UNDP’s Accelerator Labs Network has prototyped a new kind of research and development (R&D): learning from signals of change to see patterns that create global business intelligence. What you will see in this document are “next practices” for digital financial inclusion: R&D activities ready to scale globally, future areas for collaboration and a theory of change to drive experimentation for SDG acceleration. Based on patterns we see across Africa, Latin America, Asia, Europe and beyond, these next practices demonstrate how digital financial inclusion can reduce poverty and promote prosperity.

While taking stock of the UNDP Accelerator Labs’ finance work across a hundred countries, a common trend emerged. Over two thirds of the Labs that were working on finance focused on financial inclusion facilitated by digital tools. What needs to take place in order for digital finance to put more money in the pockets of rural women and men in poor countries? This is the question UNDP and partners are exploring through R&D.