GFTN Capital, a growth-equity venture firm under the Global Finance & Technology Network (GFTN), has announced a strategic alliance with Accion, a global nonprofit focused on building inclusive financial systems. The collaboration aims to accelerate innovation and channel investment into FinTech companies serving financially underserved communities worldwide.
Driving inclusion through responsible innovation
The partnership between the Singapore-headquartered GFTN Capital and Washington D.C.-based Accion will focus on mobilising capital for digital finance and inclusive FinTech ventures. Both organisations intend to leverage their networks to expand access to high-quality, affordable financial products, helping narrow the global financial inclusion gap.
GFTN Capital operates within GFTN’s broader ecosystem of innovators, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and investors spanning over 130 countries. Through its initiatives, the firm provides investors with early access to promising, high-growth FinTech companies, offering strategic capital, market insights, and access to a global network of industry stakeholders.
Neil Parekh, Deputy Chairman of GFTN, highlighted the alliance’s potential impact. “GFTN’s strength lies in its ability to translate its global network into impact,” he said. “We engage year-round with entrepreneurs, innovators, and policymakers in finance and technology. Our work advances digital public infrastructure, inclusive FinTech, and green innovation with a focus on the Global South. Collaborating with Accion, a global leader in inclusive finance, lets us bring this expertise to the underserved, where it matters most. Together, we are channelling capital and expertise to support companies that innovate for people, not just for profit.”
Strengthening access for underserved communities
Michael Schlein, President and CEO of Accion, emphasised the urgency of expanding financial access. “Accion is proud to partner with GFTN Capital to speed up the next generation of inclusive FinTech,” he said. “Despite progress, 1.6 billion people remain poorly served or excluded from the financial system. By combining GFTN’s unparalleled network with our record in advancing inclusive finance, we are building a platform to scale solutions that extend opportunity to those left out of the formal economy.”
The collaboration will also see GFTN and the Center for Financial Inclusion (CFI), a think tank within Accion, co-host the 2026 Responsible Finance Forum in Singapore. The event will bring together policymakers, investors, and innovators to explore responsible innovation frameworks and strategies for digital inclusion.
Building sustainable growth through collaboration
Sopnendu Mohanty, Group CEO of GFTN, described the alliance as a milestone in shaping finance with purpose. “This partnership represents how GFTN Capital will bridge global investors and innovators to drive finance with purpose. Accion brings deep expertise in responsible finance, and together we are aligning capital with impact to redefine how innovation can build equitable and sustainable growth. Our shared goal is to make inclusion the driving force of innovation, not a side effect,” he said.
Founded by the Monetary Authority of Singapore in 2024, GFTN aims to connect policy, capital, and technology to strengthen financial systems globally. It operates through its subsidiaries, GFTN Services and GFTN Capital. GFTN Services hosts global forums, including the Singapore FinTech Festival, and provides advisory and technology support for financial innovation and inclusion. Meanwhile, GFTN Capital focuses on investing in growth-stage FinTechs that deliver measurable social impact.
Accion, established in 1961, works with partners in 77 countries to develop and scale responsible digital financial solutions for small business owners, farmers, and women. Its initiatives have helped build 285 financial service providers, reaching nearly 478 million people worldwide.
The GFTN-Accion partnership underscores a shared commitment to advancing responsible finance and ensuring that technological innovation contributes to inclusive economic growth.
