How a flexible $5 million grant helped Kiva build the next-generation credit system for Sierra Leone and beyond

Over the last 13 years, Kiva has crowdfunded more than $1.2 billion in loans for underserved people in more than 80 countries. Kiva’s newest product, Kiva Protocol, is a digital identification and credit data system that uses distributed ledger technology (DLT) to provide financially-excluded and underserved people around the world with secure ownership of their financial identity and credit information, as well as a clear a pathway to accessing critical financial services. 

Why Rippleworks Invested:

Kiva had the opportunity to partner with the government of Sierra Leone to launch Kiva Protocol at national scale,  but, the risks associated with its initial implementation as a pilot program represent a significant barrier for traditional funders in the social impact sector. Moonshot ideas like Kiva Protocol require flexible, venture-first funders who shape their support to meet ventures’ unique needs.