Shantel
DreamStart Labs, an award-winning provider of digital banking technology for emerging markets, is pleased to announce its DreamSave 2.0 app won two awards at the 2023 World Changing Ideas competition hosted by Fast Company magazine. The annual awards ceremony, now in its seventh year, showcases innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing global challenges. DreamSave 2.0 took home awards in two categories, including Best Finance App and Best Developing World Technology.
Judges selected DreamSave from thousands of nominees based on its market-leading achievements in digital finance, credit scoring, and financial empowerment. The new DreamSave 2.0 release, launched in March of this year, makes it even easier for millions of unbanked people in emerging markets to save money, access loans, and achieve financial goals.
“Our passion is to help underserved people in emerging markets achieve their dreams of a better life,” said Wes Wasson, CEO of DreamStart Labs. “We’re honored to be recognized by Fast Company, and grateful to be part of an amazing group of innovators working hard to make the world a better place.”
“With so many deeply challenging issues facing the world today, it’s important to recognize organizations like DreamStart Labs that are using their creativity, talent, design, scalability, and passion to solve these problems,” said Brendan Vaughan, editor-in-chief of Fast Company.
DreamStart Labs was the only Fast Company award winner that is also a member of the Inclusive Fintech 50, which recognizes the Top 50 technology startups driving financial inclusion for 3 billion underserved people globally.
About the DreamSave App
For over half the world, the dream of financial independence often seems out of reach. Traditional banks can be expensive and inflexible – and if you’re a woman living in poor rural village, they may not be available at all.
DreamSave is an innovative mobile app that helps people in emerging markets create “digital savings groups”, which act as informal community banks. When a member needs money to expand her small business, send her kids to school, or buy medicine, she requests a short-term loan from her group. Collectively, these groups manage billions of dollars each year in some of the world’s fastest-growing economies.
About DreamStart Labs
DreamStart Labs (www.dreamstartlabs.com) is a social impact technology startup that helps people in the developing world achieve their dreams of a better life. The company offers award-winning digital banking solutions for underserved people in emerging markets, 80 percent of whom are women. Founded by former Silicon Valley executives, the company is headquartered in California and has operations in multiple countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
About the World Changing Ideas Awards
World Changing Ideas is one of Fast Company’s major annual awards programs, focused on social good, seeking to elevate finished products and brave concepts that make the world a better place. A panel of judges from across sectors choose winners, finalists, and honorable mentions based on feasibility and the potential for impact. With the goals of awarding ingenuity and fostering innovation, Fast Company draws attention to ideas with great potential and helps them expand their reach to inspire more people to start working on solving the problems that affect us all.
