Accion

About

Accion International is a global nonprofit organization committed to building a financially inclusive world. For over six decades, Accion has been at the forefront of the microfinance and fintech impact investing sectors, working to provide underserved populations with the financial tools necessary to improve their lives. The organization was founded in 1961 by Joseph H. Blatchford as a community development initiative in Venezuela. By the 1970s, Accion had shifted its focus to address the lack of economic opportunity in Latin American cities, pioneering the concept of microcredit by issuing small loans to microentrepreneurs in Recife, Brazil. This innovative approach shattered the myth that lending to low-income individuals was prohibitively risky and laid the groundwork for the modern microfinance industry. Throughout its history, Accion has continuously evolved to meet the changing needs of the communities it serves. In the 1990s, the organization co-founded BancoSol in Bolivia, the world's first private commercial bank dedicated to microenterprises, and expanded its microlending model to the United States. As technology advanced, Accion embraced the potential of fintech to reach a broader audience. It launched Accion Venture Lab in 2012, a seed-stage investment initiative that supports innovative fintech startups focused on financial inclusion. Furthermore, Accion's advisory services help financial service providers digitize their operations and better serve their clients. The organization also houses the Center for Financial Inclusion, an independent think tank that conducts research and advocates for responsible financial solutions, focusing on critical areas such as consumer protection, women's economic inclusion, and the impacts of climate change. Today, Accion works with a global network of partners to develop and scale responsible digital financial solutions, aiming to create a fair and inclusive economy for the nearly two billion people who remain outside the formal financial system.