 15 to 18 months, with funding disbursed against agreed milestones and evidence of project progress. Government agencies, non-governmental organisations, universities, mobile network operators and startup accelerators are not eligible to apply as lead applicants, although partnerships with relevant organisations may support an eligible enterprise’s proposal.
In addition to financial assistance, selected enterprises will receive venture-building and technical support intended to help them develop sustainable business models and expand their solutions. The programme also offers opportunities to connect with mobile network operators, investors and other industry stakeholders, alongside participation in learning activities and ecosystem events. These opportunities may be particularly relevant for Pakistani fintech and technology companies working on AI-based financial guidance, alternative financial assessment, savings tools, digital lending support or other services aimed at improving the financial resilience of underserved customers, provided their proposals meet the fund’s objectives and eligibility conditions. The GSMA is also seeking solutions with the potential to scale and demonstrate tangible socio-economic outcomes, making evidence of existing product use, commercial viability and a clear implementation plan important parts of an application. Interested enterprises can review the programme requirements and submit their applications through the GSMA’s official Innovation Fund page before the December 17, 2026 deadline.
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