Unlike traditional accelerators and corporate innovation programs, Lighthouse MASSIV is free and focused primarily on global challenges. By partnering with startups that have high potential to improve the prosperity and security of the planet, the program seeks to make inclusive growth a reality for everyone, everywhere. Last spring’s inaugural class featured agritech companies like Desert Control–whose nanoclay technology is one of the promising technologies required to build the Great Green Belt of Africa–as well as inclusive finance startups like Jamii.one, which seeks to bring more African women into the formal economy. “Lighthouse MASSIV’s vision is to become an ‘impact unicorn factory’ that will help companies focused on doing good for the world to scale through partnerships. At its core, MASSIV is an open innovation program, which means that it works by helping companies partner with a strong ecosystem of players in order to drive meaningful, accountability-driven results.” ” The five companies joining the program this fall have been chosen because of their desire and ability to scale sustainable partnerships. Mastercard, together with Invenio Growth, its partner in running Lighthouse, hopes to enhance these collaborations and thereby make the world a more prosperous and secure place. GLOBHE, a Stockholm-based global drone-as-a-service company, collects drone data on demand to help prevent and respond to natural disasters and disease outbreaks around the world. By entering the program, GLOBHE hopes to connect to impact investors, humanitarian organizations and telecom partners, thereby deepening its impact on people and the planet. “An honor and a great timing for GLOBHE to get selected to the Mastercard Lighthouse MASSIV program. We have just entered an interesting scaling phase where we find the expertise and connections from the Mastercard network a great fit” – Helena Samsioe, CEO Green Assets Wallet is Stockholm-based company with a platform based on blockchain that injects cost efficiency and immutable trust into the green debt market to support its scaling. Issuers can effectively communicate impact plans and achievements to the broader market, while investors can access trusted information and quantifiable impact data. The company is looking to work with underwriters, investors, issuers, treasury partners, and standard setting organizations in green finance including the IFIs. “We are very excited to have been selected for the Mastercard Lighthouse MASSIV program. This program is a unique platform for key players to bring positive impact with a global reach” – Cecilia Repinski, CEO Molecular Attraction is a Stockholm-based company dedicated to fighting the epidemic of malaria and other vector-borne diseases. The company develops sustainable products and eradication strategies to combat disease carrying organisms like mosquitoes. Molecular Attraction hopes to connect to health industry partners in manufacturing and delivering anti-mosquito solutions and to non governmental organizations aiming at elimination of vector-borne diseases. “Bringing our innovations and products to the global market will require truly large-scale partnerships. It is one of the hardest things for a startup to do, but if successful, it can accelerate the development to the warp speed. We believe Mastercard Lighthouse MASSIV is aimed at exactly that and that’s why we are so excited to join the program.” – Lech Ignatowicz, CEO PAWA Technologies is an Oslo-based solar energy company providing a mobile solar charging stations that help users work themselves out of poverty. PAWA hopes to connect to banks, telecom partners and smartphone producers to increase quality of life in rural areas. “PAWA is a moneymaker. We see Mastercard Lighthouse MASSIV as a great opportunity to create new collaborations for the emerging markets in Africa. We believe that together we can get one step closer to democratize energy” – Jo Korneliussen, CEO PlasticFri is a Stockholm-based company with a revolutionary technology that turns agricultural waste and non-edible plants into eco-friendly alternatives for disposable plastics. The company hopes to collaborate with commercial partners and connect to legal and financial partners that help them scale the impact of their innovation. “PlasticFri is delighted to be selected for the Mastercard Lighthouse MASSIV program. We are excited to scale our impact through valuable partnerships with Mastercard, banks and other great partners. It is our pleasure that such renowned organizations share PlasticFri’s vision and we are looking forward to our partnerships.” – Allen Mohammadi, CEO Mastercard announces the first-ever Lighthouse MASSIV fall Class
Lighthouse MASSIV, Mastercard’s social impact partnership program dedicated to finding and scaling the next impact unicorn, is pleased to announce its first-ever fall class.
Mats Taraldsson
Head of Digital Development and Fintech Engagement, Mastercard Nordics and Baltics